

CharcoalĬharcoal is the main product to use when doing a charcoal portrait drawing. Here are some basic supplies you need to draw portraits. Know your preferences and the differences between various tools and supplies when buying.
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Tips for Beginners: How to Get Better at Charcoal Drawing Here is the video showing the step-by-step process of drawing a charcoal portrait: Hold the fixative about 12 inches away from the artwork, then evenly spray light but even layers of fixative. To prevent that from happening, use a fixative. One of the issues with charcoal sketches is that they get smudged and ruined easily. The dark background heightens the portrait, letting it pop out of the drawing. Blend the charcoal using a blending stump or artist chamois to smoothen the background. It provides the outline for your charcoal portrait without adding a line drawing that may affect the quality of your portrait drawing and result in a cartoony effect.Īdd dark values behind the head using a charcoal pencil or compressed charcoal. Once you're confident that your portrait drawing (details, values, highlights) is good enough, increase the contrast between your background and your portrait. Darken the contrast between the background and your portrait Because the charcoal portrait is monochromatic, blending helps smoothen the transition. It is one of the most crucial techniques to remember when working with charcoal portraiture. It also lets you focus on a specific portion of the charcoal drawing until you get a clearer likeness of the portrait you're drawing.īlending is also essential. This technique will give you more control over your charcoal drawing. Again, layer as you detail, especially when working on the hair. Use a sharp charcoal pencil when adding details. You can also use your vine charcoal to add darker tones, then blend with a blending stump to have a more refined look. Now that you have laid the precise foundation for your charcoal portrait drawing, it's time to add the details with charcoal pencils for a realistic portrait.Įrase highlights and lighter values using a kneaded eraser or eraser pencil, enhancing the highlights with the white charcoal pencil. Add in details, blend and highlight your sketch You can also use a mahl stick or an artist bridge to protect your charcoal portrait. The hand may sometimes leave behind a trace of oil that will affect the quality of your work. You'll also notice that the artist did not get very detailed with her strokes.Īt this stage, use a kitchen towel or parchment paper to protect your drawings from smudges. Whatever you add at this point may be erased or enhanced as you go. However, remember that this step is not yet the final step. Next, take your stump over it again to blend things until they look more cohesive. This step is vital so that you can determine the tonal values of the face. Use a makeup brush or charcoal to fill lightly in the areas where you want shading. Add more layers to refine the form of the person's features. Gently shade to add values of the face by layers around eye level and identifying where the mid-tones and dark tones are.


One helpful tip is to use a grayscale swatch so you can compare the values of your shadows. Start by toning the face, adjusting values where you see its darkest and lightest.

The right amount can make your artwork stand out, and if done poorly, it will look amateurish. One of the most challenging parts of drawing portraits in charcoal is knowing where to add the shadows and highlights to your portrait drawing. Block the shadows and highlights on the sketch Keep your sketch light, so you don't have issues later. You must sketch more minor details on the face like the cheekbones, the folds on the eyelids, and the curves of the nose and ears to get an accurate drawing. Observing the ratio between eyes, nose, and mouth is crucial for capturing an accurate likeness as well as curves around ears or along the jawline before you sketch. Seasoned artists do not usually use a grid to start with their drawings, but we feel this step is necessary to get the correct proportions for newbie artists. The first step in drawing a realistic picture is establishing where the head should sit on your paper and making sure you know how big it will be to plot out its proportions correctly. Plan the facial featuresĪ portrait is a work of art that captures the likeness of someone. Charcoal portrait of a girl - Image by Kirtsy Patridge What You'll Need
