First Lines When Drawing A Portrait – Process

First Lines When Drawing A Portrait – Process

by | Mar 31, 2019 | Drawing Tutorials, The Blog | 2 comments

I just recently added a brand new portrait drawing course in the member’s area over at Drawings Tutorials Online. This particular course focuses on drawing smaller portraits.

With every course, I like to review certain techniques via a screencast video. This particular video reviewed how I start a portrait drawing. Especially a smaller one, say about two inches tall.

I always start with the angles, combined with measure lines and negative space. Nothing new right?

No, it’s not new, I have been teaching these same techniques for many years. Unfortunately, I still see many artists who struggle with drawing a likeness. Don’t fall into the trap of just knowing the techniques because you have heard about them.

You have to constantly practice these portrait drawing techniques over and over again until you master them. It’s not enough to just know them in theory. You need to put them into practice.

Just replace the white lines in the video within photoshop with pencil lines on your drawing pad. Start off with light pressure at first.

Enjoy the video.

 

 

If you are interested in learning many more techniques similar to these consider a membership to Drawing Tutorials Online.

 

Drawing A Small Portrait

Drawing A Small Portrait

by | Mar 24, 2019 | Drawing Tutorials, The Blog

Have you ever worked on a figure drawing where the head was really small? Did you ask yourself, how am I supposed to draw so small? The eye is the size of my pencil point.

I’ve been there too, many times. What I have learned over the years of painting smaller portraits on book covers is that shadow shapes are your best friend. 

You really do not want to start outlining little details like the bottom of the nose or say the eye lashes. You first want to block in shapes of shadow. Then you can gradually build up some softer tonal shifts to resolve the features. As you progress you can then start to use some crisper line.

Now I completely understand not every artist works with tone. If this is the case you’ll still want to draw shapes first, not features. If you work with line only you do not have to shade in these shapes.

The key takeaway from this short video, use light and shade to your advantage when drawing small. Also less is best. With a smaller portrait you have to know when to stop. Adding too much detail can take you down a road of heartache.

 

If you are interesting in learning more, you can check out the full course within the members area of Drawing Tutorials Online. Consider signing up to DTO. You will immediately gain access to all of our comprehensive course listing.