Drawing Portraits: The easy way - Part 3 (Fine Art Drawing Academy: Portrait drawing) [1 ed.] 9781909601208

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Fine Art Drawing Academy Drawing Portraits: The easy way Part 3 Author: Paul Christian Brown Published by Fine Art Drawing Academic Press England First electronic edition, 2021. eBook ISBN: 978-1-909601-20-8

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Introduction This book does not bother with lengthy explanations regarding techniques and materials. Instead, it utilises a well refined technique and limited materials. In doing so, an aspiring artist can get straight to drawing effective and professional quality portraits as quickly as possible. In this short series of four portrait books, part 3 focuses on learning how to draw 8 different kinds of portrait, starting from a baby boy up to an old man. However, unlike parts 1 and 2, the level of detail and general expectations are higher. That is to say, students are already expected to have some knowledge and experience with portrait drawing before attempting part 3. Owing to the simplicity of the materials and technique, by the end of part 3, each student should be able to draw a well-balanced and high-quality portrait. Furthermore, students should feel confident that if the same techniques are applied, any kind of portrait can be drawn and completed to a high standard. The focus of The Fine Art Drawing Academy for drawing portraits is to make sure future artists and hobbyists understand scale, light and shade as well as harmony. There is no reason why anyone who has the desire cannot master portrait drawing. Moreover, it is believed that this technique can remove any unnecessary hassle from what is considered the hardest skill to master in drawing. If you require any further information about current or future products, please contact us: [email protected]

Example of how one of the portraits is drawn:

Portraits 1 - 4

Portraits 5 - 8

Table of contents Chapter 1: Materials Chapter 2: Drawing the outline of a portrait Chapter 3: Portrait 1 – Baby Chinese boy Chapter 4: Portrait 2 – Young boy Chapter 5: Portrait 3 – Teenage boy Chapter 6: Portrait 4 – Man with stubble and cap Chapter 7: Portrait 5 – Man with sunglasses Chapter 8: Portrait 6 – Man with moustache Chapter 9: Portrait 7 – Indian man with turban Chapter 10: Portrait 8 – Old man Chapter 11: Final thoughts

Chapter 1: Materials The use of 7 different types of pencil is required. For most portraits, the same 7 kinds of pencil are used. There is no deviation from this; as a result, the technique should be uniform. Thus, simplicity and replicability make it easier for students to draw their own portraits after they have completed this book.

Materials: F-graphite (Staedtler Mars Lumograph or Faber Castell is recommended) HB graphite (Staedtler Mars Lumograph or Faber Castell is recommended) 2B graphite (Staedtler Mars Lumograph is highly recommended) 4B graphite (Staedtler Mars Lumograph is highly recommended) 2B carbon pencil (Wolff’s Carbon is highly recommended) Black coloured pencil (Faber Castell or Prisma Colour is recommended) (0.5mm) mechanical pencil (Staedtler Mars Micro is recommended) Bristol board white paper (For this method, this is absolutely essential) Tissue paper (This is used for blending, so the softer the better)

Chapter 2: Drawing the outline of a portrait There are 3 useful methods for obtaining the necessary outline for a given portrait: 1) Using a grid. This method involves drawing a grid on both the picture of the portrait and your own Bristol board paper, and then copying from the picture. It is both classical yet still widely used and considered acceptable by most if not all artists.

2) The use of a LED drawing tracing pad is also recommended. However, to some this might seem like cheating; it is entirely up to the individual to decide.

3) Naturally, a careful observation of the subject and subsequent freehand drawing is also desirable. Such a method will prove a student’s mastery of portrait drawing. It could be argued, however, that once a student has learnt to draw a portrait like this, there is no need to do it each time. For all methods, use an F-graphite pencil, because it is soft and will not make any abrasive marks. Furthermore, it can be erased without leaving any smudges and/or scuffs.

Chapter 3: Portrait 1 – Baby Chinese boy Steps 1 - 4: As already explained, choose one of the three methods for drawing an outline. Just make sure that the line is not too dark or too light.

Next, use either a 2B carbon or black pencil to draw eyes, nostrils and mouth. Gently add F-graphite to iris area; finally shade entire face with F-graphite.

Step 5: Using the 2B graphite, slowly and carefully start shading relevant areas, as well as drawing in the eyebrows. The eyebrows do not have to be finished at this stage; they can be completed at a later stage. For the lips, use F-graphite then the 2B graphite.

Step 6: Continue adding more 2B graphite making sure to keep the balance of the entire picture. 2B graphite is also used to finish the iris area.

Step 7: By this stage, the entire face should be shaded with 2B graphite. The lips finally require 4B graphite to produce a darker look, Now the sweater can be drawn in more detail as well as be shaded.

Step 8: For the hair, a HB graphite or mechanical pencil can be used. Make lines in the relevant direction, but it is important not to over-state the hair area with too many lines.

Step 9: Finally, use a 2B then 4B graphite to add darker lines.

It is essential to remember that at each stage of shading, tissue paper or an alternative should be used to smooth the shaded areas. This produces a smoother and more polished final look.

Chapter 4: Portrait 2 – Young boy Steps 1 - 4: For the next 7 portraits, the same procedure (as seen in portrait 1) is done for steps 1 – 4.

Step 5: Use more F-graphite and 2B graphite to complete the iris areas.

