Week 2 - Learn to Draw a Portrait

Week 2 - Learn to Draw a Portrait

This week are helping you to learn how to draw a portrait. Drawing is a great way to relax, relieve stress and focus you mind. Why not ask a family member to pose for you while you draw them, or take a photo so you can work on the portrait through the week. Below we have some tips on how to get the proportions right for portrait drawing for beginners, a link to an in depth step by step guide by Artists Network and a step by step video to help you get started. Remember to share your pictures with us online, you can direct message them to us on Facebook or Instagram so we can create a beautiful online gallery of all the beautiful art you create while staying home.

What you will need:

  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Rubber
  • Photo of the person you'd like to draw or a family member who will pose for your drawing

Tip 1: Decide how big the picture will be on the page then mark the top and bottom of the face with a line. Then mark out the width of the face with two lines.

Tip 2: Loosely sketch the general shape of the head - this does not need to be perfect but will help give you the general shape and proportion of the face. Pay particular attention to the angle of of the head.

Tip 3: Start to mark out the different areas of the face, the hairline, the nose shape and the chin.

Tip 4: Use the nose as a guideline to orient the other facial features around. Look at where the ear is in relation to the nose, use your pencil measure the distance. Do the same with the eyes and lips.

How to draw a portrait from a photo

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