Behind the Scenes: How I Create Hand-Drawn Portraits

This video shows a glimpse of my drawing process for a larger family portrait. I use a variety of graphite pencils to create different levels of darkness and detail, slowly building up the image.

Here is a time-lapse of a portrait of two women. I use a combination of graphite and charcoal on handmade paper, blending them together to create a soft, realistic effect.

A work in progress video of a smiling child's portrait. I use a light touch with the pencil to slowly build up the shading on the face, capturing the soft contours and bright expression.

Here you can see the finished drawing next to the original reference photo. My goal is always to stay true to the source image while adding my own artistic touch to the final piece.

This flat lay shot shows a portrait in progress, surrounded by the tools of my trade. You can see the reference photo, my graphite pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener, all essential for my work.

Here I am working on the shading of a portrait. I use a small piece of paper under my hand to avoid smudging the graphite as I carefully add layers of tone and detail.

This image shows a wedding portrait in progress. The bride is almost fully rendered with detailed shading on her saree and jewelry, while the groom is still a light pencil outline, showing the contrast between the start and the finish.

This is the initial outline stage for a couple's portrait. I use a grid to lightly sketch the placement of the features and outlines before committing to darker lines and shading.

The portrait is halfway there. In this image, the woman's face and hair are nearly complete, while the man's portrait is still in the process of being shaded, showing how I work through each section.