..TIPS FOR DRAWING PORTRAITS.. Portraits are one of the hardest subjects an artist will undertake. I find it difficult and I have been doing portraits for years. It takes lots of practice and even more patience. It's easier to draw family and friends as you know and recognise them, but when it comes to commissioned work, that's when it starts to get tricky. It is hard to draw a stranger, and the person who is commissioning you probably knows them very well. They will instantly notice if something is not accurate with the picture straight away. Usually I am given a photograph of the subject, I tend not to work from life. To start with I make an enlargment of the image either on my computer or a photocopier, you could use a pantograph and do it the old fashioned way. Then with tracing paper, I draw an accurate outline of the face, egnoring any details except for the eyes. I then trace the image on the paper (the right way around), after that I start to fill in the details.

Michael Jackson portrait

In my drawing of Charlotte, I have tried to draw like people did back in the 1800's using a very loose but accurate style.

Portrait of Charlotte Bronte

I used sepia tinted paper to make this drawing look like it's very old. I also put it in a frame that looks like wood worm is crawling through it.

Close up of details of the face

..PUTTING IN THE DETAILS.. Now that you have done the outline for your portrait, it's time to add some details. Some people find drawing eyes are one of the hardest parts, I think it is one of the hardest, but personally I think the nose is the most difficult, as it is the main structure of the face. Sketch the eyes in loosely first, but please try and draw the nose first because artists tend to use the nose to get the measurements and dimensions correct for the eyes and ears and mouth. So now you have got the main structure sketched in, now its time to work on some detail. I start with eyes for detail, starting with the pupils and working outwards, picking up on the light that's hitting the eye. Don't press on hard, use only very light pressure, so if you happen to go wrong, it won't be too hard to rub out.

Detail of the eye

..SHADING.. After you are happy with the important details, it's time to put in the shading. Try to keep your arm resting on the edge of your table, this gives your wrist some support, so your not waving your arm about, then lightly press on the paper, as you build up the shading, start releasing the pressure very slightly moving outwards from the first shading point. This will give your picture a more two dimensional edge. TIP. Always take a break especially portrait work because apart from your neck and wrist getting tired, your brain becomes used to the image you are seeing, it's hard to explain, prop up your picture against a wall and stand back from it, or as I do (this is a great tip) turn your drawing upside down along with the original and then compare the two images. You will soon notice anything that looks odd straight away (trust me).

Shading

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