STEP BY STEP - 3 Portraits based on References suggested by My Patrons 🧡✨

Hi everyone!

Here’s the Step by step process of sketches based on references picked by you. This time I chose 3 photos with male portraits sent by Yoana, Yve (Paintedshards) and Tash 🧡

If you wanna suggest references you can always do it in this thread on Discord 👾

1. REFERENCES + PAGE PLAN

To be sure that sketches will fit one page of my sketchbook, I organize them in Procreate 🙃 Then I made very quick sketches of each face. It’s not important to do it perfectly. I use simple shapes that I can see on the references. I usually start each portrait from a circle but on these (mostly on first two) I saw mostly rectangular shapes so started this way instead ⏺ -> ⏹

2. PORTRAIT 1 - SKETCH

In this portrait I used only HB pencil. This Arteza sketchbook is pretty textured so usually HB is enough to create both - light and dark lines. I covered sketch on the right to avoid smudging it with my hand. I started searching of more accurate proportions and shapes. Eyes were difficult because the expression made them not perfectly symmetrical.

3. HOW TO DRAW STUBBLE?

I’ve been asked about my way of drawing stubble and that’s why Yve sent this reference. I didn’t even know this word (stubble) lol 😅

My way is similar as with drawing a beard. I made an outline but from very short, irregular lines and dots. It’s important to show directions of growing hair with directions of these short lines. Remember to not close the contours.

4. SHADING/ HATCHING

Next step in drawing stubble is just regular shading or hatching. If you squint your eyes, you won’t see stubble but just slightly darker value on the specific planes of the face. The difference is that contour of stubble and jaw is made from irregular, short lines.

5. PORTRAIT 2 - SKETCH

Jon Bernthal has very characteristic face features and awesome profile 😍

But of course the reference weren’t very clear as I would chose by myself 😂 Tash picked a challenging photo because the profile line is partly hidden/blurred by the shadow.

As always I started with basic, big shapes and blocking the shadow areas.

6. DIAGONAL HATCHING

The reference has a lot of middle values - slightly in the shadow. I drew them with diagonal hatching to emphasize strong features of very masculine face.

7. ONE DAY STUBBLE

This stubble is even shorter so I used shading and few dots here and there to show growing hair.

I realized that I drew too small chin before (couldn’t see it clearly in the shadow). I moved the chin line to the right and enlarged the nose tip a bit.

This portrait was also made just with HB.

8. PORTRAIT 3 - SKETCH

This one was very challenging. I thought I’m not gonna make it 😂 It’s definitely the photo I wouldn’t pick by myself. That’s why I’m so glad I have you guys 😁 Because I stepped out of my comfort zone again and I liked it a lot.

I started from a quick sketch as always. Then I started searching of more accurate lines from the central part of the face - nose.

9. SOFTNESS = SHADING 💦

This face is a bit less masculine and geometric than previous portraits so softer lines are ok. But mostly the presence of water made me decide to use soft shading instead of hatching. There are so many values and soft gradients here. Hatching wouldn’t make sense in my opinion.

I used HB pencil + paper stump to blur the edges of lights and shadows.

10. 8B PENCIL

I used very black pencil to add the depth. Inside open mouth you can see totally black value. I think it made all other shadows and mid tones on the face much more realistic and the whole drawing is more dimensional.

11. DIRTY PAPER STUMP

I used paper stump that was pretty dirty from blending, to draw even more subtle elements like freckles or water drops.

12. "UNFINISHED" LOOK

I decided to keep the fresh look of the initial sketch and high contrast so I kept only outline of the hair.

I used elastomer eraser to emphasize highlights ✨

That’s the final page!

Thank you so much for challenging me! 😊🧡✨

Hugs 🤗 Gaby