Real Time Portrait Sketch with Commentary

A portrait sketch in soft charcoal with commentary on process and technique by Jeff Haines. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please consider leaving a comment and a 'like', it goes a long way to help the channel get seen. Thanks for watching!
Much more of my work can be seen on
Patreon:
/ jeffhaines
Instagram:
/ jeff.haines
Facebook:
/ jeff.haines.555
Materials:
Soft Vine Charcoal, kneaded eraser, stump and brush. The paper is 80lb drawing paper.
Original Photo Reference:
unsplash.com/p...

[@dennispfeil]

Thanks Jeff! Enjoyed watching the whole video. And really like the approach of the lost edges on the nose, forehead, etc.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks Dennis!

[@handmadeindustrial]

It was fun playing armchair quarterback. I’m almost tempted to watch again and draw along. The foreshortened camera view was driving me nuts, I had to scroll to the end and see your flat drawing. Very inspirational! Thanks for helping all of us.

[@handmadeindustrial]

Does your patreon have these long form videos?

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks! This new camera angle isn't what I hoped, and I agree, it seems too distorted. I'll re-think that. My Patreon page has some real-time videos with commentary as well as time-lapse demos that aren't available on KZbin. It's fairly new and adding more all the time. Thank you again. :)

[@handmadeindustrial]

What would a GoPro drawing video look like?

[@JeffHainesArt]

​@@handmadeindustrial The angle would be perfect with a GoPro, I’m thinking of rigging up something where the camera sits just above and in front of my head (similar to a GoPro), and then have the easel at a slightly shallower angle. I’ve seen armatures that cameras will attach to similar to a swing arm lamp.

[@handmadeindustrial]

I did draw along with this video. It was a very useful experience. I learned more about restraint, and counter acting my heavy handedness. Highly recommend doing this!

[@Allthepies]

Love the term 'Run your brush across to "agitate" it! Great work mate!

[@JeffHainesArt]

Haha! Thank you Simon!

[@artistankit8945]

Thank you so much for the real time video.... Nobody is sharing like this... Thank you so much again🙏🙏🙏🙏🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you for the comment, glad that you like it!

[@Newlinemediaarts]

Good Work. I drew along with you and made my first face that look amazing. This inspires me to make a better one. Greatly appreciated.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Hey that's wonderful to hear! Thanks for the comment.

[@FYPAnimations]

Thanks Jeff, inspiring informative upload.

[@akis6798]

Amazing work!!!The explanation about the choices in the lines is quite helpful!!!Awesome work!!!

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you for the comment!

[@michaelmcewan432]

Fantastic work again 😁

[@paulsadler3339]

inspiring Jeff, truly brilliant.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks Paul!

[@quanvien7020]

Love your technique ! Thanks Jeff .

[@aliciamolloy5948]

Wonderful lesson, thank you so much.

[@babyboltbark]

Speechless. Thanks!

[@monicaemme1]

A wonderful work! Great! Thanks

[@pascaleplacidoux9263]

Bonsoir! merci pour tes vidéos j' apprend énormément avec, j'aime ta manière de travailler et je progresse grâce à çà. :)

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@erdenebulganartist5566]

Thank you

[@ronsevie]

Great work! Thanks for showing the reference picture. It makes clear what you see and what choices you make. The explanation about the light edges is an eye opener. Super masterclass! Thanks for posting

[@JeffHainesArt]

Glad you liked it Ron, thanks for watching!

[@bums]

I think it's a great video. Thanks for sharing! 👍👍👍

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank my friend!

[@incognito3620]

You drastically straitened the tilt of the head. Was that deliberate? Or our sense of orderliness to correct. Also her cranium seem shortened. Very brave of you to do this live. I don’t detect any edits. The brush idea is really effective. I have used paper towel and never really liked the effect. I am going to “ borrow” this method. Is that a stomp you are using to wipe out the charcoal to add light? I really appreciate your light touch throughout. Nice.

[@JeffHainesArt]

There are usually mistakes because of an effort to complete them quickly for the sake of a shorter video. Glad you liked the technique! (yes it's a common stump)

[@algernonwolfwhistle6351]

Very informative and enjoyable. Is there a reason why you didn't draw her with her face angled upwards?

[@martinaakervik]

Nice. Following the process and don’t really understand what happened to those first rough lines. She seems more relaxed to me than even the original model. (Actually liked that.) I have tried charcoal, but have no clue what do with it afterwards. It seems like nothing to store because of smudging.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you! The original lines end up blended and smudged away due to the nature of the soft charcoal. They also need to be sprayed with a fixative when finished to prevent smudging.

[@jenniferhosmer9180]

I love watching you draw! Your amazing! I hope you will continue to do more art.

[@JeffHainesArt]

I will Jennifer! Thanks so much!

[@Hohmann2000]

Джефф , пожалуйста , прошу ! Покажите , как Вы пишете портрет немецкого актёра Томаса Кречмана, если это возможно ! У меня не получается .

[@mmsaint4283]

Lindo. Observação; a orelha ficou situada bem antes da proporção correta. Compare a distância entre orelha e nariz por exemplo na referência e compare com o desenho...

[@belle42]

Thanks for the video! You’re very talented. Is that just typing paper you’re drawing on?

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks! it's Strathmore 300 series drawing paper.

