About David Te

Hi, my name is David Te. I began thinking about art seriously when I was 18 after seeing my sister Faith, who is also an artist, draw a portrait of a person. It immediately inspired me to draw portraits as well.

I have had no formal art schooling at all so I learned entirely by reading art tutorials and forums and also by myself.

I work mainly in graphite and charcoal pencils but since we bought some tubes of oil paints, I have been learning to paint in oils too. I also wish to work in pastels and colored pencils in the future.

Apart from portraits, I also do still life drawings and animals.

I strive to achieve realism in my work while capturing the likeness, feeling and emotion of my subjects. With every artwork I create, I always pay close attention to shadows, lights and other details.

I hope with this, you will get to know me better. If you would like to commission me for a portrait, please do not hesitate to email me at any time. Have a nice day!

Please take a moment to visit David’s Website and Blog to learn more about him and his products and services.

His Website: http://www.artisticrealism.com/

His Blog: http://www.artisticrealism.com/artstudio/

Step by Step Graphite Pencil Drawing by David Te

Medium: Graphite Pencil

Paper: Rough Side of Bristol Board

Size: 25 × 33 cm (10″ × 13″)

(Click Images for Larger Views)

Stage 1

The outline was drawn freehand on newsprint and then transferred to Bristol Board using graphite-coated paper.

Stage 2

Rendered the eyes first as I usually do, using 0.5 mm 2B and HB mechanical pencils and 6H and 8B wooden pencils.

Next, I began to add the skin tones around the surrounding areas with circular layers of HB.

Afterwards, I started on the subject’s right cheek working inwards towards the nose using the same pencil and strokes.

Leaving the nose still unfinished, I proceeded to work on the forehead with 2B and HB.

Stage 3

Still using 2B, I did the other eyebrow and finished layering the initial skin tones on the forehead.

I darkened the left side of the subject’s nose (viewer’s right side) and continued to the other side of the face.

I also applied more tones on his cheeks.

Stage 4

The drawing is progressing mostly from the right side of the head (viewer’s left).

Using 2B and HB mechanical pencils, I darkened the forehead especially the right part.

I also applied more graphite to his eyebrow, skin around the eye, and the side of the nose. Next, I began layering in the shadow under the nose.

The hair is done with the 2B pencil following its growth. I pulled out the highlights with a kneaded eraser.

Stage 5

Using the 0.5 mm HB mechanical pencil, I darkened the area just above the eyebrows and the bridge of the nose.

I also added more tones to the eye and the side of the nose (viewer’s right).

I did some of the hair.

Stage 6

I added the first layers of skin tones on the chin and lower lip using a 0.5 mm HB mechanical pencil.

I also did the ear using 0.5 mm 2B and HB mechanical pencils.

Stage 7

I did the subject’s left ear (viewer’s right) and part of the neck using 0.5 mm HB mechanical pencil.

With the 0.5 mm 2B mechanical pencil, I did the other side of the hair and darkened the other eyebrow.

Stage 8

I continued to do the neck and it is almost finished.

Stage 9

I used the 0.5 mm 2B mechanical pencil to do the hair and clothes.

Stage 10

I finished the clothes and pulled some highlights in the hair.

For the teeth, I used 5H and 3H wooden pencils and a cotton bud.

Stage 11: Finished

I added some finishing touches, especially on the teeth and hair, and darkened the shadow under the nose a bit.

So here is the finished drawing. Thank you for viewing my work. I hope you enjoyed it.

Learn to Draw Rihanna – Free Step by Step Video Demonstration

The following is a step by step 12 part realistic portrait drawing tutorial created by Artist Andrew Fisher.  This is a video lesson that I found on YouTube.  It is a lesson on how to draw Rihanna using pencil.

Step 1 – Anatomy and Math

Andrew needs to enlarge the photo while keeping the proportions accurate.  He does this by first measuring the photo and then multiplying each dimension by 1.75.  He calculates the dimensions and draws out the shape of the head, finds the center of the face by drawing a horizontal and vertical line and sketches in the nose…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1aTmTjXEBA

Step 2 – Preparation

In part 2, the Artist will demonstrate how he prepares his drawing at this stage, before adding  tone. The first thing he does is to erase any guide lines he created in step 1 as these lines may show through the final drawing. He will also lighten any really dark lines.  He also uses some masking tape to mask out the eyes. This will keep the white of the eyes clean and bright and create a nice contrast with the darks in the drawing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j6EFHhc9rg

Step 3 – Skin Tones and Blending

In part 3, the Artist will focus on skin tones and blending as the name of the video suggests.  He starts by lightly covering the face with a nice even tone using a blunt “B” Pencil.  He keeps his pencil blunt as he does not want any indentations in the paper.  He then uses an ordinary tissue as his blending tool.  Make sure the tissue paper is completely dry with no added lotions or liquids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=era2Xm45TYk

