Realistic Portraits with Pen
A course by Joaquín RodríguezGraphic artist
A course by Joaquín Rodríguez, Graphic artist
Learn how to draw creative portraits by combining hyperrealistic and abstract elements
Imagine being able to represent the essence of a human being with a tool as common and simple as a pen. With the help of graphic artist Joaquín Rodríguez, whose work has been exhibited in galleries throughout Europe, you can learn how to create powerful portraits full of personality and style.
In this course, discover how to create a portrait with a pen, inspired by a photo and made with elements that are both geometrically abstract and hyper realistic. Joaquín guides you through all the steps, teaching you techniques for developing your drawing skills and giving your work life and movement.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 22 downloads
What will we do in the course?
2 minutes, 24 seconds
Materials
5 minutes, 48 seconds
Choose photo and selection analysis
10 minutes, 1 second
Sketch of the drawing
19 minutes, 32 seconds
Incorporation of elements
19 minutes, 16 seconds
Face drawing 1
17 minutes, 42 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by getting to know your teacher, Joaquín Rodríguez. Discover his main artistic influences and go through what will be taught in this course.
Joaquín shows you the materials that you need for your project and comments on the unique uses of each tool. Choose a photograph as a reference and learn to analyze its visual strengths. Then, make your first sketches of the portrait in pencil, discovering how to incorporate elements of light, shadow, perspective, volume, and a vanishing point.
Start drawing your final portrait in pen, starting with the face, facial expression, eyes, and mouth. Then, apply fine details for the clothing, textures, and other abstract shapes that bring your image to life. To complete the portrait, learn how to create realistic shadows that add movement to your drawing.
Finally, Joaquín guides you through the world of post-production. Learn to make the final adjustments digitally in Adobe Photoshop and get some tips on the different types of paper and ink that you can use for fine art printing.
What is this course's project?
Using a photograph as a reference, draw a portrait with a pen by combining geometric shapes and hyper realistic elements. Then, give your portrait its final touches digitally in Adobe Photoshop.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in drawing who wants to learn new techniques for using a ballpoint pen as a creative tool.
Requirements and materials
Some basic drawing skills are recommended, but are not necessary.
The materials you need include: papers of various weights, pencils, tracing paper, a ruler, a pen, tape, a compass, a camera or scanner, and a computer with Adobe Photoshop installed for editing your drawing digitally.
Reviews
- 5 months ago
Ball Point Pen has become one of my favorite drawing tools, and this course helped me to understand how to use it better. I really appreciated the detailed explanations of different kinds of paper, and the photoshop enhancement techniques.
- crjmanuelPLUS6 months ago
Tomé este curso y me sorprendió lo accesible que resulta trabajar el retrato realista con algo tan simple como un bolígrafo. La explicación del profesor es muy clara y progresiva, lo que me ayudó a entender mejor el manejo de luces, sombras y texturas. Personalmente, disfruté mucho la forma en que integra elementos más expresivos en el retrato, porque le da un carácter único al resultado final. Lo recomendaría a cualquiera que quiera mejorar su dibujo sin necesidad de materiales complejos.
- 1 year ago
He aprendido una nueva tecnica.....!
- 1 year ago
Curso perfeito, muito explicativo e direto ao ponto, recomendo.
- 1 year ago
Ma ha encantado este curso, me alucina poder conseguir dibujos espectaculares con un boli, genial la explicación, he disfrutado con este curso y la amplitud de recursos adicionales. Es genial.
He has collaborated with the La Fiambrera gallery in Madrid and with Spanish magazines like Jaleo and Yorokobu. He has also participated in solo and group exhibitions in several galleries throughout Europe.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course?
- U2
Preparation
- Materials
- Choose photo and selection analysis
- Sketch of the drawing
- Incorporation of elements
- U3
Production
- Face drawing 1
- Face drawing 2
- Shading and hair texture 1
- Shading and hair texture 2
- Drawing of the added elements 1
- Drawing of the added elements 2
- Jacket texture 1
- Jacket texture 2
- Final details
- U4
Postproduction
- Adjustments in Photoshop
- Printing options
- FP
Final project
- Realistic Portraits with Pen
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll master advanced realistic drawing and composition techniques with pen, covering everything from sketching and proportions to shading, texturing, blending abstract elements, and digital editing for professional-quality prints.
This course is aimed at intermediate students who already have a grasp of basic drawing concepts and want to refine their pen technique and digital skills.
You’ll need pens of various thicknesses, a pencil, smooth drawing paper, a craft knife, ruler, compass, eraser, lightbox, scanner, and access to Photoshop or a similar image editor.
It’s recommended to have some prior pencil drawing experience and a basic understanding of proportions and perspective to get the most out of the course.
Yes, the course covers scanning, Photoshop editing, background cleanup, contrast adjustment, and preparing files for fine art printing.
You’ll learn shading techniques, patterns, masking, textures, chiaroscuro, volume integration, and how to use lines to build depth and realism in portraits and compositions.
The course guides you through creating realistic portraits from photos, applying mixed techniques, and adding abstract elements to enrich your visual composition.