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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Two Figures
Roberto Cuccaro
Fine Art Drawings - 50.5 x 36.1 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.9 x 14.2 x 0 inch
$1,618
Bubble face III
Nef
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0 inch
$116
Samouraille
Bruno Mallart
Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 22 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 8.7 x 1.2 inch
$1,156
Lévitation
Hélène Lagnieu
Fine Art Drawings - 110 x 75 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 43.3 x 29.5 x 0 inch
$5,201
Origines
Karim Benchebra
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$1,965
Portraits 4
Ivan Afronskiy
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 24 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,029
Portraits 3
Ivan Afronskiy
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 24 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,029
Portrait 2
Ivan Afronskiy
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 24 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,029
Portrait 1
Ivan Afronskiy
Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 24 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,029
Procès
John Reitz
Fine Art Drawings - 36.5 x 29 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.4 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,011
Self-Portrait 24.17
Arthur Hent
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$301
Self-Portrait 24.12
Arthur Hent
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$439
Feel the bass
Jay Russell
Fine Art Drawings - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$2,400
Noble Woman
Erhard Klepper
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 27 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 10.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,040 $832
Pink is not dead
Nef
Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$116
Bubble face II
Nef
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0 inch
$116
Jeune à la bille
Nef
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0 inch
$116
Sketch 3
Saverio Filioli Uranio
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$92
Untitled
Julieta Intergalactica
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 14.8 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.1 inch
$410
La Bourgeoise n'aime pas les transports en commun
Marcoleptique
Fine Art Drawings - 46 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.1 x 14.2 x 0 inch
$636
Passage
Claude Weisbuch
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 27 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 10.6 x 0.4 inch
$405
Smoking Man
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 28.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.2 x 0 inch
$439
Untitled
Duván López
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 69.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 27.4 x 0 inch
$4,161
Untitled
Duván López
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 69.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 27.4 x 0 inch
$4,161
Untitled (48)
Mansour El Habre
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.4 inch
$1,900
Untitled (2)
Mansour El Habre
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,900
Untitled (58)
Mansour El Habre
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,900
Kid
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$14,911
Portrait
Stanislav Bojankov
Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 16 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.1 x 6.3 x 0 inch
$208
Simone Veil
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$14,911
Untitled
Joaquim Falcó
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$1,271
Portrait
Stanislav Bojankov
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 10.2 x 0 inch
$92
Portrait
Stanislav Bojankov
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$81
Reciprocity
Agathe Wagner
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch
$1,098
Reciprocity2
Agathe Wagner
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,734
Sans titre #3
Zahra Zeinali
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 inch
$2,196
Solo el Alma es Verdadera
Sandra Vásquez de la Horra
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 27 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 10.6 x 0.1 inch
$6,011
Baja la Mascara
Sandra Vásquez de la Horra
Fine Art Drawings - 37 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$7,513
Encre diluée 2
André Ferrand
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 51 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 20.1 inch
$1,040
Quantum Entanglement
Johnathan Ball
Fine Art Drawings - 22.9 x 15.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9 x 6 inch
$2,500
A Trip in Paris
Isabelle Hirtzig
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch
$133
Fire Genny
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
$6,357
Mariée de 80 ans
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
$6,357
Pleureuse
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
$6,935
The Dancer Girls
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 27 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 10.6 x 0.4 inch
$6,357
The Dancing Girl
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 27 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 10.6 x 0.4 inch
$6,357
Dancing Girl
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 23.5 x 15.7 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.4 inch
$6,357
Pleureuse
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
$6,935
Frère Trophim
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11 x 0.4 inch
$6,935
Ballet Imaginaire
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 23.5 x 15.7 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.4 inch
$6,935
Chanteuse Légère pour El Val Sonada.
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 26.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 10.4 inch
$6,357
Sans
Djess Erdeven
Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,387
Sans
Djess Erdeven
Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,387
You look at me sadly, Nevo 10
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$474
You look at me sadly, Nevo 9
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$474
You look at me sadly, Nevo 6
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch
$474
You look at me sadly, Nevo 4
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$474
You look at me sadly, Nevo 3
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$474
You look at me sadly, Nevo 2
Nevelin Ivanov
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$474
Zavatta
Damien Berrard
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$231
Thought About You
Nina Narimanishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 44 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 17.3 x 1.2 inch
$3,468
La testa dell'eroe
Alexander Daniloff
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$150 $135
Cavaliere del Santo Graal
Alexander Daniloff
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 19 x 0.4 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.5 x 0.2 inch
$173
Untitled
José Manuel Menéndez Rojas
Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 97 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 38.2 inch
$3,236
Unmasked II
Ofobuike Okudoh
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$3,352
Enemy
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$104
Bloody scream
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 9.4 x 0 inch
$150
Kschessinskaja und Nikolaus II
Peter Hofmann
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$1,156
In her eyes, a lifetime
Natalya Mougenot
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch
$289
Kulture Klash
Edward Zelinsky
Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 61 x 0.8 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 24 x 0.3 inch
$475
Frank N. Stein
Edward Zelinsky
Fine Art Drawings - 50.8 x 38.1 x 0.8 cm Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 15 x 0.3 inch
$325
Franco
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
Whatever man
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$3,814
Man in blue
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
News Paper Sellers
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch
$3,930
The Frowns N2
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
The boy with green hair
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,005
Silent Shout N2
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
Silent Shout
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
North Korean Kid
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$3,468
Unknown Man From Another Time
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$4,046
Shadow N2
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,005
Patience
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$3,236
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
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Shepard Fairey (Obey)
Print - 61 x 46 x 0.2 cm Print - 24 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch
$636
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Martín Duque
Sculpture - 44 x 16 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 6.3 x 7.9 inch
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Taiwo Odejinmi
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
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Print - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
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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.