Understanding Portrait Drawing Techniques

Why do artists create portraits?

• Portraits show the power, importance, virtue, beauty, wealth, and other qualities of the sitter.

• Portraits can display personality and even the mood of the person.

• Portraits can be realistic and abstract.

• All of the above.

How many eyes fit across the eyeline of the face?

• 4

• 2

• 3

• 5

The corners of the mouth line up with:

• Nostrils

• Center of the eye

• Tear duct

• Tip of nose

The edge of the nostrils line up with:

• Inside corner of the eye

• Pupils

• Outside corner of eye

• Earlobe

The ear is in between:

• Eye and tip of the nose

• Tip of the nose and mouth

• Neck and tip of the nose

• Top of eyebrow and top of lip

In a classical portrait drawing, how far down the face should the eye line be drawn?

In a classical portrait drawing, how wide is the average nose?

• 1 eye wide

• 2 eyes wide

• 3 eyes wide