How to Draw Portraits in Colored Pencil

TL;DR

Aaron Wmer provides a step-by-step guide on drawing portraits in colored pencil, covering the basic outline, shading techniques, and tips for capturing facial features.

Transcript

hi I'm Aaron a graduate of University of the Arts in Philadelphia Pennsylvania I've got my BFA in drawing and painting and today I'm going to show you how to draw portraits in colored pencil you'll need a good pencil sharpener that's capable of handling colored pencils all right so to start with you're going to have a basic and kind of vague Genera... Read More

Key Insights

• ✏️ A good pencil sharpener capable of handling colored pencils is essential for drawing portraits in colored pencil.
• 🦮 Starting with a basic outline helps guide the placement of facial features in a portrait.
• 🫢 Shading is crucial for creating depth and form in a portrait, with areas around the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin requiring the most attention.
• 💋 The top lip is typically darker than the bottom lip in portraits due to the rotation of the lip planes.
• 😃 Drawing the eyes as two round spheres inside the eye sockets helps create realistic shading.
• 🫥 Avoid using dark lines to outline the contour of the face, as it can make the portrait look unnatural.
• 😀 Keeping the outside information, like hair and clothes, more vague adds focus to the detailed features of the face.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the essential tools needed for drawing portraits in colored pencil?

The essential tools you'll need are a good pencil sharpener capable of handling colored pencils and a range of colored pencils in different values.

Q: How should I start shading in a portrait?

Start by identifying areas of shadow, such as around the eyes and under the nose and chin. Use cross-hatching and different levels of shading to create depth and form.

Q: Why is the top lip usually darker than the bottom lip in portraits?

The planes of the lip rotate in space, causing the top lip to be facing downward, resulting in more shadow and darkness compared to the bottom lip.

Q: How can I make a portrait look more spontaneous?

Keep the outside information, like the hair and clothes, more vague compared to the detailed focus on the face. This helps highlight the features and adds a sense of spontaneity to the portrait.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Aaron demonstrates how to create a basic outline of a face, including the chin, eyes, and nose.

• He explains the importance of shading and how to identify areas of shadow to bring out the form of the face.

• Aaron shares tips on drawing the mouth, eyes, and adding details to make the portrait more realistic.