4.67
(3 Ratings)

Drawing Portraits – A beginners guide to getting things in the right place using 3 dots.

Categories: Online course
Wishlist Share
Share Course
Page Link
Share On Social Media

About Course

If you want to draw freehand portraits it can seem impossible to get the proportions right and make what you draw look like what you see.

 

Everyone struggles with that.

So you do some research and you find various kinds of measurement techniques, the more advanced ones are called methods. These methods are essentially geometry. Circles and ellipses (circles in perspective) combined with a bit of universal divisions of the skull. You learn all this and you will be able to draw what you see right? Wrong. These methods allow you to draw without seeing anything. That’s why they were invented, so that illustrators could draw faces and figures without the need for any real reference.

I’m not saying using a method is wrong, millions of people do it. Learning anatomy isn’t wrong either, again it’s a tried and tested way to learn to draw.

But, what if I told you that you already have the skills you need and that it’s the way you think about drawing that is the problem.

I’ve drawn almost 2000 portraits and I do it everyday, sometimes as many as 3 portraits a day.

I don’t use any methods and I know nothing about anatomy.

So how do I do it?

Well, firstly let’s look at what you are trying to do.

Are you trying to make a copy of a face or do you want it to be more than simply photographic.

If it’s more than photographic, then I can help. If it’s not, get yourself some tracing paper, it would make things a whole lot easier.

My way is very simple and it works every time.

It involves using 3 dots and what you can already do, “look”. The trouble is we forget how to really look at something with the world so full of visual ​​stimulus we shut off to avoid being overloaded. We see only a small part of what is really in front of our eyes.

The other thing is you have to forget what you think a portrait is, what it should be and what you see other people do. You need a “clean slate”, just like a child, not held back by expectations.

 

What you will need:

 

  1. Charcoal/Pencil
  2. Paper
  3. Easel (full size or desktop)
  4. Putty/Kneaded rubber
Show More

Course Content

What’s it all about

  • The 3 Dots
    01:52

Things to consider before you start

Stage 1. Using the 3 Dot approach

Stage 2. Identifying the shapes

Stage 3. Applying the tones

Summary

The importance of mindset

Reference images

Making charcoal

Student Ratings & Reviews

4.7
Total 3 Ratings
5
2 Ratings
4
1 Rating
3
0 Rating
2
0 Rating
1
0 Rating
JK
7 months ago
Excellent course. The 3 dots and lots of practice will certainly help me getting accuracy.
CB
9 months ago
It is exciting to start and learn more about mindset.
DG
10 months ago
As a graphite portrait artist I’m finding it difficult changing over to charcoal. I English but living in Florida I can’t find a Hazel tree/bush to gather materials for the charcoal. All I have is little skinny shop bought, Vine strips and can’t get on with them at the moment!
But the course is great, loving it, thanks Tony.