NOVEMBER CHALLENGE 🖤
Bonjour my little demon, ready to collect gem #14?
Whether you just joined or have been here from the beginning, thank you so much for reading.
TODAY’S GEM
You’re starting your portrait the wrong way if you’re diving straight into the details. This tunnel vision traps you in early, and the result is often an off-looking, stiff, and inorganic portrait.
The problem? Many artists try to draw the head in all its complexity right from the start. They skip the essential step of laying down a solid foundation and go straight to details. But attempting to solve everything at once—proportions, angles, features, and even elements of storytelling—makes it nearly impossible to get the structure right. This leads to awkward proportions and a lack of natural flow.
After years of struggling, I found a method that makes it easier to draw the head from any position and break it down into manageable steps.
The trick is to start as simple as possible. In my course Reality to Fantasy, I teach my students my simplified head method. This approach helps them lock in an accurate position first, and only then do they dive into all the juicy details.
Here’s what it looks like:
Start with basic shapes and light lines. Focus on proportions and position, then add complexity gradually. With a solid foundation, you’ll have the freedom to bring in more organic and lifelike details later on.
What portrait topic would you like me to cover next?
Bisous,
Léa
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