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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, 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

Fine Art Drawings, Mascarade, Kristina Mallen

Mascarade

Kristina Mallen

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

$566

Fine Art Drawings, Ziggourat, Marcoleptique

Ziggourat

Marcoleptique

Fine Art Drawings - 17 x 11 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 6.7 x 4.3 x 0 inch

$150

Fine Art Drawings, Adrift, Bunkt_

Adrift

Bunkt_

Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 17.8 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 7 inch

$50

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Alexandre Moulis

Sans titre

Alexandre Moulis

Fine Art Drawings - 16 x 10 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 6.3 x 3.9 x 0.4 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Post Mortem V, Vavjeniak

Post Mortem V

Vavjeniak

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

$694

Fine Art Drawings, Frank, Camille Schaeffer

Frank

Camille Schaeffer

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 22 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.7 x 0.8 inch

$289

Fine Art Drawings, Higashu, Gaelle Beyaert

Higashu

Gaelle Beyaert

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$416

Fine Art Drawings, Hiana seule, Gaelle Beyaert

Hiana seule

Gaelle Beyaert

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$416

Fine Art Drawings, Sun shine too much, Mr Popart

Sun shine too much

Mr Popart

Fine Art Drawings - 155 x 13.2 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 5.2 x 0 inch

$231

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Henri Samouilov

Sans titre

Henri Samouilov

Fine Art Drawings - 75 x 110 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29.5 x 43.3 x 0.4 inch

$3,121

Fine Art Drawings, Jojo, Dominique Pourchet

Jojo

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, René, Dominique Pourchet

René

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, Edouard, Dominique Pourchet

Edouard

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 17 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 6.7 x 0 inch

$156

Fine Art Drawings, Amédé, Dominique Pourchet

Amédé

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 17 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 6.7 x 0 inch

$156

Fine Art Drawings, Aimable, Dominique Pourchet

Aimable

Dominique Pourchet

Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 17 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.7 x 6.7 x 0 inch

$156

Fine Art Drawings, E.T., Karine Nicolleau

E.T.

Karine Nicolleau

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$254

Fine Art Drawings, L'ouvrier 1862, Innocenti

L'ouvrier 1862

Innocenti

Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 18 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch

$518

Fine Art Drawings, Migrant, Rosemary Achata

Migrant

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 inch

$462

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait, Gilbert Pastor

Portrait

Gilbert Pastor

Fine Art Drawings - 26.5 x 23 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.4 x 9.1 x 0 inch

$347

Fine Art Drawings, Mama, Rosemary Achata

Mama

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 23 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.1 inch

$370

Fine Art Drawings, Tata, Rosemary Achata

Tata

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 23 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.1 inch

$370

Fine Art Drawings, Yellow, Rosemary Achata

Yellow

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 27.5 x 19 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.8 x 7.5 inch

$347

Fine Art Drawings, La rabona, Rilda Paco

La rabona

Rilda Paco

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.3 inch

$485

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 33, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 33

Imad Fakhry

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

$400

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 31, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 31

Imad Fakhry

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 11.8 inch

$500

Fine Art Drawings, Reviens-y, Julien Wolf

Reviens-y

Julien Wolf

Fine Art Drawings - 140 x 100 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 55.1 x 39.4 x 2 inch

$5,201

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait, 1981, Paolo Ambrosio

Portrait, 1981

Paolo Ambrosio

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$231

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait, 1979, Paolo Ambrosio

Portrait, 1979

Paolo Ambrosio

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$116

Fine Art Drawings, Figure, 1980, Paolo Ambrosio

Figure, 1980

Paolo Ambrosio

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$231

Fine Art Drawings, Modella, 1979, Paolo Ambrosio

Modella, 1979

Paolo Ambrosio

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$135

Fine Art Drawings, Nourrisson, Carl Albert Angst

Nourrisson

Carl Albert Angst

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 18.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 7.3 x 0.1 inch

$493

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Dominique Liccia

Sans titre

Dominique Liccia

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$520

Fine Art Drawings, Creature, Silvia Cuello

Creature

Silvia Cuello

Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 16 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 6.3 inch

$231

Fine Art Drawings, Pre Mortem, Silvia Cuello

Pre Mortem

Silvia Cuello

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 inch

$462

Fine Art Drawings, Ugly man, Odin Pigelet

Ugly man

Odin Pigelet

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$104

Fine Art Drawings, Lexi Pop, Serge Pierre Callens

Lexi Pop

Serge Pierre Callens

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 51 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 20.1 x 0.1 inch

$289

Fine Art Drawings, Clown, Leonardo Aliaga

Clown

Leonardo Aliaga

Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 25 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 9.8 inch

$220

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Menachem Gueffen

Sans titre

Menachem Gueffen

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 25 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch

$555

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Menachem Gueffen

Sans titre

Menachem Gueffen

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch

$555

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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.