Table of Content
Human beings are among the most basic drawing subjects in the history of art. If you're a blossoming artistyou may want to attempt realistic portraiture and build your portrait drawing skills. But knowing exactly what a portrait drawing constitutes is essential before plunging into it.
What is a Portrait?
A portrait is a visual representation of a persontypically focusing on the face. It is an art form that existed as long as 5000 years ago or earlierand historians believe it originated in ancient Egypt.
In the pastwealthy people would get their portraits painted to display their stature. The subject was called a “sitter” in these traditional portrait paintings. This term existed because they would sit and pose in front of the artist for hours to portray themselves in paint!
Credit: Faith Humphrey Hail
Todayportrait artists can do their work by using photographs as references. Portraits record humans posing or caught in a moment. It’s important to remember that portrait drawings differ from a technical or diagrammatic representation of one’s head.
Unlike those sportraits evoke an emotional connection between their subjects and viewers. They capture the essence of the person and make you wonder about them. The artist achieves this through details such as drawing facial featuresexpressionsposesclothingand setting.
Types of Portrait Drawings Every Artist Should Know
There are different kinds of portrait drawings. This categorization may depend on multiple things. For instancebased on the drawing there are portraits like realisticcaricaturalpointillisticthree-dimensional etc . In this senseportraits could be detailed sketches or minimal outlines.
It could also be categorized depending on the human being's sizecompositionand pose in the drawing. For examplethere are miniature portraits that people can use in their locketspendantsor pocket watches. They have been in existence since the 14th century. On the other handthere are also enormous-scaled portraitswhich you can do on the ground.
Here are some of the main types of portraits according to 3 different criteria:
1. Length and size
Based on their length and sizeportraits can further be classified into the following categories:
Full-Length Portraits
A full-length portrait portrays the subject's entire body from head to toe. Artists would create these kinds of figure drawings to include more contextual details in the frame. They would also do this to highlight the body in addition to the face since the person is the central subject of the image. These ‘context clues’ could be the backgroundclothingother objectsetc.
Credit: Federico Madrazo
Thereforefull-length pictures are more comprehensive and intricate than other portraits. These are usually plenty of elementsmore colors and strokesand various layers and details. This drawing is often stereotypically used to capture feminine beauty or dominant male characters.
Full-length portraits were a famous art among the 17th and 18th-century European aristocratic and royal families. Court artists would depict their great posesgrand clothingand other luxuries to exhibit wealth and status. Full-length portraits are usually about the surroundingsappareland social contexts. Sothey have less to do with conveying someone’s emotions and more with their social position or importance.
Half-Length and Three- Quarter Length Portraits
The most famous of portrait drawing is from the waist above. In half-length portraitsthe torso or upper body is illustrated in either a sitting or standing position. This kind of portrait gained popularity during the renaissance.
Credit: Jacopo Carucci
Herethe human subject is in the spotlight without the environment being distracting. Since the background isn’t significantit is conventionally monochromatic in half-length portraits. Insteadthe person’s facial features and expressions gain precedence. The focus is more on emotions rather than social standing.
A three-quarter-length portrait is less commonbut it exists. It involves a knee-length portrayal of people. Although it seems incompletesuch pictures can balance the person’s profile and background well. They come somewhere in between half-length and full-length portrait drawings.
Kit-Cat Portrait
A Kit-cat portrait is a sub-category of half-length portraits. Their main feature is that the subject’s hands are always visible in the painting. Alsothey typically depict the individual from the chest and above rather than the waist.
Credit: Leonardo Da Vinci“Mona Lisa”
A set of creatives and lords at the Kit-cat club in London are behind the name's origins. These writers commissioned eminent artists of the timesuch as Godfrey Knellerto paint the club members in the Kit-cat .
Bust Portrait
A bust portrait represents the neck and face of the personemphasizing the shoulders and above. Here toothe limelight is on the features of the head and the persona rather than the surroundings or the social context. Henceit has a purpose very similar to bust sculptures.