Step 6: Keep applying 2B graphite to entire face. Also use 2B graphite for eyebrows and lips.

Step 7: Once the face has been completed, use 4B graphite for lips.

Step 8: At this stage only the hair and clothes need shading: use F-graphite followed by 2B graphite for shading of the hair area; the same is done for the clothes.

Step 9: Use either a HB graphite or mechanical pencil for the hair and add another layer of shading to the clothes using both 2B and 4B graphite.

Step 10: Finally, finish the hair as normal, and using an eraser, make some lines at the front of the hair as shown below.

Chapter 5: Portrait 3 – Teenage boy Steps 1 - 4:

Step 5: The eyes only cover a small area, so at this stage they can be completed using more F, 2B and 4B graphite pencils.

Step 6: Using 2B graphite, draw in eyebrows and start shading entire face.

Step 7: Continue using 2B for entire face – remembering to use tissue paper to smooth shaded areas.

Step 8: At this stage, the entire face should be shaded accordingly with the 2B graphite.

Step 9: Again, use either HB graphite or mechanical pencil for hair lines.

Step 10: Finish hair by using 2B and 4B graphite where necessary. Also use an eraser to make a few light hair strands.

Chapter 6: Portrait 4 – Man with stubble and cap Steps 1 - 4:

Step 5: Only the iris areas need to be completed at this stage with 2B and 4B graphite.

Step 6: Draw in eyebrows and start shading entire face with 2B graphite.

Step 7: Continue shading and use 4B graphite for the area that has stubble.

Step 8: 4B graphite is used to finally shade the entire face. The bottom of the cap is black pencil.

Step 9: The hair and stubble areas are done using 4B graphite. First, make lighter stubble marks in the whole area, then add darker lines on top. The cap and waist coat are shaded using F-graphite then 2B graphite.

Step 10: Finally finish off all the stubble using 4B graphite and for the cap, use 4B graphite followed by black pencil.

Chapter 7: Portrait 5 – Man with sunglasses Steps 1 - 4: In step 4, the shaded area in the sunglasses is achieved using only the black pencil.

Step 5: The face also needs a layer of 2B graphite to increase depth.

Step 6: Continue shading using more 2B and finally 4B graphite.

Step 7: Continue using 4B graphite to shade the darkest parts of the face.

Step 8: For the stubble area, just like before, use a sharp 4B graphite to make lighter marks then darker marks on top. Use F and 2B graphite for teeth.

Step 9: Finish adding all the stubble lines, then make lines in the hair as normal with a HB graphite or mechanical pencil.

Step 10: Finish the hair using 4B and black pencil for a few lines here and there, as well as using an eraser to produce lighter hairs.

Chapter 8: Portrait 6 – Man with moustache Steps 1 - 4:

Step 5: Finish the iris areas as normal and add a layer of 2B to entire face.

Step 6: The eyebrows are different from all the others: only short hair lines are drawn to create them.

Step 7: Using more 2B but more 4B graphite, shade in entire face and neck as necessary.

Step 8: Continue using the 4B graphite to add as much darkness as possible, then use the black pencil to shade in the darkest areas.

Step 9: Start shading cap with F-graphite and then 2B graphite; do the same for the shirt and jacket.

Step 10: For the cap, 4B and some black pencils are used. The clothes require more 4B graphite and black pencil. Use 2B graphite to make moustache hairs.

Step 11: Finish the moustache by using both 2B and 4B graphite and eraser.

Chapter 9: Portrait 7 – Indian man with turban Steps 1 - 4:

Step 5: Finish the eyes using more F-graphite, 2B and 4B graphite.

Step 6: Using 2B graphite, shade entire face again to show a darker complexion.

Step 7: Using the 2B and then 4B graphite, draw in eyebrows and add more shading on face to deepen complexion.

Step 8: The face area takes many layers of shading to get this effect. The darkest areas need some black pencil. Also, the turban can be shaded using Fgraphite.

Step 9: For the turban, carefully shade the relevant folds. It takes a lot of time to get each fold right, but it makes all the difference in the end. The beard is done just like the hair and moustache as shown before.

Step 10: Finish the turban and beard using 2B and 4B graphite and black pencil. The beard can be lighter or darker depending on what is required.

Chapter 10: Portrait 8 – Old man Steps 1 - 4:

Step 5: Finish the iris areas with more F-graphite and 2B graphite.

Step 6: Using 2B graphite draw in eyebrows and start shading entire face, making sure to draw in relevant wrinkles.

Step 7: Start shading some areas by using 4B graphite. This portrait also uses many layers to get the final effect.

Step 8: Continue shading entire face and neck until a smooth and detailed portrait emerges.

Step 9: Continue adding more shading and wrinkles, especially around the eyes.

Step 10: The final stage is the easiest stage since it only requires the use of the mechanical pencil to make relevant marks in the hair area.

Chapter 11: Final thoughts By the end of this book, students should be fully-competent in drawing and shading portraits for a wide variety of types. Furthermore, students should certainly be able to become more independent and freer with their own ideas and therefore create high-quality portraits that are suitable at high school and college levels. More importantly, although the main contents of book 3 specify a particular technique, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to copy the technique precisely. This is what is desirable, since each and every student should be aiming to develop their own portrait drawing technique that is slightly or even greatly different from what is taught. As a result, a greater diversity of styles could potentially be created. [email protected]