Drawing Portraits For The Absolute Beginner : A... Apr 2026

The head is roughly five "eyes" wide. There is exactly one eye-width of space between the two eyes.

A set containing 2B (for light sketching), 4B (for medium tones), and 6B (for deep shadows).

Portraiture is less about lines and more about (the lightness or darkness of a color). Drawing Portraits for the Absolute Beginner : a...

Textured paper can make skin look "grainy," so a smooth Bristol or sketch pad is often preferred for portraits.

A common mistake is placing eyes too high. In a standard head, the eyes sit halfway between the top of the skull and the chin. The head is roughly five "eyes" wide

Use simple triangles for the nose and ovals for the eyes. 4. Capturing Light and Value

Before drawing details like eyelashes or wrinkles, you must build the "skeleton" of the drawing: Portraiture is less about lines and more about

Draw a vertical line down the center of the face and a horizontal line for the eyes to establish which way the head is tilting.