As I mentioned in my previous post, I will often start my painting days with a warming up exercise. My usual practise is one or two portrait sketches of John Singer Sargent portraits in my Moleskine sketchbook.
Last year I did a few time lapse videos of these portrait sketches to show the process of these simple studies. I start off with the outline of the head. Halfway down I start to draw the eyes. One these are in place, halfway between the eyes and the chin I’ll make some marks to indicate the tip of the nose. Slightly above the halfway mark between the nose and the chin is the mouth.
All these distances are only guidelines for doing portrait sketches. To get a good likeness you have to be really accurate with your proportions, shapes and mark making. Like any craft or skill, regular practise in necessary to become competent.
I’ve been teaching these principles to prisoners in some of the regions prisons for the North East Charity Junction 42. Many of the prisoners will tell me that they can’t draw. However, after following these guidelines, they surprise themselves with some remarkably accurate portraits. Many of them will ask for photocopies of what they have done so that they can send them home to show their families.
To find out about commissioning a portrait then visit my website to watch a short video.