Credit: Nils Johan Olsson Blommér
These are also called Head and Shoulder portraits or Face and Neck portraits. The face almost entirely dominates the frameand thus the person’s expressionsfeelingsand minute facial features become the primary focus. There is less potential here to add many objects or strokes.
2. Pose
Based on the angle in which the subject is facingthe following categories exist:
Front View Portrait
A front-view portrait shows the whole face of the portrait subject as they stare straight ahead. There may or may not be direct eye contact with the viewerbut most facial features are visible. In such portraitsartists highlight the details of the facepaying particular attention to the subject's gaze.
Credit: David Jon Kassan
Side Profile Portrait
In profile portraitsthe subject faces either the left or rightso the viewer sees their face from the side. Artists attempt to accurately portray the physical characteristics of the individual’s profile from a side angle. Because of this perspectivethe full face is not visible.
Credit: Mathis Miles Williams
Three Quarter Portrait
A three-quarter view portrait is somewhere in the middle of a full face and side profile portrait. The subject gazes at an angle between completely facing straight or turning to the side. Typicallyself-portraits tend to be from this anglesuch as Van Gogh’s.
Credit: Van Gogh
Tronie
It’s not the perspective that determines whether a portrait is a tronie. Howeverit is still often included under the criteria of poses. Tronie portraits have expressive subjects who show various human emotions with their heads at different angles. The subtle human sentiments are more significant here than their social stature.
Credit: Jan Vermeer“Girl with a Pearl Earring”
After an era of restriction when society expected artists to draw staticlifeless portraitsthe Dutch Golden Age brought about a revolution. Hencefrom the 17th centuryartists began depicting natural human feelings through their subject’s unique expressions and natural human instincts.
3. Number of People
The third kind of categorization is based on the number of people in the picturesuch as:
Individual
Most portraits showcase a single individualoften reflecting their personalitymental statesocial classagegenderetc. In the pastit was common for people to commission such biographical portraits of themselves.
Credit: Joannes Buns
Double
A double portrait holds two people in the frame rather than one. The subjects could be a couplefamily membersfriendsstrangersor enemies. In any caseit often portrays a relationship or story between two people. They could be similar to each other or contradictory. Double portraits provide scope for more meaning and can help communicate some kind of message or tale.
Credit: Justus Sustermans
Self-Portraits
Self-portraits are like autobiographies. In these paintingsthe artist chooses themself as the subject. Self-portraits act like memoirs and help the artist materialize their concepts and visions of themselves on paper.
Credit: Robert Hannaford
Group Portraits
A group portrait is a painting of many individuals in one framewhere they are the main focus of the picture. By this definitionthe landscape of the image is relatively insignificantand the people are the dominant subjects. The subjects are positioned next to each other in these portraitsand their facial features are more prominent than the background or other distractions.
Credit: Sylvia Sleigh
How to Draw a Portrait: Step-by-Step
Now that you know what portraits and their different kinds areit's time to start with some rules. This step-by-step guide will examine some easy portrait drawing techniquesbeginning with the basic outline. Thenwe will move on to the intricacies of drawing realistic facial features in pencil portraits.
Portrait Drawing Tips Before You Pick Up a Pencil
An important point to keep in mind with portrait art is that you must draw what you know along with what you see. What does this mean when it comes to portraits? While attempting to replicate directly what you see on the modelyou should also remember the human head's regular composition and anatomy.
You should strive to work with your knowledge of proportions and perspectivesshades and texturesand other art fundamentals. You can watch video lessons to observe the portrait drawing techniques of other artists and learn to do portraits easily. Here are some things to do before you jump into the facial features:
1. Select who you want to draw.
The first step in any drawing is to choose a reference image. In the case of portraitsit is crucial to select a subject wisely. While drawing from real life would be impressiveit might be easier to begin with a photograph.
Credit: Casey Childs
You could pick a celebritya family memberor even yourself- choosing the model is totally up to you. Howeveras beginners to portrait drawingit might be best to pick a photo with relatively uncomplicated facial characteristics. Alsorecognize the distinctions in drawing a male or female face.
