Portrait Drawing

Inspiration & Exploration

You're about to discover one of the oldest art forms humans have ever practiced — drawing faces. Start by visiting the **Utah Museum of Fine Arts** on the University of Utah campus, where portrait paintings from multiple eras hang side by side. Walk slowly and notice how each artist decided what to focus on: eyes, expression, light. Back home, open YouTube and search **"Proko portrait drawing for beginners"** — Stan Prokopinski's free channel is one of the best resources available anywhere. Flip through magazines and save photos of faces that interest you. Notice what makes each face unique: the angle of a jaw, the shape of an eye. Keep a small sketchbook just for face studies and fill two pages with faces you find interesting, even traced loosely. You're ready for the next step when you can name three specific things you notice about how different artists handle light and shadow on a face.

Tools & Techniques

Good portrait drawing starts with the right tools and a few key techniques. All you need to begin is a pencil set (HB through 4B), a kneaded eraser, and plain copy paper — nothing expensive. Search **"Andrew Loomis head construction method"** on YouTube for free tutorials on the classic circle-and-cross technique artists have used for a century. This method divides the face into reliable proportions so your eyes, nose, and mouth land in the right places every time. Practice drawing the basic egg shape, then lightly sketch the center line and brow line. The **Salt Lake City Public Library** has drawing instruction books in the 741.2 section you can borrow for free. Spend one session just drawing the oval head shape and placement lines without worrying about features yet. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a proportioned head outline with correct placement lines from memory.

First Creations

It is time to draw your first real portrait, and the best subject is right in your mirror. Set up near a window for natural light and draw what you actually see, not what you think a face looks like. Use the Loomis proportions as your guide: eyes sit halfway down the head, nose halfway between eyes and chin, mouth one-third of the way up from chin. Draw lightly at first so mistakes erase easily. The free app **Line of Action** (line-of-action.com) lets you practice with timed face reference photos — try the five-minute sessions. **Proko's free "Drawing the Head" series** on YouTube walks you through exactly this process. Expect your first attempts to look a little off — that is completely normal and part of learning. Complete at least three self-portrait sketches before moving on. You're ready for the next step when you finish a recognizable self-portrait where the eyes, nose, and mouth are in the right proportions.

Style Development

Now that you can place features correctly, it is time to develop your own style. Look at portrait artists with very different approaches: John Singer Sargent's loose brushwork, Käthe Kollwitz's intense charcoal lines, and contemporary Utah artist **Calvin Christensen's** expressive portraits. Notice how each one simplifies or exaggerates different features. Pick one technique to experiment with this week — maybe you use very few lines, or maybe you focus on shading with no outlines at all. The YouTube channel **"Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor"** has free style exploration videos. Try drawing the same face three different ways: realistic, simplified, and exaggerated. This is how you find what feels natural to you. Visit the **Springville Museum of Art** (free admission) to see how Utah artists have approached portraiture across different decades. You're ready for the next step when you can describe your preferred portrait style in two or three specific sentences.

Refine Your Craft

Refining your craft means zooming in on the hardest parts: eyes that look alive, noses that have dimension, and mouths that express emotion. Spend dedicated practice sessions on each feature separately before combining them. Eyes are the most important — search **"Proko how to draw eyes"** for his free breakdown of the eye socket structure. For shading that looks three-dimensional, study **"form shadow vs cast shadow"** on YouTube. Practice drawing ears, which most beginners skip, using photo references from Unsplash (free). Join the **SLC Urban Sketchers** group on Meetup or Instagram — sketching real people in public spaces like **Temple Square** or **Liberty Park** builds speed and observation skills faster than almost anything else. Aim to draw five portrait studies this week, each focusing on a different problem you want to solve. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a convincing eye with visible highlight, iris detail, and accurate shadow.

Portfolio Piece

Your portfolio piece is a finished portrait you are genuinely proud of — one that shows everything you have learned. Choose a subject who means something to you: a family member, a friend, or a self-portrait. Use your best paper or a toned sketchbook page for a professional look. Plan the composition thoughtfully: will you show the full head, a three-quarter view, or a close-up? Block in the big shapes first, refine proportions, then work from large shadows to small details. The **Proko "Portrait Drawing Fundamentals" playlist** on YouTube is a great final reference. When the drawing is done, photograph it in natural light near a window — flat, even light with no flash. Share it to the **SLCTrips community** or post it on Instagram with **#SLCTripsCreative**. You're ready for the next step when you can look at your finished portrait and explain three specific choices you made about light, composition, or expression.