Step 4 – Light and Dark Tones

At this point, we now have a nice uniform tone on the face.  In this video, the Artist will demonstrate how to add light and dark tones to the face. In this step, he will be using a “2B” and “B” pencils.  Using his photo again as a reference, he begins to gently add the darker tones to the face using the “2B” pencil and the tissue to blend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wewe0YglFsE

Step 5 – The Mouth

Now, the Artist is ready to start on the detailed work, specifically, the Mouth. He is using mechanical pencils for the detailed work. Mechanical pencils enable the artist to have more control and to draw much finer lines than with an ordinary pencil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlI6rnICZ1Y

Step 6 – Eye Basics

In part 6, the Artist begins working on the Eyes.  He first removes the masking tape. He is not doing any detailed work on the eyes at this point.  He is only concerned with lightly plotting out the eye ball and general shape of the eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxfUege-IAM

Step 7 – Eye Detail

Using mechanical pencils, the artist begins to detail the eyes.  He makes the pupil very dark almost black while keeping the white of the eye as bright as possible for contrast.  He uses a cotton swab for blending in the eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHVqvG3NgnE

Step 8 – Face Detail

The videos do not show it, but by this time, the artist has completed the ear and the dark lines around the eyes.  At this point, the Artist takes a step back to observe his work and to figure out what may need some adjusting on the face.  He indicates, that during the process of drawing, some of his work has been smudged, so he will have to go back later on and darken the darks and lighten the lights.  He also demonstrates how to add the eyebrows and how to suggest a hairline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jii30rSTNAQ

Step 9 – Hair Anatomy

In step 9, the Artist is drawing in the shape of the hair. He uses the same measurement techniques to draw out the shape of the hair that he used to plot out the face from step 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBitBBHLYxk

Step 10, 11, 12 – Hair Tone and Detail

In step 10-12 the Artist will be working on the hair.  The Artist admits that this is probably the most difficult part of the drawing and one that he finds least enjoyable. According to the Artist, hair takes a long time to complete and you end up using a lot of your resources.  That being said, the hair is still a very important part of a realistic drawing.  The Artist will provide lots of excellent tips and step by step techniques  to help you complete the rest of the drawing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7i7N8hmwfQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81mzvEXmf0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFEIJMzAZK4

Drawing of Rihanna – Portrait Tutorial Complete Progression

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfR-u5DFc7w

I would like to personally thank Artist Andrew Fisher for providing this free, in depth step by step realistic portrait drawing tutorial.  If you would like to see more free videos like the ones above, please follow this link to visit Andrew’s YouTube Page. Please also take a moment to visit Andrew’s Website here where you can learn more about him, view his artwork and commission a portrait.

About Sandrine Pelissier

I grew up in France but have been living in Canada for the last 12 years, I am currently located in North Vancouver and work from a studio on Pemberton Avenue.

Watercolor is my medium of choice because of the unique way it allows me to render light. The transparency of this medium can make it look like the painting is lit from behind and the light is shining through the paper In my portraits, I like to tell stories about the people around me. I am very interested in childhood fantasy or fairy tales (I wish it would snow Flowers, Hair Balloon, Georgia, the Spanish dress and the Eclectus Parrot). I also like to induce a dialogue with the viewer in some paintings dealing more with introspection and mood (Mixed, In the studio).

Those portraits are not about likeness or knowing the people that are being painted, as I see my models as actors in a movie, they are the faces that will allow me to tell a story or to show emotions. Those faces are a source of endless fascination and I find the subtlety that can be achieved with watercolor well suited to the complexity of the human face.

My technique involves the accumulation of many transparent layers of watercolor. Then I like to incorporate mixed media in the background, work sometimes with some contouring. I also sometimes like to add some drawing on top of the painting or some graphic elements…

Sandrine’s Website

Sandrine’s Blog

Visit Sandrine’s Print Shop by Clicking the Banner Below:

I wish it would snow flowers selected for Splash 13 : Alternative Approaches

I was very happy to learn that my watercolor and mixed media painting : I wish it would snow Flowers was selected for the #13 of this great collection.

I found some pictures that show some of the process I used to paint this watercolor.

This is the picture I used as a reference, I modified in on paint shop pro to remove the background. I would love to work from life but unfortunately it is difficult to find that kind of time with children

This is my drawing, the paper is Arches cold process. I am using some liquid frisket to reserve the white in some part of the hat and the tiny highlight in the eyes.

This is my first layers of yellow, mainly with Yellow ocher for painting the face.

On the background I used Cadmium Yellow.

Here I start to add the red, I use black and white pictures of split colors channel to do so, see post here for details

Here I start adding some blue, I am careful to have a “light hand” with blue as it can quickly overpower the other colors.

Adding other colors to adjust. I mixed some gouache with blue watercolor on the background. I try to show some texture on purpose on the background as well. I also leave some backruns on purpose in some dark areas of the hat.

