How to Draw Portraits

By Christopher Guiles

Learning how to draw portraits is one of the most popular topics in art classes and among art students.  This is partly because the artist is saying something about the person of whom they are drawing the portrait of through their artistic depiction of them. Leonardo Da Vinci was once quoted as saying that "the most praiseworthy form of painting is the one that most resembles what it imitates". Consequently, portrait drawing is one of the most honest forms of respect which someone can pay to someone else.

Back to the subject of how to draw portraits and how to do it well, however, even if you've never done one before. An easy way to prepare is by getting a small 8 inch by 10 inch preferably black and white picture of your subject so that you don't have to avert your eyes too far for reference. 

Here's a specific trick/tip in how to draw portraits. You can use something known as grid drawing to replicate the drawing without fear of disproportioning any features. There is a tool which you can use to draw a grid, but you can also just use a ruler. Simply break up the original picture into equivalent boxes with a pencil, then repeat the process on your paper. This allows you to go in on a small scale and recreate piece by piece the original picture. Trace in the grid lightly with a pencil so that you can easily erase it once you're done.

Another tip for how to draw portraits comes with going lightly over facial outlines. If you'll notice, cheekbones, jawbones, most of the bones in the facial structure help to give definition to the face. This is a major part in hammering down the likeness. It's small details like these that people don't immediately realize but play a major role in the overall development of the portrait.

You can use the long end of the side of the tip of your drawing pencil for shading. Shading plays a large role in how to draw portraits as it always gives a nice shadowed effect to a facial portrait and a sense of professionalism. Experiment with the lights and the darks, particularly with juxtaposing the two next to each other. Remember, you have an eraser, so there are no mistakes. Just as you can blend the dark using your pencil, you can get some interesting results by reversing this effect by lightly going over it with your eraser so that the two flow into each other more evenly and realistically.

Learn more tips for how to draw portraits along with hundreds of step by step instructional illustrations at http://yourreviewsite.com/learntodraw/index.html

Article Source: How to Draw Portraits

Drawing Figures - Basic Steps to Drawing Successful Figures

By Murtaza Habib

One of the most difficult aspects of drawing has to be reproducing the human form onto paper and this is because every person is different. If you are an artist who likes a challenge, then drawing figures may be the ideal challenge for you.

There are just so many things to remember when you are drawing figures; actually, the drawing itself is the latter part of the project. The observation of your subject should have happened initially. Drawing well is about your awareness and your observation skills. Following this you need to communicate your observations onto paper and your drawing should be able to capture the essence of the person.

Capturing the adult human form is an exceptionally enjoyable project, even more so if the model is present whilst you sketch their basic outline so as to capture the pose correctly. If they do not wish to sit, then it may be worth taking some photos of them whilst about their daily chores or tasks, make it unobtrusive so that the pictures are natural. Alternatively, make some quick sketches.

Providing you enjoy drawing, have aspirations to be a good artist, and you wish to portray the very essence of the subject you are observing, then your drawings will start to have a realistic feel to them.

When you are thinking about your drawing, think in terms of general composition. Where on the page will be the drawing of the figure be? Will your drawing be in a sitting lying or standing pose? What else will there be in the picture? 

Knowing the answer to these questions will help to ensure that your picture is a success.

In addition, think about how you can best portray the character you are planning to draw. Think in terms of their general characteristics, how you would describe their personality? Are they known for their vivacious smile? Alternatively, are they shy, introverted and tend to look up almost apologetically from under veiled eyelashes?

Here are some basic steps:

* Observe your subject well before even picking up your pencil

* Take some photographs so that you can continue drawing even if the model is not present.

* Make some simple sketches first to help with drawing later.

* Remember to think about the overall composition

* Try to capture all of the main characteristics of the model.

Drawing figures is so much more than just sketching a basic form. It is essential for all artists that the very essence of the person is allowed to come forth and this is what makes for an exceptional work of art.

Are you able to bring your creativity on to your canvas? Will you take action step by step, if I help you to learn drawings and paintings until you succeed? Grab 6 lessons on Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Fabric Painting, Pencil Drawing, Color Theory.

==> [http://www.paintonmycanvas.com]

'Murtaza Habib' has helped hundreds of newbies to start their painting courses, now you can do it too...

Article Source: Drawing Figures - Basic Steps to Drawing Successful Figures

How to Draw People - Three Easy Steps Towards a Significant Figure Drawing Improvement

By Todd T Harris

Drawing a circle, a car, a tree, ball all these are basics that we all might be able to draw with our eyes closed but drawing a human head to toe correctly is priceless. 

For an artist, if he can master the art of figure drawing then that's the pinnacle of a difficult art. There are many reasons for this but in simple words it should be understand that can be no carbon copy of one person. The features of a human being are so varying in each individual that replicating a person is a tough task. The head, eyes, features, body structure, etc are different for all humans.

You should consider that a few things could considerably improve your drawings. With strong will a person can be a skillful figure-drawing artist. In case drawing is your routine hobby; a couple tips if inculcated shall help you develop your skills by leaps and bounds. 