2. Decide how large it is going to be and visualize the angle.
Once you’ve finalized your subjectit’s time to decide what kind of portrait you want to draw. Is it going to be just the face and neck or a full-length portrait? Will it be a miniature paintingA4 sizedor a large wall tapestry? Will your model gaze straight aheador are you attempting a profile portrait?
Credit: Sir William Ross/ Guglielmo Faija
It is essential to be clear about the dimensions of your canvas and the size and angle of your subject within this frame. At this pointyou have decided on the type of portrait you will draw. Now visualize your character in that anglebearing in mind the light sourceshadowsgradientsproportionsshadesand texture.
3. Block-in the general outline and contours
Before getting into the intricate details of your portrait’s facial featuresit helps to sketch its outlines. Blocking in the facial contours lays a strong foundation for your portrait. This step includes proportionately mapping out the shape of the face and aligning the eyesnosemouthand ears. To startfigure out the width-to-height ratio of the face.
Afterwardmark the tips of the length and width of the face. These four marks indicate how large the face is going to be. Triangulation techniques come in handy in portrait drawing. In this methodyou should visualize the angles between these points by comparing them with your reference subject.
If you plan to draw the neckmark a fifth horizontal line at its pitdepending on how long it is. To determine its widthyou can mark an oval at the base of the neckwhich is the top of the ribcage. This shape separates the vertical necklines from the horizontal planes of the shoulders and will help with shading later.
Credit: Joshua Nava
Thenusing these edges as a guidelinelightly draw freehand the rough contour of your subject’s face. Faces are naturally full of curves. Butcreating a blueprint with straight lines can help understand perspectives. Straight lines can emphasize the protruding borders of the face.
You will notice that these strokes always connect and blend with each other. Typically these lines are considered gestures or rhythms. They are flowing curved lines that connect the different aspects of the drawing. They form a foundational blueprint for the organic shape of a face. Refine this shape by constantly evaluating whether the angles seem accurate.
Using Construction Lines and Axis Lines
Follow this with a vertical construction line down the center of the face. This vertical line goes through the middle of the nose area till the chin. It acts as a balancing strokehelping with symmetry and the positioning of other features.
Then draw more construction lines to mark the eye levelnoseand mouth areas intersecting on the vertical line. Generallythe location of these features depends on your model and its angle. But there are some universal facts to consider as well. For instancethe ear's upper tip will always be approximately in line with the eyebrows.
Another technique to help you determine the correct slants and tilts in this process is using imaginary axis lines. It involves picturing straight horizontal and vertical lines at the edges of the face to gauge the distance between the lines and the face. You can hold a pencil as an axis line instead of sketching a straight line.
Credit: Gorams Hil
This technique becomes useful even for locating the rest of the facial features on the face. For exampleimagining a straighthorizontal line along the base of the nose makes it possible to understand the distance of the eye or the ear from that spot. At this stageit helps to be mindful of proportions. You could practice thisfor exampleby ensuring that the position of the nose is roughly in the midpoint of the faceequidistant from the ears.
You could also use construction lines to divide the face into three equal parts - from hair root to eyebroweyebrow to the noseand nose to chin. In this casethe eye line will roughly be in the middle of the head. But this method will only be logical if your subject faces you at the same eye level. It’s all about perspective in portrait drawing!
4. Block-in shadows and tonal contours
The next step is to add contours for the eye socketcheekbonesjawlinecollarbonesetc. These lines define the ridges and hollows of the subject’s anatomytypically depending on the individual face shape rather than universal biological laws. Sostudy the subjective features of your model in depth.
At the same timeit is vital to be aware of the construction of a face. For instancesome knowledge of muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid and trapezium can be helpful when drawing a neck. It’s significant because these muscles play a major role in sculpting the neck’s shape.