[@belle42]

@@JeffHainesArt thank you! 😊

[@matthewandresen2225]

I am an advanced charcoal artist It is great to see the different styles of everyone on youtube and or in business. To those learning, choose a well-lit pic convert it to b&w, and delegate outline, shadow, gradients, and light in layers to try your hand freely. I would not suggest you follow along a drawing on here because if it does not turn out to be like the ones you see you will feel unaccomplished or a failer, I don't want that and anyone else that teaches does not either, You will be too tempted to make every mark he or she makes and you do not need to. Trying freely lets you explore the knowledge you gather here and practice, work the whole picture don't be afraid to toss an overworked smudge job. Keep watching the pros to recap the info you forget. remember it is a shadow and light game no marks are permanent work a pic for days till you are satisfied. Only then will you find the artist within. I hope this helps.

[@iqbalpreetpadam7521]

Awosome sir g

[@susanbell7071]

Jeff, thanks for the demo. What brand of charcoal do you prefer to use, i.e., Vine or willow, or is there something else?

[@JeffHainesArt]

I use both, but I've been using Coates brand willow a lot lately. Willow is a bit denser but they are very similar. Thanks Susan.

[@susanbell7071]

@@JeffHainesArt thank you. I think I can get Coats at a local store.

[@arunjyotidas7]

Sir the original reference is now not available. Can you share an alternate source please ..

[@renzo6490]

At 2:57 , the angles of her face that you have drawn are not the same as those I see in the reference photo.

[@shuvoDhar.5537]

❤❤❤

[@grfktsrm]

👍👍👍

[@sman7099]

My charcoal doesnt stay on the sheet. How do you get yours to stick on??

[@JeffHainesArt]

If I understand what you mean, you will need to spray with a fixative when finished.

[@mattschager5224]

Where do you find your reference material?

[@JeffHainesArt]

Either pics that I take personally or from a few image-sharing sites like Unsplash.com. Thanks for watching Matt.

[@caster.master6297]

Ты нарисовал не ту девушку, что на фото

[@rogelioalbasoler2733]

Je trouve que le nez reste petit par rapport a l'oeuil et la bouche. La distance entre le bas du nez et la levre superieure a reduit la longueur du nez. Peut etre.

[@DionDraws]

This is so good, Jeff! I love the lost lines, relying more on suggestion than explicite indication. I have a question: do you sometimes, like I do, have that urge to add more detail, and by doing that losing the spontaneity of the drawing? And if so, how do you resist it? Thanks in advance, love your work.

[@swarnavaghoshal5602]

Hello there, I know exactly how you feel, I go through the same urge. One of my friends told me that whenever this happens, just to take a few steps back and look at the sketch as a whole, maybe try some different angles just to reset the brain. It works for me kindof. I am still a beginner so, it might be not much.

[@DionDraws]

@@swarnavaghoshal5602 Thank you for your reply. I suppose the secret then is to have the discipline to recognise that urge and act accordingly. Good advice!

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks Dion! This is something I struggle with all the time. All I can say is to try and recognize when you’ve stated something sufficiently, in and interesting way, and move on. One way to combat it is to force yourself to stop after say, half an hour, then come back to it after some time has passed and re-evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Best of luck.

[@DionDraws]

@@JeffHainesArt Thanks a lot Jeff, that should really help. I think I will set an alarm next time I draw, and hope to remember your advice when it goes :)

[@amaelrab]

Good morning

[@JeffHainesArt]

Good morning :)

[@juliapimentel4208]

I love your time-lapse videos but I really enjoyed that you made a live discussing the process of the drawing. As an traditional artist that is currently practicing portraits this video was quite helpful, thank you for sharing your beautiful work! 😁

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you for the comment Julia! Glad you liked it. :)

[@rogelioalbasoler2733]

D'autre part, je crois que la largeur du crane n'est pas en proportion avec sa hauteur. Mais le resultat me plantea....

[@rogelioalbasoler2733]

Me plait

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks Rogelio, good observations.

[@RT-wk1bd]

Very useful video and I attempted to do the portrait myself. Do you use a blade to sharpen the soft vine charcoal? I used the General's vine charcoal and I assume that this is what you used. I noticed that the final shot of the completed portrait had darker darks than what was evident during the video and I am going to go back and darken my drawing. Thanks for sharing your skills and suggestions.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thanks! I use a razor blade for charcoal pencils, but the vine sticks are so crumbly that I just rub them on a piece of paper to sharpen them up. Some people use sand paper for this. The values on video can be a bit washed out, and I try to adjust the final shot to be a little closer to reality. Fixative tends to darken the drawing as well, so that's something to consider.

[@dandansapainting]

Very nice drawing

[@Hohmann2000]

О ! Длинное видео , круто Джефф !!! 👍

[@Streamliner1]

Lovely!

[@luisq4342]

Wonderful artwork as always Jeff. Do you use two different charcoal sticks (one darker than the other) o it is the same with different pressure when applied? ,, Muchas gracias Maestro por tus trabajos y videos!

[@JeffHainesArt]

Thank you Luis! It's mostly a change in pressure. Most of the sticks I use are pretty similar darkness-wise.

[@santiagodare4958]

Bravo!

[@1000paulineanne]

Beautiful!

[@gnossiennes2569]

Beatiful!

[@cili_padi]

Aah, now I get it, understand why your drawings always look great and catch the eye. Edge control! Thanks Jeff for a great tutorial.

[@JeffHainesArt]

Absolutely. Thanks you Cili!

[@LordBasti81]

I love these Videos. Thx for sharing!

[@JeffHainesArt]

Happy that you like them!