Here is a closeup of the face.

I work on the background with watercolor pencils dipped in water.

The finished painting.

About Faith

Graphite Pencil, Charcoal Pencil and Pastels Artist

Hello! My name is Faith Te. When I was 16, a great desire to capture nature and the people around me started my passion for drawing. I began to look at drawing not just as a hobby but something which I wanted to do all my life.

I practiced every day and for many hours since. I taught myself to draw by experimenting with different techniques and materials and through helpful tips and advice from other artists.

Initially, charcoal and graphite pencils were the only mediums I used. When I began working in color, I used pastels, and more recently, oils. My main subjects are portraits but I also enjoy doing many other subjects including still life, landscapes and flowers, especially orchids.

I devote many hours and lots of attention to detail into each and every one of my drawings or paintings. My ultimate goal is not only to achieve detail and realism but also to capture the life and character of my subjects.

Thank you for your interest in my artwork. I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay here on our web site. Please visit again soon!

Please take a moment to visit Faith’s Website and Blog to learn more about her and her products and services.

Her Website: http://www.artisticrealism.com/

Her Blog: http://www.artisticrealism.com/artstudio/

Portrait of Ron Hontz

step-by-step pastel painting by faith te

Medium: Soft Pastels
Paper: Canson Mi-Teintes — Terre de Sienne
Size: 28 × 36 cm (11″ × 14″)

(Please click images for larger views)

Stage 1

The outline was initially drawn on a separate sheet of paper until it was accurate.

Then I used a sheet of paper covered with Burnt Umber soft pastel powder to transfer the outline to my final pastel paper. I used the textured side of Canson Mi-Teintes.

Stage 2

Here, I started to work on the underpainting for the skin tones using light Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Permanent Red, and white soft pastels. I then blended with my fingers to achieve soft and gradual tones.

Started to work on the hat. I used black for the general tones and light Ultramarine Deep and a little white for the highlights.

I am using Rembrandt soft pastels and, occassionally, the harder Van Gogh square pastels for some of the details and edges.

Stage 3

Worked on the hat some more.

I have now added some greens and blues to the darker areas of the skin.

I have also started painting in the shirt using Ultramarine Deep. Ultramarine Light and white were used for the lighter areas.

Black was used as underpainting for the background.

Stage 4

Continued working on the skin tones — darkening shadows and adding highlights. At this point, I am adding more detail and also paying closer attention to getting the likeness.

I have now darkened the eyes, added eyebrows, and worked a little on the lips and gums.

I decided to give the portrait a full background and randomly applied various greens.

Stage 5

Continued working on the head as well as the clothes. I have added folds to his shirt to give it a more natural look. Orange was used for the shirt’s shadow areas.

I wanted to give the portrait a more complex background, so I added more greens which I then blended lightly with my fingers to produce a “blurry trees” effect.

Stage 6: Finished

I worked some more on the teeth and lips. Also, some of the hightlights were further lightened and the shadows darkened to give the portrait more contrast. And after a few other finishing touches, the portrait is finished.

I hope you have enjoyed this pastel portrait study. Thank you for reading.

About Brian MacNeil

Brian MacNeil is an artist of great talent and imagination and is one of the new generation of Realist painters that are the new avant-garde in the art world. Brian studied at the Angel Academy of Art, Florence, from 2004 to 2008 and showed himself to be an extremely gifted student, understanding, as though instinctively, what his instructors were teaching…

Learn more about Brian and view of his work by visiting his Websites:

http://brianmacneil.com/

http://brianmacneil.blogspot.com/

Charcoal Portrait Drawing Lesson by Brian Macniel

First 20 Minutes

I started at a rapid pace just sketching the angles and major masses that I was seeing in front of me. My academic training would have urged me to take measurements and plot point. Because this was just a demo and I wasn’t being commissioned for the work I decided to have some fun.

Work in Progress

Now I did this charcoal drawing in the local coffee shop in Lakeville, MA. Somethin’s Brewin’ is one of my favorite places to get my morning Coffee. They are really great and love to promote local artist and small businesses. As far as ideal studio conditions it would not be my first choice but I was able to work from a consistent natural light. Typically I like to draw with the model elevated to my eye level and sight-size.

40 Minutes

After I roughed in some general shapes I now have enough information to start refining the contours and planes of the drawing. The beauty of charcoal is that it is easy to push around and shape. I find that if I keep things loose in the beginning I’m less attached and I don’t think twice if have to erase something that is wrong.

Tristen is making sure that I’m not turning her into Quasimodo

I’m heightening the drawing with White Chalk

The final Drawing

So after about three and a half hours this is what I came up with. I had a lot of fun and made a few more friends in the process. I would have loved to have more time with this but happy I was able to do this much. Hopefully Tristen will pose for some more paintings in the future.

Great Resource on Portrait Drawing

Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course