Generallyyou must keep technical knowledge aside and consider angles when deciding proportions. Artists look at abstract shapes and draw what they observe on the model. But with drawing portraitsyour grasp of anatomy is also important because of visual gaps.
Usuallyit is hard to see the construction of a body clearly - that isthe muscles or the bone structure. Some people may have soft features that hide their cheekbones. Orlight and shadows may highlight or fade out the details of their face. Somix your understanding of facial structures with the shapes you see on your model.
Credit: Debra Kaufman Yaun
When looking at abstract shapes in this senseit is also helpful to look at negative space. Negative forms refer to the gap between the external axis line and the outline of the face. These abstract shapes help you check if the silhouettes of the main subject are accurate and revise them accordingly.
Thenblock-in areas for shadows and highlightsdepending on where the light source is. To create a three-dimensional effectbegin shading these tonal contours. If it’s hard to identify shadowsgauging your image's darkest and lightest parts is useful. A quick tip- it is easier to recognize this by squinting! Afterwardyou can ‘model the form,’ which means working on the areas that are neither too dark nor light.
If it is a profile portraitone side of the face normally has lots of block-shaded areas. If the model is facing straight and the light source is from abovethere tend to be shadow shapes under their eyeschinetc. Define these vast chunks of shadowed parts using dark tones and shading.
Once you do these stepsthe basic structure of your portrait’s face is readyand the main elements are blocked in. Now it’s time to add the finer details and place facial features such as the eyesnoseearsand lips into this construction.
How to Draw Each Facial Feature Accurately
Practicing drawing eyesearsnosesand mouths separately before jumping into portraiture is beneficial. Facial features are nuanced and can take practice to master in drawing your portrait sketch. But whether you’re locating them in your portrait for the first time or learning to draw them individuallythe following tips can help:
How to Draw Realistic Eyes:
1. Draw the outlines of the eyelidseyebrowsand eyes.
As beginnersfirstanalyze the anatomical structure of the eye socket for a better understanding of its shape. Position the outline of the eyes based on the lines and contours drawn beforedirectly across from each other. You can use grids or straight lines to get the proportions right. A helpful fact is that the space between two eyes amounts to the length of one eye!
Credit: D-Aare on Deviant Art
From a straight-view perspectivean upper and lower curve can form the almond shape of the eye. Ensure that you pinch the corners of the oval. In this anglethe iris and the pupil make perfect circleswith the pupil precisely in the middle of the iris. Howeverthe top eyelid covers a part of the upper irisso the full circle isn’t visible. The lower eyelid should not solely be a line but have some thickness. The eyelashes grow from the lower part of this bottom eyelid.
From a profile or three-quarter view anglethe shape of the eye changes. In this casethe irises and pupils become vertical ellipses in the drawing. Note the distortionsoverlapsand obstructions that such a view brings about- for instancethe nose might cover a part of an eye.
2. Fill in the patterns and shades.
Once the basic shape is readyfill in the details. This process includes marking the spokes of the irisdrawing eyelashesdarkening the pupiletc. Howeverthere is usually no need to fill individual hairs in the eyebrow or eyelashas dark shading is enough. As you learn to sketch eyebrowslooking into techniques for drawing hair may benefit you.
Leave a blank spot in the iris and pupil to show the reflection of lightalthough this does not need to be a perfect circle. Determining how much the eyelid covers the iris can give you more control over your subject’s expression in the drawing.
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Nowstart darkening the shadowed areas of the eyes. Identify the light and dark values and half-tones in your reference photo. Observe the counterchange of values and the gradation of tones. You can use light gesture strokes to connect the shadows and create the illusion of dimension.
With eyesyou need to create the darkest tones in the pupilthe under eyeand the top eyelid part. The lightest areas would be the distinction between the iris and the pupilthe light-catching spotthe corners of the eyeetc. The ‘white of the eye’ or sclera is typically not completely white but has various tones and shadows. For exampleit will have shadows caused by the eyelashes.
