Proportions of the Portrait

Where are the facial features compared to one another.

How to draw the hair How to shade the portrait. Where to use solid lines Where not to use solid lines

Drawing the Portrait

Portraits are on a vertical format mostly.

Start with the shape of the head in the space

Use most of the space of your paper.

Portrait proportions.

Next draw a horizontal line across the face

Draw the line half way between the top and the bottom of the head shape.

This should be a light line, NOT HEAVY.

Proportions of the Portrait

The next horizontal line, belongs half way between the eye line and the chin.

This too, should be a light line, NOT HEAVY.

Equal distances in both spaces.

Proportions of the portrait

Another horizontal line between the nose line and the chin.

Half way between the chin and the nose.

With a light line. Equal distance in

both spaces.

Proportions of the portrait

A single vertical line is needed in the middle of the whole shape of the face.

This should be a light line as well.

This is our map for correct proportions of the face.

The Eyes

The eyes should be wide enough to count five across the head.

I start with the pupil. Guess the location

using your fingers.

The Eyes of the portrait

Draw the circle around the pupil.

This is the colored portion of your eye.

The Eyes of the portrait.

Draw a curved line, that cuts off the top of the Iris.

This upper eye lid is a heavy line.

The Eyes of the Portrait.

The lower eye lids are light lines (less weight).

They cut off the bottom.

The Nose on the Portrait

First draw the nostrils. The nostrils are not

circles Then draw a curved

line beside each Notice that they don’t

touch the nostrils and they go just below the nose line.

The mouth on the Portrait

The mouth opening is not a straight horizontal line.

It is horizontal, but not straight.

It is similar to the line on the upper lip.

The corners of the mouth are under the pupils

The mouth on the Portrait

The upper lip has a dip.

It fallows the contour of the opening of the mouth, but is more severe.

The mouth on the portrait

The bottom lip is a curved line.

Represents a shadow It does not reach

either corner of the mouth

The Ears of the Portrait.

The Ears reach from just above the eye line, to just below the nose line.

They are curved (organic lines).

The eye brows

These lines are similar to lines used for grass.

They are organic They represent each

hair. They should be

curved.

Eye lids on the portrait.

This is an organic, curved line.

It represents the fold of your skin when your eyes are open.

This should be a light line.

The neck

The wider the neck the more masculine.

This is an organic and curved line.

The Hair.

Long hair equals long lines.

These are organic in nature.

Example of In proportion portrait

Chuck Close

Notice where the eyes are located.

Notice the details.

Another Chuck Close

Proportions are still accurate, but the colors and shapes are abstract in this painting.

A self-portrait of Chuck Close

Using neutral colors. Correct proportions Contrasting values