Drawing from life is difficult and often requires a great deal of patience and practice; however, over time, it is possible to create a beautiful portrait. With the right techniques and tools, and with a little observation skills, you can learn how to create a work of art!
Steps
Step 1. Choose a model or photograph
Whichever image you choose, make sure reproducing it is not beyond your abilities. If you are a beginner, it would be better not to choose a photo that includes too many particular shadows or that is taken from a strange angle. Instead, stick to something simple. Conversely, if you already have practice drawing portraits, you can try something more complicated to test your skills.
- Decide if you want the subject to be male or female. Male portraits often have strong shadows and this could also present difficulties. In female portraits the hair is usually longer: some people find it boring to draw it.
- Decide if you prefer the subject to be young or old. The faces of older people can be more interesting - as well as more difficult to achieve - due to wrinkles and the appearance of the skin; however they are able to convey emotions better. Very young children are easier to draw, but they may also present difficulties, in case you are used to adult subjects.
Step 2. Draw a rough outline of the face and head
To do this, use a light pencil like a 2H, or, if you don't have pencils with different leads, use a mechanical pencil. This type of pencil leaves thinner, lighter lines that can be erased more easily if you need to make changes.
Continue by tracing the outline of the facial features such as the eyes, some lines of the nose, the inside of the ears and lips: do not dedicate yourself to shading yet
Step 3. Imagine nothing
Draw only what you see: if there are no bags under the eyes, don't do them; if you can only see two or three lines around the nose, don't add more to make it more defined. Making assumptions can be risky, because they could be false and risk ruining the final image.
You can go back later and add details that are not seen in the reference photo, in case you do not want the portrait to be an exact replica of the latter
Step 4. Start shading
This is the hardest part of a portrait, but it is what brings the subject to life.
Determine which are the lightest and darkest parts of your subject's face. If you want the portrait to look three-dimensional and have a dramatic effect, make the lighter parts as white as possible (using a hard or thin pencil) and the darker parts as black as possible (using a coarser pencil)
Step 5. Use your strongest observation skills
To make sure the shadows and features look realistic and resemble the starting model, keep looking at it and comparing the portrait to the photo. You don't have to get obsessive about it, especially if you're a beginner - it's nearly impossible that your drawing will eventually turn out to be an exact copy of the photo.
Don't forget that an important part of a well-made portrait is capturing the uniqueness and expression of the subject. If the person has a rather large nose, do not try to make it smaller, or if the person has thin eyebrows, do not try to make them darker. A portrait should resemble the real person, not an ideal
Step 6. Be patient and take your time
If you do it quickly, you will lower the quality.
Advice
- You won't be able to make a satisfying portrait on the first try. If you are just starting out in portraits, you understand that only practice makes perfect.
- In case you intend to color it, first try to make a copy in order to keep the original in black and white (even if you don't like the color copy).
- If you are creating a portrait for a job or for a school evaluation, it is preferable to study the anatomy of the face and the human body to better understand how muscles and bone structure work.
- If you want to get photorealistic portraits, avoid tracing the outline: instead try to mask the pencil line with a cotton swab or a clean paper handkerchief to achieve the desired complexion.