Shading these areas can point out any mistakes in proportionswhich you might need to refine several times along the way. Intricate detailslike the fiber-like tissues of the iristhe eyebrow hairsetc.add to the realism of the drawing. At the same timelooking at the larger picture and going from the general to the specific might make the task seem less daunting.
3. Blend the tones and develop the lights and darks.
Finallyblend the shades to turn your drawing into its final form. You can use a stump or tortillon for this. Add final touches by defining the sharpest and softest edges of the eye. Recheck if the darkest tones are in their black value and if the light areas are indeed lightlike the point of glowing reflection. Once you asses this definition and depththis part of the portrait drawing should be ready.
Credit: Illeana Hunter
How to Draw a Nose:
1. Draw the outlines of the nose and nostrils.
Similar to the method of drawing eyesstart with the rough outline of a nose. You can use gridsvertical and horizontal linesor circles to get this shape right. Two identical spherical shapes on either side of the center can form a nose shape in the front view. Another way is to draw one egg-shaped tip in the center and two ‘lobster claw’ shapes on either side for the nasal wings and nostrils.
For the side viewyou need one bigger and one smaller circle. While a softer tip shape is justified from the frontthe side view of the nose makes for a sharper right angle. You only need to draw one nose wing’s contour from the side view. The other wing just appears briefly and is mainly hidden by the ridge. These wings form half-circle shapes. Alsofrom the side viewthe nostrils appear more prominent than the front view.
Credit: RapidFireArt
2. Fill in the patterns and shades.
Since noses are subjectiveobserve your model well and tone the nose with lines as needed. Ensure that the bridge of the nose curves between the eyes. The lower part of the nose is often more expansive than the rest of the organand the ridge of the nose is only sometimes straight for everyone.
The nostrils are always round or ovalso you must draw curved lines. Adjust the ridge condition according to the model's nose shapeconsidering that its length determines the nose’s length. For a ‘button nose,’ the ridge is somewhat straightand the tip is round.
The whole bottom part of the nose is typically shadowed because of the protruding nature of the tip of the nose. Thusthe underside of the nose tip is especially always under shadows. This shading gives it a rounded dimension. If the light source is from the sidethen one side of the nose tends to be more in shadows.
Credit: Lee Hammond
The central part of the nose tends to have light and dark tonal valueswhereas the outline edgesparticularly the wingstipnostrilsand ridgeshave darker shades. The edges of the nose and the nostril typically catch some lightso there are also some light tones here. It is also worth noting that even within the nostrilthere isn’t an entirely even shade of black. Towards the bottom of the nostrilthe dark shadows become vaguer.
3. Blend the tones and develop the lights and darks.
Now blend these darkened shades with a stump or tortillon. Blending helps define the shadows and highlightsestablishing the nasal contours to make them more realistic. Overalla majority of the nose ends up being shaded in variant toneseven though its main ‘skin’ part is supposed to be technically lighter. Howeveronly the reflected light must be in the lightest tones. Blend the darks into the lights.
Credit: RapidFireArt
How to Draw the Mouth:
1. Draw the outlines of the lips and teeth.
As with the other facial featuresstart with the basic shapes of the mouthusing axis lines as a guide. It also helps to understand the anatomy of the mouth. For examplethe curve between the chin and the lowest point of the lip is called the mentolabial sulcus. At the corners of the lipsthere are mediolus tissuesand the philtrum is the groove at the top of the lip. Understanding these muscles and ridges can improve accuracy in portrait drawing.
Additionallymeasuring the correct length and width of your model’s lips can help you recreate their unique set of lips. You could seek proportions that aid you. For examplecheck if the width is twice as much as the height or if the upper and lower lip has the same thickness.
To locate the lipsconsider that the opening of the mouth will roughly be one-third of the way up from the nasal base to the chin. The lower part of the bottom lip is almost at the halfway point of this space. Similarlythe upper part of the top lip is roughly halfway between the nasal base and the mouth opening line. Although these are not firm specificationsit does pay to consider that the mouth isn’t exactly in the middle of this space but in its upper half.
