Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with creating a realistic portrait, and I decided to try drawing Carol Smith. I’d seen some amazing digital art of her, and I figured, why not give it a shot myself?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed a good reference photo. I spent a bit of time browsing online until I found one that I liked. It had good lighting and showed her features clearly. I saved it to my computer so I could keep looking back at it while I drew.
The Sketching Process
I started by lightly sketching the basic shapes of her face. I’m talking really basic – like, a circle for the head, some lines for the neck and shoulders. Just trying to get the proportions right, you know? Then I started adding in the features, bit by bit. Eyes, nose, mouth… it always looks a bit weird at this stage, like a really rough draft.
Tip: I kept stepping back from my drawing to check it. Sometimes when you’re too close, you miss things. A fresh perspective helps a lot!
Adding Details
Once I was happy with the basic sketch, I started adding in the details. I focused on her eyes first, trying to capture that sparkle. Then I moved on to her hair. That was a bit tricky, trying to get the texture and the way it fell just right. I probably spent the most time on the hair, to be honest.
- I used a darker pencil for the shadows and a lighter one for the highlights.
- I tried to be patient and build up the tones gradually. It’s all about layering!
- And Eraser is a life-saver, to correct those inevitable mistakes!
The Finishing Touches
After all the details were in, I went over the whole drawing again, refining the lines and adding any final touches. I made sure the shading was smooth and that the overall portrait looked realistic. It’s amazing how much difference a few small adjustments can make.
I think it can be finished, not that bad for the first try for Carol Smith!
