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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, Le Lapin, Karine Secret

Le Lapin

Karine Secret

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch

€275

Fine Art Drawings, Passive, Olena Siniuhina

Passive

Olena Siniuhina

Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 24 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.1 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch

€80

Fine Art Drawings, Le lac, Olena Siniuhina

Le lac

Olena Siniuhina

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 25 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch

€120

Fine Art Drawings, Sunlights, Kateryna Ocheredko

Sunlights

Kateryna Ocheredko

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

€188

Fine Art Drawings, Mais lâchez moi, Maï

Mais lâchez moi

Maï

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

€350

Fine Art Drawings, L'amour fou, Maï

L'amour fou

Maï

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

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Pulsations, Maï

Pulsations

Maï

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

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Marilyn, Karine Nicolleau

Marilyn

Karine Nicolleau

Fine Art Drawings - 29.5 x 23.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.6 x 9.3 x 0 inch

€200

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Davood Koochaki

Sans titre

Davood Koochaki

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 27 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 10.6 inch

€1,800

Fine Art Drawings, Nude V, Fredy Escobar Vega

Nude V

Fredy Escobar Vega

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 inch

€330

Fine Art Drawings, Eve, Fredy Escobar Vega

Eve

Fredy Escobar Vega

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 3, Agur

Untitled 3

Agur

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

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 2, Agur

Untitled 2

Agur

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

€350

Fine Art Drawings, 060, Agur

060

Agur

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 24 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Les Clés, Nicolas Carréga

Les Clés

Nicolas Carréga

Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.4 x 9.3 inch

€250

Fine Art Drawings, Pose 3, Nadine Defer

Pose 3

Nadine Defer

Fine Art Drawings - 66 x 51 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 20.1 x 0.2 inch

€310

Fine Art Drawings, Pose 1, Nadine Defer

Pose 1

Nadine Defer

Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch

€390

Fine Art Drawings, Oubliée, Joanna Flatau

Oubliée

Joanna Flatau

Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 45 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 17.7 inch

€3,200

Fine Art Drawings, Bouche rouge, Joanna Flatau

Bouche rouge

Joanna Flatau

Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 45 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 17.7 inch

€3,200

Fine Art Drawings, Fond bleu, Joanna Flatau

Fond bleu

Joanna Flatau

Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 45 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 17.7 inch

€3,200

Fine Art Drawings, Nude VI, Fredy Escobar Vega

Nude VI

Fredy Escobar Vega

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 inch

€330

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 32, Imad Fakhry

Untitled 32

Imad Fakhry

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

€375

Fine Art Drawings, Model, 1975, Paolo Ambrosio

Model, 1975

Paolo Ambrosio

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

€150

Fine Art Drawings, Model, 1978, Paolo Ambrosio

Model, 1978

Paolo Ambrosio

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

€149

Fine Art Drawings, Figure, 1978, Paolo Ambrosio

Figure, 1978

Paolo Ambrosio

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

€150

Fine Art Drawings, Figura, 1979, Paolo Ambrosio

Figura, 1979

Paolo Ambrosio

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

€200

Fine Art Drawings, Jaws-B, Pierre Jacob

Jaws-B

Pierre Jacob

Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 38 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 15 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, T'espero, Alexandra Sans Massó

T'espero

Alexandra Sans Massó

Fine Art Drawings - 37 x 27.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.6 x 10.9 x 0.1 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Berger I, Alexandra Sans Massó

Berger I

Alexandra Sans Massó

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 39.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 15.6 x 0.1 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Berger II, Alexandra Sans Massó

Berger II

Alexandra Sans Massó

Fine Art Drawings - 39.5 x 29.7 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.6 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, Take me, Silvia Cuello

Take me

Silvia Cuello

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 17 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 6.7 inch

€380

Fine Art Drawings, Nude, Uliana Balan

Nude

Uliana Balan

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 30 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€375

Fine Art Drawings, Njkn, Emilie Chauvel

Njkn

Emilie Chauvel

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

€500

Fine Art Drawings, Nu, Marcel Gromaire

Nu

Marcel Gromaire

Fine Art Drawings - 64.5 x 49.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 19.5 x 0.4 inch

€2,000

Fine Art Drawings, Nu Ref BDNW7276, Lutka Pink

Nu Ref BDNW7276

Lutka Pink

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

€250

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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, 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

€1,400

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.