Primarily close observation of faces & people leads to perfect drawing. The capability to view and observe correctly is what will help you do a long way in improving you artistically. Have you been able to figure out the right outline of the model's eye? Is the outline of the eye quite thin? Are her eyebrows dipping in the same manner? Is the positioning of her chin right where it should be? Have you drawn the neckline a bit curvier? Is everything that you have drawn a true representation of what the model looks like or have to missed something? 

To be a good figure-drawing artist such observations must be precise. All that matters is how carefully to make the observation. 

The subsequent step in the direction of being a figure-drawing artist is that your beginnings must be big. Admittedly it could sound simple but a large section of artists commit the mistake of placing in a number of details. Begin with - block-in process & place in big shapes. Leave the intricate details such as eye area shading to be done at a latter stage. When you happen to be drawing the large sections focusing is needed on proportions. Is it that the male's body is approximately 7 ½ heads tall etc. Such question should bother you, not the color or shade of the eye area. These are the queries that you would like to find answers for. 

Last but not the least - practice makes a man perfect. When you happen to drawing on a daily basis, a good artist is the biggest critic of his/her own work and knows that steps have to be taken to iron out the flaws. Do attempt to study the features which you aren't at ease with. Be it the eyes or the hands or whatever section you feel hesitant about keep drawing it and certainly there shall be marked improvements. Keep practicing repeatedly. Purchase a nice sketchbook for yourself and carry it along with you and whenever you have the time to draw just do the same. 

Now you know these steps are simple for anyone to follow and surely you shall witness huge improvements in your drawing abilities immediately.

Todd Harris is the creator of AllDrawnOut.com, found at [http://www.alldrawnout.com] a fun and interactive art site that is changing how artists learn how to draw people and figure draw by giving step by step video lessons. He is an art director for Disney and also teaches art classes at a University. He is trained in the Florence Academy Method and has helped thousands online learn how to draw people and improve their art skills. He is also the creator of Learning2draw.com.

Article Source: How to Draw People - Three Easy Steps Towards a Significant Figure Drawing Improvement

How to Draw People - Never Too Late to Learn

By Janet E Meadow

I developed my love for drawing when I was first able to hold a pencil at the age of 4. The first time I was able to bring life to a blank white piece of paper I was addicted. As I grew older and the responsibilities of life began to mount I lost the freedom to express my creative talents on a regular basis and my art talent suffered for it. One day I looked in the mirror and realized that what I loved doing the most was an insignificant part of my daily life.

I decided to enroll in art school and took classes at night after work. The courses were interesting and educational but really didn't teach me the core basics of what I wanted to focus on.

I love to draw figures and find penciling a masterpiece of human anatomy an exhilarating experience. I decided to fast track my education process and hire a private instructor. After one month of instruction I had made some progress but my pocketbook couldn't keep up with the costs involved.

This is when I realized the internet is the perfect place for me to find the information required to learn how to draw people and figures the correct way. After a ton of research online I finally found a technique called Figure Drawing Secrets that has enabled me to achieve my goal!

I am now building a portfolio and am in the process of landing some fantastic freelancing opportunities. I wanted to share my story with those of you who may have given up on your dream of taking your skill set to the next level for personal or professional gain. Good Luck and Happy Drawing to all!

Janet E Meadow - The Drawing Gal

Found an interesting site if you are serious about learning how to draw people [http://www.allinfoexperts.com/howtodrawpeople/index.php] and figures.

Article Source: How to Draw People - Never Too Late to Learn

Secrets of Drawing Realistic Pencil Portraits

Are you interested with the secrets of drawing realistic pencil portraits? If yes, here is a great resource for you. You too can learn how to draw realistic pencil portraits with a downloadable step-by-step tutorial guide.

Anyone can learn how to draw pencil portrait realistically regardless of their education, skills and talent. Indeed drawing realistic portraits is not as hard as it looks once you learn how to do it the exact way.

The information given in this amazing resource is real master level of pencil portrait drawing. You will be guided on how to draw every facial feature with a exact step-by-step guide.

Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course by Christopher Sia is divided into 5 lessons: drawing the eye, nose, mouth and teeth, ear and hair, all with hundreds of illustrations, images and guide you step by step with descriptions through the entire home study course. 

In short Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery teaches you everthing that you need to know in order to create realistic pencil portraits with ease. 

The portrait drawing lessons are so easy to follow especially with the aid of the process maps which show which steps to tackle next. You will also find the reference photos to be very helpful to those who need material to work from. 

This realistic portrait drawing course is recommended to anyone who wants to draw realistic portraits from photos. The instructions will take you step-by-step through the construction of perfect face and of presumably flawless examples of the other facial features.

This step-by-step pencil portrait drawing tutorial go well beyond casual sketching. You learn to observe minutely the details of any given face and will know how to translate what you see to the working paper. You can get links to Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course by Christopher Sia by clicking on the banners around this page.

Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery