How to Draw Portraits From Observation
- 1). Look at your subject. Recognize the different shapes that make up the face, as well as lines, shadows, and highlights. Begin a basic sketch by roughly drawing these shapes onto your paper. This will give you a good base for your portrait, and will help you know where to place things later.
- 2). Add two lines to the face sketch. One line should go up and down and follow where the nose will be. The other line will go left to right, following where the eyes will be. These lines will help you better recognize proportions while drawing the portrait.
- 3). Study your subject's face carefully and begin sketching in the details. You can start wherever you like, but keep checking the whole picture and your subject to be sure you are placing features on the face correctly. The key is to draw the shapes you see on the subject instead of just drawing what you "know" certain features look like. Use the two lines you drew to help you measure where things should go.
- 4). Shade when you have finished the line drawing of your portrait. Pay attention to shadows and highlights to add contrast to your portrait. Finish by adding any last details to the portrait.
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