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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, Louise Brooks, Paloma Castello

Louise Brooks

Paloma Castello

Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch

$500

Fine Art Drawings, Vilma Banky, Paloma Castello

Vilma Banky

Paloma Castello

Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch

$500

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Ernest Salvadó

Untitled

Ernest Salvadó

Fine Art Drawings - 82 x 54 cm Fine Art Drawings - 32.3 x 21.3 inch

$513

Fine Art Drawings, Biki, Manon Gribouille

Biki

Manon Gribouille

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

$231

Fine Art Drawings, Femmes 4, Arancha Tejedor

Femmes 4

Arancha Tejedor

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

$185

Fine Art Drawings, Election Day, Bernard Bécan

Election Day

Bernard Bécan

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 14 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 5.5 x 0 inch

$370

Fine Art Drawings, Laboratory, Bernard Bécan

Laboratory

Bernard Bécan

Fine Art Drawings - 9 x 13 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 3.5 x 5.1 x 0 inch

$370

Fine Art Drawings, Sketch, Bernard Bécan

Sketch

Bernard Bécan

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 10.2 x 0 inch

$231 $173

Fine Art Drawings, Octavios !!!!, Andy Berrend

Octavios !!!!

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Soultanayya, Andy Berrend

Soultanayya

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Jad, Andy Berrend

Jad

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Rida & Ridesh, Andy Berrend

Rida & Ridesh

Andy Berrend

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Joseph, Helen Uter

Joseph

Helen Uter

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

$555

Fine Art Drawings, Charles, Dominique Pourchet

Charles

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 26 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 10.2 x 0 inch

$156

Fine Art Drawings, Lesley Nimmo, Lewis Scott

Lesley Nimmo

Lewis Scott

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 16.5 inch

$1,560

Fine Art Drawings, Tête, Herve Malcom Thomas

Tête

Herve Malcom Thomas

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$191

Fine Art Drawings, Nice, Jean-Jacques André

Nice

Jean-Jacques André

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

$254

Fine Art Drawings, Icone G, Jean-Jacques André

Icone G

Jean-Jacques André

Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 29 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11.4 x 0.1 inch

$254

Fine Art Drawings, Candide, Zo

Candide

Zo

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$451

Fine Art Drawings, Fire not lost, Emily Redd

Fire not lost

Emily Redd

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 21 x 0.1 inch

$295

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 2, André Ferrand

Portrait 2

André Ferrand

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 51 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 20.1 inch

$451

Fine Art Drawings, Inscrutable, Silvia Cuello

Inscrutable

Silvia Cuello

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 31 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12.2 inch

$324

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 3, Gaelle Beyaert

Portrait 3

Gaelle Beyaert

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 22 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.8 inch

$462

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 2, Gaelle Beyaert

Portrait 2

Gaelle Beyaert

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 32 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12.6 x 0.8 inch

$520

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 1, Gaelle Beyaert

Portrait 1

Gaelle Beyaert

Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 32 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12.6 x 0.8 inch

$520

Fine Art Drawings, Bailleur 1, Agnès Dubart

Bailleur 1

Agnès Dubart

Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 15 x 0.02 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.9 x 5.9 x 0 inch

$381

Fine Art Drawings, Henriette, Dominique Pourchet

Henriette

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

$208

Fine Art Drawings, Tim, Dominique Pourchet

Tim

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch

$127

Fine Art Drawings, Pierrot, Dominique Pourchet

Pierrot

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 22 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.7 x 0 inch

$225

Fine Art Drawings, Seated Woman, Louis Jou

Seated Woman

Louis Jou

Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.8 x 12.6 x 0 inch

$439

Fine Art Drawings, Dutronc & Hardy, Muriel Deumie

Dutronc & Hardy

Muriel Deumie

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$347

Fine Art Drawings, Confused, Atom Hovhanesyan

Confused

Atom Hovhanesyan

Fine Art Drawings - 73.7 x 58.4 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 23 x 0.05 inch

$40,000

Fine Art Drawings, Dark Embrace, Mark Carpenter

Dark Embrace

Mark Carpenter

Fine Art Drawings - 8 x 10 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 3.1 x 3.9 x 0.2 inch

$92

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Fine Art Drawings, Sun Day, tizlu

Sun Day

tizlu

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

$1,618

Print, Untiteled, JM Robert

Untiteled

JM Robert

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

$925

Painting, Orlando, Galya Popova

Orlando

Galya Popova

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

$2,774

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.