hi, i just saw your portrait study of connor storrie and it was amazing :) i was wondering if you have any tips on capturing the likeness of a person. i've been trying to draw him for a while but even though i get the proportions right i could never capture the essence of him, or anyone for that matter. it's really de-motivating and im trying really hard without any significant improvement...i'll be glad to learn your secrets on that haha thanks anyways!!
Hi hi and thank you! I must say, drawing Connor wasn’t easy at all, some people are just so gorgeous that sometimes it makes you feel like "damn, how can I depict them so as not to ruin their lethal face card with my sinful mortal hands”
As for your question - I think it's mostly a matter of practice, reinforced by almost obsessive love for the diversity of human features. I wouldn't call myself a portrait pro or smth, even a couple of years ago I definitely had noticeable problems with capturing facial proportions, but no problems can stand against a simple artistic "I want people to fall in love with the characters I draw like right through the screen, I just want to be SO cool at this," so you already have this great start wink wink finger guns
You don't necessarily have to grasp every little nuance right away, but if I could give any advice, it would probably be:
1. Consider the specifics of the stylization you're working in. Realism and semi-realism are naturally better at achieving portrait likeness, while cartoon and anime styles have their own peculiarities and tendency to simplify details that often distance the final result from the “original”. Before adapting something to a specific style, you should know the academic foundation and try to practice with realism. It may be boring but helpful.
2. There are certain features of a person's appearance that the viewer notices first (irl too), and it makes sense to focus on them first. Usually it’s the eyes and the shape of the face itself. The same character/person will look completely different and give off completely different vibes depending on whether you draw the outer corner of their eye upturned or downturned, or whether you draw a wide, square face instead of, say, an oval one. Instead of trying to accurately convey absolutely all even the most subtle facial features in a portrait at once, try starting with the simplest questions - are their eyes round or maybe almond-shaped? Are their lips thin or full? Is their nose small or big? By limiting the choice to two, it will be easier to find the "correct" answer. All those “but what particular shape their lips are and how many eyelashes they have on their lower eyelid” you can save for later.
3. Keep in mind a couple of simple fundamental rules of proportions. Even apart from the general "portrait resemblance," this will help you portray the face more.. harmoniously?? idk
Like, distance between a person's eyes is usually equal to the size of another eye, the corners of the lips are located approximately under the pupils, the ear is equal in size to the distance from the eyebrow line to the tip of the nose
I’m certainly not a certified mentor, I've acquired all my skills purely through years of mistakes and experience, so now I just mainly draw without much thought to it, but hope this whole thing was a bit helpful in some way 🏃♂️➡️🏃♂️➡️🏃♂️➡️
