NOVEMBER CHALLENGE 🖤
Bonjour my little demon, ready to another game-changing portrait lesson?
We are 18,981 😈 in the Portrait Gem Hunt! Whether you just joined or have been here from the beginning, thank you so much for reading.
TODAY'S GEM
Facial features are what truly bring a portrait to life. Our brains are wired to analyze faces constantly because they’re essential to how we connect with others—reading emotions, recognizing expressions, and interpreting intent. This is why mastering features is so important in portrait art.
But each feature is complex on its own, and it rests on an even more intricate foundation—the head.
So how do you draw features that feel alive and convey emotion?
The answer might surprise you: break each feature down into simple shapes.
Simplifying something so intricate allows you to cut through unnecessary details and focus on what matters most: proportions, placement, and even the energy of the feature.
It’s also the key to stylizing—simplified shapes make it easier to exaggerate or adjust features while keeping them recognizable and emotionally impactful.
💡 Here’s my advice: take a study session to break down features.
Use a reference and simplify the eyes, nose, lips, or ears into basic shapes—circles, triangles, or curves. Focus on the gesture and energy, not the details. Once you’ve nailed the simplifications, add details that serve your portrait’s story. It’s all about finding the essence—the spark that connects with your viewer.
Voilà, that’s all for today. What topic should I cover tomorrow?
See you tomorrow!
Bisou,
Léa
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