Portrait Drawing & Sketching

A portrait captures the sole not only the physical beauty of the individual. Although, drawing from a picture may be easier to begin and practice, it may not always reflect the true essence of the subject. Taking the right picture may take several frame shots, but it can result in good practice for the beginner. Measuring is a lot easier, and since the progressive light movement is still there it gives ample amount of time to draw. Also, moving subjects can be easily drawn from a picture.

You now have the advantage to measure and apply the best base to the drawing to obtain professional results, as possible. The ultimate, would of course be to place transparent paper over your picture and outline it for a base. If this drawing is to become much larger than the picture measurements, it must then be duplicated, or opposite.

An important part of drawing and sketching with pencil or charcoal, as well as, painting is to give your art a basis. Measurements will substantiate the drawing in perspective and depth. They will include light and shadows, and not only the frame in order to bring art to life. The best practice to obtaining correct measurements is to cube with straight lines everything that’s on that drawing, until it looks rounded.

Part of your base drawing is sketching with pencil or charcoal. It’s a little easier to start with a soft pencil and your sketch pad, which you can take with you anywhere in order to practice. It will enable you to darken lines and emphasize light and shade, and for the beginner correct easily. Most important it makes it easy for practice, practice, and more practice.

The technique of cubing your drawing with continuous straight lines gives the most efficient measurement basis to art and painting, with a correct perspective and the best of practice. Drawing a portrait and capturing the likeness of a subject with just a few lines can only be done after such progress in drawing. One must be a master before becoming a clown.

This technique can also be done with using charcoal and stretched paper on a frame. Simply, apply a mix of water and flour on the back of the paper, then mount it on the frame and carefully overlap the corners. After letting it dry you will then have a similar canvas on frame look to begin drawing. With only the tip of the charcoal touching the paper you can start to measure and draw your portrait. By applying pressure to lines you can emphasize shadow and darkness. As an option, later add shading. When finished, apply/spray fixative for longevity, cut the drawing around the frame with a sharp blade, and role into a cylinder, or frame.

Some people have more talent than others, but all must master a good technique to accomplish excellence in drawing and painting. Although, pencil and charcoal drawings are beautiful to display and to work with, adding paint with color later will be more beautiful than ever. Your water and acrylic colors, and oils will be applied to your painting with ease to emphasize your individual technique, and eventual depict your ultimate potential in art.

Drawing from memory can be done also, but only after extensive measurement and practice. It’s very important to relax and pick out your favorite inspirations and drawing subjects to begin with. If music sets the mood, by all means play your most inspiring sonata and aria. Relax, notice, and practice is very important. View as many different artists’ work, styles, and drawing methods as possible, this too will eventually help in the progress of your own style.