Portrait of a man: tips for step-by-step drawing

Portrait - an image of a human face, special features. To date, this is one of the most common types of drawing and painting. Observing several important rules, anyone can create a real masterpiece. This article will talk about how to draw a portrait of a man.

The choice of materials and techniques for performing a portrait is diverse. It can be like painting, and graphics. The drawing can be performed by negligent brush strokes of paint or oil, soft technique (coal, sanguine, sepia), light watercolor, simple pencil or pen. It is recommended to inexperienced artists to start with pencils of different softness: this work can always be corrected with the help of an eraser. However, trying different techniques is the best way to find your style.

First steps: how to draw a portrait of a man?

Any drawing begins with the composition. Proper construction of the face is a pledge of a competent portrait, which will please the eye and soul. Like a woman, a portrait of a man can be portrayed in different ways. Lines can be smooth and round, smoothing all the imperfections of the face. Or you can portray them as stiff and angular, emphasizing some characteristic features of a person.

Angle Selection: Everything You Need to Know

It is necessary to determine from what point you are looking at a person. This is called an "angle". The easiest starting points for beginners are profile and full face. For those who are not afraid of difficulties, you can try to portray a portrait of a man half-turned to the viewer - when three quarters of the face is visible. This solution looks more interesting, because it reveals both parts of the face in different ways, but this work requires knowledge of the perspective. It is that the objects that are closer are more than those that are further from the artist.

To draw parts of the face in the right relationship to each other, the artist must constantly analyze the process, asking himself questions and finding answers to them.

Attention to detail

When the camera angle is defined, it's easy to spot the eyes, nose, ears, mouth and hair. Do not try to draw all at once. It is enough to make several lines indicating the location of the parts of the face. The next stage is reconciliation with a real man's face. It is important to note for yourself the proportions, the ratio of the nose and eyes, mouth and cheeks, etc.

Then you can start drawing the details. Try to apply on paper facial features in stages, otherwise the integrity of the picture will be lost.

It is worth paying special attention to the eyes. Their expression creates the atmosphere of the whole portrait. Sadness, joy or thoughtfulness can all be portrayed in the eyes of a person. Do not deal, however, with excessively detailed drawing, if you are not sure that you are ready to work as painstakingly with your hair and the rest of your face. Other elusive details, such as a slight bend of the lip line, an emphasis on a raised eyebrow or tousled hair, will only enhance the mood of the picture and give it realism.

Chiaroscuro, or Realistic drawing

If your goal is to draw a portrait of a man that is as much like a real person, be sure to pay attention to the shadows and highlighting the light areas on the face. For the shadows are suitable soft pencils, for the light parts - firm.

To avoid overdoing, be sure to decide for yourself what will be the darkest in the portrait, and what - bright, light.

While working on other parts of the face, remember these two extremes, and in comparison with them determine how dark or light the detail will be. It is not recommended to make the nostrils of a man black.

The situation with light parts of the face is more complicated. Select the brightest places, and the rest easily shade with hard pencils. This does not add either naturalness or character to the drawing. The emphasis should be on the shadow of the nose, eyebrows and lines of the face: chin, cheekbones, etc.

By observing these tips, you can learn how to draw a portrait in pencil (men) in stages.