Portrait Drawing
In Graphite & Charcoal
Master drawing the portrait in 6 weeks.
Self-Study Course available instantly!
Learn via prerecorded lessons and demonstrations.
Live In-Studio Classes include all materials materials.
Live Class Via Zoom: Join the live class from anywhere!
Interact and get feedback on your work during class time.
The next live sessions are Thursdays 6-8 pm CT
October 5th - November 9th 2023
Please read our updated COVID-19 policies for in-studio group classes.
Step-by-Step Demos
Both pre-recorded and live demonstrations for you to watch, re-watch, and draw along with.
Personalized Feedback
Get help when you're stuck either during live class, or in between meetings by posting on the forum.
Lifelong Learning
Retain access to video demos, and additional demos that are added in the future, forever.
Learn to Draw For Real!
When we start making art, we usually want to skip to the fun stuff: finishing the details, playing with color, placing lots of highlights. But pretty soon we realize that when those foundational skills are missing, it's impossible to get the results we really want.
This class will teach you how to move past tracing, gridding, and projecting so that you can actually draw portraits yourself!
Accuracy in Graphite
While working in graphite, we will focus on accuracy and gradual shading.
- Lesson 1: Facial Features in Graphite
- An introduction to graphite drawing methods, exploring the sketching and shading of the individual features of the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
- Lesson 2: Beginning a Sight-Size Portrait in Graphite
- In this lesson we will learn how to take measurements from a photo to create a very accurate drawing in graphite. Great for training your eye as a beginner, and for commissions where accuracy is paramount.
- Lesson 3: Finishing a Graphite Portrait
- Here we complete shading and details in the portrait and discuss the pros and cons of blending or smudging.
Form Building in Charcoal
Drawing in charcoal brings opportunities to take a more dynamic and flexible approach to proportion and bolder shading options. These methods are faster than those used for graphite but require greater skill to execute.
- Lesson 4: Intro to Charcoal Block-In
- Now we switch gears to Lacey's preferred method for most drawing situations, including working from life. Using angles as a basis for proportion, we can now reduce and enlarge as we wish, but must rely more on observation and adjustment for accuracy.
- Lesson 5: Beginning Shading in Charcoal
- This week we will focus on layers of shading in charcoal and how to know what kind of marks you should be using and in which direction you should make them.
- Lesson 6: Finishing a Charcoal Portrait
- In our final installment, we will cover aspects that make a drawing as a whole stand out and work as a composition, increasing the sense of overall depth and feeling of life in the work.
What Materials Do I Need?
You'll need a variety of graphite, charcoal sticks and pencils, papers, and other tools on hand. I created a PDF which lists everything you'll need!
Download Materials List
