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Custom Hand-Drawn Color Pencil Portraits

byVarun N RaoShips from Bengaluru across IndiaStarts from₹2,000 Per Digital FileView full gallery

I turn your favorite photos into detailed, lifelike art using professional-grade color pencils. Whether it is a family memory or a tribute, I focus on capturing the expressions that make the moment real.

A beautiful family portrait is a treasure. I created this piece using color pencils to capture the distinct personalities and the connection between them. It’s a wonderful way to freeze a moment in time for your family.

Here you can see a finished baby portrait alongside the tools of my trade. The rich pigments of the Polychromos pencils allow for deep layering to achieve that soft, lifelike skin tone. It’s a delicate process that brings so much joy.

A commissioned color pencil portrait on A3 paper. I focused on capturing her bright smile and the soft waves of her hair, using careful layering to create depth and realism. These individual portraits make for very personal and heartfelt gifts.

This commissioned portrait of former Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand was my first artwork after an eye surgery, making it very special to me. Created with color pencils, it was a joy to work on this piece for an event at Walmart Global Tech India.

It was a proud moment to present my finished color pencil portrait to the man himself, Pullela Gopichand. Seeing a client's reaction to their portrait is the best part of my job.

This is a close-up of a portrait from my series dedicated to my nephews and nieces. Using color pencils allows me to focus on the subtle expressions of children, creating a piece that the family can cherish as they grow.

A happy moment seeing my nephew holding his finished portrait. Creating art for family is always extra special, and it’s wonderful to see the final piece framed and ready to be displayed.

About Color Pencil Portraits

I use professional-grade Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils on heavy, acid-free A3 paper. This specific medium allows for intense layering, which is how I capture the realistic skin tones and soft highlights that flatter your features better than other sketching methods.

Hand-drawn portraits shipped across India — Approved by the tribe
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Varun N Rao

Ships from Bengaluru across IndiaStarts from ₹2,000 Per Digital File

I am Varun. By day, I am an engineer, but my evenings are spent at my desk with a set of color pencils. I taught myself how to draw because I could not imagine life without it, and there is nothing I love more than turning your favorite memory into a piece you can actually hold in your hands.

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A commissioned A3 size portrait of a couple, created using color pencils. I use this medium to bring a warm, lifelike feel to the artwork, paying close attention to skin tones and the texture of the clothing.7
A color pencil commission work. The challenge here was layering the colors to create the texture of the checkered vest and the warm lighting on the subject.
A beautiful A3 color portrait of a couple. Using color pencils allows me to capture the tones of their outfits and the warmth in their expressions, making it a vibrant piece.
An A3 commission work using color pencils. I focused on the subtle color variations in the skin tone and the pattern of the dupatta to create a soft, realistic portrait.

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A beautiful couple portrait, commissioned all the way from Canada. I used vibrant color pencils to capture the festive details of their traditional outfits and their happy expressions.31
A perfect family moment captured in a custom color pencil sketch and framed for their home. I love creating these pieces that families can cherish forever.

Vibrant Color Portraits: Handmade Realistic Sketches

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Alankar DrawsShips across India
My take on a classic portrait of Angelina Jolie. The main goal here was to capture her distinct features and intense gaze using careful shading with graphite pencils to create a soft yet powerful look.25
A detailed graphite portrait of Gal Gadot. I spent about 10 hours on this piece, using Staedtler pencils and blending stumps to achieve the smooth skin texture and the intricate details in her hair and clothing.
Another angle of the Gal Gadot portrait, showing the finished work next to my pencils. This view highlights the subtle shading and highlights that bring the drawing to life.

Hand-Drawn Hyper-Realistic Pencil Portraits

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VishalShips across India
A beautiful wedding portrait for a couple from Gujarat. I used a 72-shade set of Brustro colour pencils to capture the vibrant red of the lehenga and the intricate details of their attire.16
This custom colour pencil sketch of a father and son was a heartfelt commission from Andhra Pradesh. I merged two photos to create this single portrait showing their bond.
A sweet family portrait for a client in Prayagraj. I used colour pencils to bring out the soft pink tones of their outfits and the warmth of their family moment.
A hyper-realistic colour pencil sketch of a mother and son for a client in Rajasthan. This A3 piece took about 24 hours, focusing on the fabric patterns and expressions.

Vibrant Colour Pencil Portraits from Your Photos

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SiddShips across India
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A vibrant pencil color sketch celebrating the beautiful bond between a brother and sister. The bright yellow background makes their happy expressions pop, creating a joyful and personal piece of art.
Here you can see the original photo next to my finished pencil color sketch. My goal is always to elevate the memory, adding artistic warmth and detail while staying true to the original moment.
A custom mother-daughter portrait, seen here on my work desk. This 9x12 inch sketch was made with a full set of 72 Prismacolor pencils on smooth Strathmore paper to ensure the colors are bright and the art lasts a lifetime.

Vibrant Color Portraits by Karishma

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Karishma NainShips across India
A detailed graphite portrait of cricketer Virat Kohli, drawn on 200gsm paper. I focus on achieving a realistic likeness and capturing the subject's personality through their expression.16
This is a graphite pencil sketch of actor Aamir Khan from his younger days. Creating portraits of idols is a joy, and I work to get every detail just right, from the hair texture to the look in their eyes.
A graphite portrait of the talented singer Darshan Raval, capturing his joyful expression. This sketch was done on 200gsm paper, which is excellent for layering graphite to create depth.
Here is my pencil portrait of actress Kajal Aggarwal, focusing on her gentle smile. I use different grades of graphite pencils to create soft shadows and highlights for a realistic effect.

Custom Pencil & Graphite Portraits

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R.K. AjjuartsAvailable online

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