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Portrait Drawing for Sale

Portraiture has existed for many centuries. The Greeks produced portraits for funeral and religious rituals; they aimed to “bring back to life those who have passed away." In the Roman era, portraits were often reserved for the ruling figures of society; for example, a warrior would have his portrait painted to illustrate his bravery during a battle. In Europe, it is only during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance that Italian and Flemish painters started to practice the art of portraiture.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, painters created works commissioned by wealthy patrons. Painters sketched out preliminary freehand drawings, which were often then approved by the patron, before beginning to work on their oil paint or, later, watercolor. Facial features were sometimes improved to the detriment of realism, although some painters were known for their ability to reproduce their models' expressions. Some artists worked in great detail while others focussed more heavily on trying to capture the real personality of their model.

For much of its history, portrait not only told a story but it also conveyed a message of power, promoting a well-controlled image to the wider population and establishing the sitter's authority through its circulation. For example, Florentine elites would use paintings and drawings as a mean of controlling their image and establishing their authority. Portraits were a way for someone to live on long after their death. Today we find the faces of aristocracies and the European bourgeoisie in many museums, immortalized by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci or Rembrandt.

The results obtained through drawing depended largely on the tools and materials used. Red chalk was very popular (especially at the beginning of the 16th century) to represent the facial features and the warmth of the skin, while charcoal produced harder lines and pastel created a softer, colorful touch. Artists adapted their technique depending on the subject and the emotion they wanted to convey. The commercialisation of pencils in the nineteenth century made it a popular medium for artists and amateurs alike. Pencil art became more popular and the tool was often used for sketching portraits.

One thing is certain; capturing facial expressions is a demanding art form and the art of portraiture requires a lot of practice. Drawing a face down to its finest details may take hours to obtain the desired result: a protruding jaw, the shape of a skull, thick brows, smiling eyes, dilated pupils… Even more difficult, are children's portraits? It can be difficult to get them to stay still for long. The artist has to be skilled enough to immortalise these men, women and children full of life.

Gradually, sketched portraits became less and less realistic but increasingly daring and experimental in terms of colour. On Artsper, discover drawings by Jean Cocteau, Julien Calot, Alice de Miramon, Philippe Pasqua, Sabine Danzé, Bahareh Navabi and Stéphanie Stindel.

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Fine Art Drawings, Jeune fille et son Chat, Zafi

Jeune fille et son Chat

Zafi

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€1,600

Fine Art Drawings, Visage d'animal, Zafi

Visage d'animal

Zafi

Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 51 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 20.1 x 0.4 inch

€1,600

Fine Art Drawings, Woman, Dr. Love

Woman

Dr. Love

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€90

Fine Art Drawings, Fashion woman, Dr. Love

Fashion woman

Dr. Love

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€90

Fine Art Drawings, Grooving the Bass, Jay Russell

Grooving the Bass

Jay Russell

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch

€2,253

Fine Art Drawings, On the Trumpet, Jay Russell

On the Trumpet

Jay Russell

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch

€2,253

Fine Art Drawings, Sax Man, Jay Russell

Sax Man

Jay Russell

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch

€2,253

Fine Art Drawings, Big Mama’s Place, Jay Russell

Big Mama’s Place

Jay Russell

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch

€2,253

Fine Art Drawings, Encre I, Maylis Bourdet

Encre I

Maylis Bourdet

Fine Art Drawings - 36.5 x 47 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.4 x 18.5 x 0.4 inch

€560

Fine Art Drawings, Reciprocity 8, Agathe Wagner

Reciprocity 8

Agathe Wagner

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 33 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 13 x 0.4 inch

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Agathe Wagner

Untitled

Agathe Wagner

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 46 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 18.1 inch

€600

Fine Art Drawings, Eléphant, François Gruson

Eléphant

François Gruson

Fine Art Drawings - 90 x 148 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35.4 x 58.3 x 0 inch

€9,000

Fine Art Drawings, Bison, François Gruson

Bison

François Gruson

Fine Art Drawings - 76 x 136 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29.9 x 53.5 x 0.4 inch

€7,000

Fine Art Drawings, Flo et Helio, Fafi

Flo et Helio

Fafi

Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 23 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.1 x 0 inch

€1,200

Fine Art Drawings, Masque nocturne, Tarek

Masque nocturne

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 15 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.9 x 0 inch

€95

Fine Art Drawings, Verlaine, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Verlaine

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 29 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11.4 x 0.2 inch

€16,000

Fine Art Drawings, Nars, Manuel Santelices

Nars

Manuel Santelices

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 22.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 9 x 0.1 inch

€375

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait de femme, Henri Fehr

Portrait de femme

Henri Fehr

Fine Art Drawings - 27 x 20 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.6 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€556

Fine Art Drawings, Observation, Eugenia Jaeger

Observation

Eugenia Jaeger

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 59 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 23.2 inch

€700

Fine Art Drawings, Maison 1, Lisbeth Delisle

Maison 1

Lisbeth Delisle

Fine Art Drawings - 65.5 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.8 x 15.7 inch

€1,800

Fine Art Drawings, Seducing Lady, Luigi Bompard

Seducing Lady

Luigi Bompard

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch

€560

Fine Art Drawings, Lady and news, Luigi Bompard

Lady and news

Luigi Bompard

Fine Art Drawings - 25.5 x 20 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€560 €420

