how to get better at drawing faces

I just concluded a v twenty-four hours workshop on portrait drawing. This is a special week, for people come from all over the country (sometimes from all over the earth!), just to learn my techniques for cartoon realistic portraits.

Drawing faces by Lee Hammond — This is my portrait drawing of Elizabeth Montgomery, which shows an instance of smooth blending on light skin.

I always get such a kick out of my students' progress, for most of them come into the studio not assertive that they actually tin can learn to depict a expert face up. Portraits are catchy, for at that place's very fiddling room for error when trying to capture someone'south true grapheme. It'due south i thing to describe a skilful face, but it'south another thing to capture someone'southward likeness.

Drawing techniques in general are very repetitive. Artists can basically use the same procedure to draw anything. Those of yous who have taken classes from me or accept read my books, know firsthand that I apply the same approach to drawing, whether it's a face, an animal, or a tennis shoe.

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Portrait artist Lee Hammond, drawing of Ray Charles — This portrait drawing of Ray Charles shows an instance of smooth blending on dark skin.

All things hinge on the 5 elements of shading, and the dreaded sphere exercise. Yous can conspicuously see this in every volume I write. But this information, while non hugely heady, is your reply to realism. If you lot tin't describe a good sphere that conspicuously looks like a 3-dimensional brawl on a table, your chances of cartoon a adept face is next to none.

I took note of the most asked questions throughout this week'due south form. Most of the questions were about my "Hammond Blended Pencil Technique," and how I make the tones look and so seamless. Yous can't tell where i tone ends and the other begins. Most beginners take a very difficult time getting the smoothness that I achieve in my drawings. Don't worry if this is true for you. It takes do, practice, and more than practice to strop this skill. Always recall, I've been doing this daily for more 35 years. While everything about this is already at that place for you in my books, let me give some quick pointers here.

5 Tips For Cartoon Faces

one. Practise using value scales and drawing the sphere repeatedly, so they become second nature.

2. NEVER attempt to depict portraits unless you've practiced drawing each of the facial features individually first. (Learn how to draw a nose and how to draw lips, exercise drawing hair and drawing eyes, etc.)

3. Take your time to reach accuracy. Speed should never be your goal.

4. When blending, go from dark to light, just like you exercise when drawing the value scales. Fade into the light gradually by lightening your touch. Get lengthwise into the lighter areas, following the contours. You lot can't command the fade into the calorie-free areas with individual strokes going in.

five. Practice everyday to perfect the "feel" of your pencil and tortillions. This takes time, like anything else. A concert pianist nonetheless does the bones scales to go along in musical shape. And, they don't attempt a sonata besides soon. Chop Sticks comes showtime!

6. Dearest your subject field thing! If y'all're drawing something that you aren't emotionally connected to, or a face up yous don't like, your art will reflect that. Draw something that makes you smile.

This student showed a lot of improvement over just three days of the portrait drawing workshop. — This student showed a lot of improvement over just 3 days of the portrait drawing workshop. The demonstrations I share help students put information technology all together.

Wait at what swell work one of my fine art students did in simply a few days. The "earlier and afters" always crack me up a fleck, for the students come in with them believing they are pretty darn practiced. I love the await on their faces when they surpass even their own expectations. I never tire of seeing someone smiling at their own abilities, especially when they've doubted themselves.

I hope some of yous will consider taking a grade from me in the future. I always list them on this spider web site and on Facebook. While reading my books is a swell starting time, and watching my DVDs is a good fashion to make the books make more sense, at that place'due south nothing like being with me and watching me draw. Then, I tin can really evidence you the tricks that don't run into in media. I guarantee you lot volition not be disappointed.

Practice, practice, practice!!! You'll exist surprised how it all will add up, and improve your work!

Have a great calendar week my artistic friends!
Lee

Lee Hammond has been called the Queen of Cartoon. That may not be fair these days, since in addition to providing the all-time cartoon lessons, she has also created fantastic books and videos filled with the same easy to follow acrylic painting techniques, colored pencil techniques and more than. Click here to see all of the instructional books and DVDs that Lee Hammond has to offer!

• Gratis download! Easy Acrylic Painting Techniques past Lee Hammond