The Secret to Realistic and Quick Portrait Drawing

Making something look realistic quickly:
1. Locate the key elements all at once, not one at a time
2. Use tone to define the shapes
3. Make sure you observe the tonal relationships
It's important that you draw the whole face at the same time, both in terms of locating
the elements and managing the tones.
Here's a link to the reference I used...
www.thejoyofportraiture.com/t...
Tony :)

[@Zabacraft]

Hey! Just saw this video pop up and felt it was time to leave you a comment in general as I don't think I did. A couple months ago I got into portrait drawing for a few different goals (light and color mainly, and then everything else associated is bonus), but I was massively stuck on tackling the structure of the face through various structural methods. Which are great, don't get me wrong, but just weren't aiding in what I wanted to learn so it resulted in nothing. Scouring KZbin a ton and no answers at some point I came across one of your portrait drawing videos. How you explained that you are not looking at the features of the face, but rather just look at the shapes of tones throughout the piece. I was absolutely stunned at how you seemed to 'just scribble' and got something going. Anyway, while we practice a different medium (I'm a pixel artist, moving up to digital realms) your advice I feel has really given me a lift! Just about ALL life-drawing feels much more accessible now just by looking at the tones rather than the object. It also in turn makes me understand the underlying structure better for when I will be tackling that more properly in the future. So I thank you! You made a difference to me as an internet stranger! (I believe from the discription you'll be tackling similar topics again haha. But I wanted to leave a comment before watching, as a couple of days ago I recommended you to some friends, and was reminded how massively you helped me out. Will now be watching!)

[@TonySwaby]

Thank you :)

[@ElBeeEss]

About a year ago, having not really drawn a thing since I left high school, I picked up life drawing again, along with a good friend who, also like me, loved drawing when she was younger but had put it aside when the world of work took over. We're getting better every time we meet; we watch a few online tutorials and do an hour or two of practice together. It's been the usual scenario, though. We've been avoid the faces, hands and feet like the plague! Over the past few days, though, I've been watching your videos and this afternoon I thought I'd have a go at sketching along with you just for the hell of it. The result surpassed my expectations. It's far from brilliant, but it looks better than any face I've ever drawn before, and I'm quite pleased with it. Wow! That's never happened before. Tony, man, you're an inspiration!

[@TonySwaby]

Thank you :)

[@aubreycraftjr5821]

Thanks for the reference pic Sir Tony. Starting on it now! Love to you and Pablo!

[@bahumdinger8361]

Cheers Tony...always appreciated

[@jerryaubill163]

This is so helpful. Thank you!

[@TonySwaby]

Thank you :)

[@user-xu6zl6qo1k]

It is great to see you here on KZbin! Michael Anfinogenov ( Moscow)

[@wheelchair_charlie]

Great portrait pointers Tony thanks a bunch. Congrats on hitting 12k subscriptions! "If you build it, they will come" - Field of Dreams (1989 film)

[@TonySwaby]

Thanks man, it's a bit of a lottery😂

[@suziewong2181]

I always wanted to do that but I couldn’t find anyone that could explain how. Somehow you did! Thank you💖🙏🏻 New subscriber and binge watcher.😂

[@TonySwaby]

Thank you :)

[@creativesolutions902]

I think it helps a lot to have the size of your reference similar to or equal to the size you were actually drawing. I work from my phone a lot and have to translate it to various different sizes of paper. Relationships are relationships, regardless, but it is trickier when translating a scaled up version of your reference. I also still struggle with my Faces looking dirty. I haven’t found the magic combo. Of charcoal relative to paper type. Some combinations are cleaner than others. Still figuring that part out.

[@jpakos6701]

I love Franz Hals ....the Dutch master ...he is so rough and real at the same time ...less is more

[@nickrodis6862]

Salamat po

[@kenvolz4886]

Does 'directional stroking' every come into play in creating a realistic image?

[@TonySwaby]

Great question Ken. The marks you make should be in response to what you see and the visual hierarchy. To create tonal value you may not need considered directional marks, but if you are drawing hair you might need to. Having said that it's your response that determines that.

[@kjrising]

The link to the reference photo doesn’t appear to be working. It may just be me.

[@TonySwaby]

Seems to be working okay?

[@kjrising]

@@TonySwaby it was me and my laptop. It opened fine on my iPad. Great reference. Can’t wait to give it a try. Thanks Tony.

[@esha1209]

Would love a tutorial on making homemade charcoal

[@TonySwaby]

tonyswaby.com/charcoal/

[@esha1209]

@@TonySwaby thank youuuu

[@user-tm9ch4xs1v]

What type of charcoal do you use

[@TonySwaby]

I make my own from Hazel wood