Fine Art Drawings, The Family Scheme, Luigi Bompard

The Family Scheme

Luigi Bompard

Fine Art Drawings - 25.5 x 20 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

€560 €420

Fine Art Drawings, Jeune fille pensive, Henri Fehr

Jeune fille pensive

Henri Fehr

Fine Art Drawings - 42.5 x 33 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.7 x 13 x 0.1 inch

€644

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait, François Chapuis

Portrait

François Chapuis

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 30.5 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12 x 0.1 inch

€600 €450

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 16, Wang Fei

Untitled 16

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 88 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 34.6 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€9,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 15, Wang Fei

Untitled 15

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 88 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 34.6 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€9,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 14, Wang Fei

Untitled 14

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 88 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 34.6 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 13, Wang Fei

Untitled 13

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 90 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 12, Wang Fei

Untitled 12

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 97 x 78 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38.2 x 30.7 x 0.4 inch

€9,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 11, Wang Fei

Untitled 11

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 97 x 78 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38.2 x 30.7 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 10, Wang Fei

Untitled 10

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 97 x 78 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38.2 x 30.7 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 9, Wang Fei

Untitled 9

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€11,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 8, Wang Fei

Untitled 8

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€11,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 7, Wang Fei

Untitled 7

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€9,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 5, Wang Fei

Untitled 5

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€11,700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 4, Wang Fei

Untitled 4

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 3, Wang Fei

Untitled 3

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 69 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27.2 x 0.4 inch

€14,600

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 1, Wang Fei

Untitled 1

Wang Fei

Fine Art Drawings - 98 x 240 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38.6 x 94.5 x 0.4 inch

€29,100

Fine Art Drawings, New King, Alexandre Granger

New King

Alexandre Granger

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€1,900

Fine Art Drawings, Moi je joue, Monika Nowak

Moi je joue

Monika Nowak

Fine Art Drawings - 140 x 100 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 55.1 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€8,200

Fine Art Drawings, Confidence, Anna Camille

Confidence

Anna Camille

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch

€560 €532

Fine Art Drawings, Our masks, Fred Borghesi

Our masks

Fred Borghesi

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch

€2,600

Fine Art Drawings, The frowns, Fred Borghesi

The frowns

Fred Borghesi

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch

€3,000

Fine Art Drawings, Old Lady Draws, Fred Borghesi

Old Lady Draws

Fred Borghesi

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

€3,300

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Philippe Pasqua

Sans titre

Philippe Pasqua

Fine Art Drawings - 200 x 150 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 78.7 x 59.1 x 0.1 inch

€9,000

Fine Art Drawings, Futur is past I, Nef

Futur is past I

Nef

Fine Art Drawings - 19 x 19 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.5 x 7.5 x 0 inch

€120

Fine Art Drawings, Family, Ivan Afronskiy

Family

Ivan Afronskiy

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11 x 0.4 inch

€1,290

Fine Art Drawings, City Lovers II, Anthea Missy

City Lovers II

Anthea Missy

Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 100 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€2,500

Fine Art Drawings, City Lovers, Anthea Missy

City Lovers

Anthea Missy

Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 100 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€2,500

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 23, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 23

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 54 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 21.3 x 15.7 inch

€751

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 22, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 22

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 54 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 21.3 x 15.7 inch

€751

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 17, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 17

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 55 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 21.7 x 15.7 inch

€751

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 14, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 14

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 16.5 inch

€751

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 10, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 10

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 16.5 inch

€751

Fine Art Drawings, Enigma, Michael Alan

Enigma

Michael Alan

Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 27.3 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 10.75 x 0.04 inch

€3,400

Fine Art Drawings, Pyro, Michael Grine

Pyro

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 45.7 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 18 x 0.01 inch

€282

Fine Art Drawings, Stone Face, Michael Grine

Stone Face

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 30.5 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 12 x 0.01 inch

€282

Fine Art Drawings, Sit, Michael Grine

Sit

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 30.5 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 12 x 0.01 inch

€282

Fine Art Drawings, Rocky, Michael Grine

Rocky

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 30.5 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 12 x 0.01 inch

€282

Fine Art Drawings, Nerve, Michael Grine

Nerve

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 30.5 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 12 x 0.01 inch

€282

Fine Art Drawings, Gas, Michael Grine

Gas

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 30.5 x 0 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 12 x 0.01 inch

€282

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Painting, L'esprit Déchaîné, tizlu

L'esprit Déchaîné

tizlu

Painting - 50 x 35 x 2.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.9 inch

€1,680

Fine Art Drawings, We Need You!, tizlu

We Need You!

tizlu

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 1.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,600

Print, Untiteled, JM Robert

Untiteled

JM Robert

Print - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Orlando, Galya Popova

Orlando

Galya Popova

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€2,400

Need help with Portrait Drawing ?
What are some tips for drawing a realistic portrait?

To draw a realistic portrait, start with a good reference photo, pay attention to proportions, use shading to create depth, and focus on capturing the subject's unique features. Practice regularly and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

How do you choose the right materials for portrait drawing?

When choosing materials for portrait drawing, consider the surface texture, color, and weight of the paper, as well as the type and quality of the pencils or charcoal. Opt for high-quality materials that allow for precision and detail, and experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your style and technique.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when drawing a portrait?

When drawing a portrait, it's important to avoid common mistakes such as not paying attention to proportions, neglecting to capture the subject's unique features, and using too much or too little shading. Additionally, it's important to take breaks and step back to assess the overall composition.