Credit: Arteza
If your model has parted their lipsremember that the entire length of the upper teeth won’t be visible. The upper lip will partly cover it. If you are drawing teethit’s best not to darken every tooth individually. A rough shape of the gums and the teeth’s hard edges should suffice.
Drawing three or four soft circles and ovals can help contour the lipswhich have some volume. Like eyeslips are quite expressiveso the particular pose of the mouth matters. The curves aren’t simple crescent shapes but in the form of a ‘W’ or an ‘M.’
2. Fill in the patterns and shades.
Now that the general shape is readypay attention to the specific curves and appearance of your model’s lips. Draw multiple overlappingsoft gesture pencil strokes based on the lines and folds of the lips as you sculpt out its shape and soft edges. You can also add other details at this pointlike smile crinkles and different strokes. For examplelips tend to have soft curved vertical lines of various lengths throughout their surface area.
Notice the dark areassuch as shadows and pigmentation. Block them with lightstraight lines and add shading. The upper lip is commonly darker because it projects inwhereas the lower lip juts out. It’s also mandatory to examine the skin around the lips. For instancethe area below the mentolabial sulcus is cast in a shadow because of the lower lip’s angle.
Credit: Arteza
Even though teeth are whitethey naturally require shading. Teeth further into the mouth can be shaded darker than the ones up front. Alsothe lower row of teeth tends to be more in shadows than the upper set. The space between the teethor where the lips meettends to be the darkest areaso make sure to add shadows here. Since the dark values have subtle gradations rather than distinct shapesit’s best to go slow with light pencil strokes.
Generallythere are more dark values and shadow shapes in lips. Butkeeping some areas highlighted on the lower lip can create luster and volume. The lip ridges also tend to reflect light and have fair values. Proceed with the gradation slowlygently adding layers to ensure the correct value balance. Squinting can give you insight into the tonal range in your model’s lips as well as decide what details to include or eliminate.
3. Blend the tones and develop the lights and darks.
Once againsmoothen the shading in the shadow areas. If you accidentally darkened a light value areause a kneaded eraser to fix it and add shine. Alsouse light pencil marks to ensure the teeth don’t stand out too distinctly.
Credit: ArtFactory
How to Draw Ears:
1. Draw the outlines of the ears.
To begindraw the C-shaped outline of the ear. If your subject has long hairparts of the ear might be covered. While sketching the general silhouetteconsider basic anatomical facts. For instancethe height of the ear typically is around that of the noseand its breadth is close to half its peak.
The external edge of the ear curls in and overlaps the inner corner. Alsolook for a rough ‘Y’ shape in the inner ear. There are several rims and ridges in the earsuch as around the ear bowlwhich is a cup-like protruding area. Furthermoreearlobes are spherical and the most visible part of the ear due to hair.
Credit: KidsPlayColor
2. Fill in the patterns and shades.
Since the ear has many overlapping shapesit creates many specific shadows. For examplethe outer ear casts shadows at the rim where it curls. The borders of these grooves tend to have darker tonesbut the shading will automatically create the outlinesso you don’t need to etch dark lines. Use the directions of the strokes to contour the ear and adjust its position.
Credit: Toni Justamante Jacobs
3. Blend the tones and develop the lights and darks.
After the previous stepdeepen the light and dark-shaded values using a blending stump. It’s worth noting that the ear is glossier than the rest of the face. Soerase overly shaded areas to portray brightreflected light to make it more realistic. Shading the ear can be more nuanced than the other facial featuresso pay special attention to the shadows in your reference image.
Credit: Proko
These guidelines can help you draw a human face with a good likeness to your model. In the beginningyou can do a simple line drawing using grids. It also helps to start with the eyes and then proceed to the nose and mouth. Most of the picture is carved by shading rather than blank white space or hard outlines. Even when drawing hairuse a range of light and dark values to create gradations and highlights. But firstalways pick a good reference image.
Now that you’re ready grab a pencil and a piece of papergetsetand go!