Introduction to Portrait Drawing
A course by Alonso PalominoIllustrator and Graphic Designer
A course by Alonso Palomino, Illustrator and Graphic Designer
Learn the basic principles of portraiture and draw every detail of a face from a photograph
Every face is unique: some show tenderness, others show strength, vitality, or an air of spontaneity. Illustrator and graphic designer Alonso Palomino is an expert at capturing all of these emotions in stunning portraits. In this course, he teaches you the basic principles of this art form.
Learn how to draw unique portraits using a photograph as a reference and discover how to capture detailed facial features and convey personality by working with light and shadows. Grab your pencil and immortalize a moment in time with portrait art.
What will you learn in this online course?
20 lessons & 11 downloads
What Will We Do in This Course?
1 minute, 38 seconds
Drawing as an Essential Art
3 minutes, 38 seconds
Presentation of Materials
1 minute, 25 seconds
Thinking in 3D
5 minutes, 56 seconds
Light and Shadow
4 minutes, 13 seconds
Ideal Lighting for Portraiture
1 minute, 11 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Alonso Palomino. He talks about what piqued his interest in plastic arts and shares some of his biggest influences.
Learn the basic principles of drawing by studying the work of great portrait artists like Miguel Ángel and Andrew Loomis. Analyze how they approached their art and the strategies and techniques they used. Start looking at the world in three dimensions and see how shapes can be used to draw any object. Alonso also teaches you about the concepts of light and shadows and different shading techniques.
Continue learning theory by reviewing basic anatomy. Learn how to outline and construct a human head with all the essential features like eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth. Analyze the main bone and muscle structures to help you understand their shape and proportions and develop more natural linework. Then learn a few tricks from Alonso to give your portrait a realistic look.
Now it's time to get down to work! Start by choosing a reference photo following Alonso's advice. Map out areas of light and shadows, volume, and different shades. Draw a sketch, outline the facial features, and continue to add details applying everything you've learned to create a unique and expressive portrait.
Once you've finished, Alonso shows you how to draw another version of your portrait using ink. Wrap up the course by learning how to care for and preserve your drawings so their beauty never fades.
What is this course's project?
Draw a portrait from a photograph using a variety of techniques to give it a realistic look.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in drawing who wants to learn how to create portraits.
Requirements and materials
No previous knowledge is needed to take this course, just the inspiration to learn or perfect your drawing technique.
The materials include pencils, charcoal, ink, an eraser, a fixative, and paper or cardstock of varying weight.
Reviews
- 26 days ago
Me encanto el curso, muy sencillo y bien explicado, he aprendido bastante
- capilla2007PLUS2 months ago
El curso me pareció muy completo, el profesor explica claro y bien. Hay que practicar mucho. Gracias.
- 6 months ago
Muy buen curso para aprender los fundamentos del retrato.
- 8 months ago
Excellent course for drawing fundamentals to get you started. Shows the building blocks of all drawing is shapes, how to see what's in light and shadow by blocking out your face, how to shade with pencil and more. Very informative. I do wish the dubbed english had been a bit better timed but that's a very minor point. Overall I highly reccomend it.
- 9 months ago
me gusta demasiado el curso esta fenomenal, muy bien explicado las herramientas que ofrece son bastante útiles. me gusta mucho en mi caso que casi todas las clases son en español se me hace mucho mas fluido la manera de entender los términos y conceptos
Alonso's passion for portraying life through faces is reflected in his art, which focuses on portraits and the human figure. He currently works as an illustrator, designer, and independent artist.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- What Will We Do in This Course?
- U2
Basic Principles
- Drawing as an Essential Art
- Presentation of Materials
- Thinking in 3D
- Light and Shadow
- U3
Building the Human Head and Face
- Ideal Lighting for Portraiture
- Main Bones and Muscles of the Human Head
- General Proportions of the Human Head
- Splitting Into Blocks
- Building Parts of the Face 1
- Building Parts of the Face 2
- U4
Drawing a Portrait
- Choosing a Photograph
- Sketching and Fitting
- Defining Facial Features
- Highlights, Midtones and Shadows 1
- Highlights, Midtones and Shadows 2
- U5
Exhibition and Conservation of Your Work
- Bonus: Using Ink as a Portrait Technique
- Conservation of Your Portrait
- FP
Final project
- Introduction to Portrait Drawing
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.
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FAQs
This course is designed for people with intermediate drawing skills, so it’s recommended to have some basic experience with traditional or digital techniques before starting.
You’ll need graphite pencils, charcoal sticks, paper suitable for dry media, an eraser, a blade, a cloth for blending, and fixative. Some lessons may also require ink and a dip pen.
Yes, the course teaches you how to select suitable photographs and apply techniques to create realistic portraits from reference images.
You’ll learn shading techniques using charcoal, graphite, and ink, along with methods to create volume and natural tonal transitions in your portraits.
Yes, the course covers using geometric solids to structure the head and face, making it easier to draw in 3D and achieve anatomical accuracy.
The course explains fundamental principles and specific techniques to capture likeness and expression in artistic portraits.
You’ll study and apply Andrew Loomis’s methods for proportions and construction, as well as color and light techniques inspired by Joaquín Sorolla to enrich your creative process.