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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, Mandchourie, Clara Castagné

Mandchourie

Clara Castagné

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 35 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

$925

Fine Art Drawings, Irlande, Clara Castagné

Irlande

Clara Castagné

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$809

Fine Art Drawings, La Masque, Yves Brayer

La Masque

Yves Brayer

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 18.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 7.3 x 0.1 inch

$994

Fine Art Drawings, Life with plants, Galya Popova

Life with plants

Galya Popova

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch

$417

Fine Art Drawings, Geisha ll, Teo Franco

Geisha ll

Teo Franco

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$636

Fine Art Drawings, Résistant, Baptiste Laurent

Résistant

Baptiste Laurent

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 35 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

$1,271

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Afrique, Tarek

Afrique

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 46.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 18.4 x 0 inch

$982

Fine Art Drawings, Le regard rose, Jéko

Le regard rose

Jéko

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

$694

Fine Art Drawings, Bochapo, Jéko

Bochapo

Jéko

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

$694

Fine Art Drawings, Cuckoo bird, Galya Popova

Cuckoo bird

Galya Popova

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$405

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 190, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled 190

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 262, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled 262

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Silhouettes. May, Elena Done

Silhouettes. May

Elena Done

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$590

Fine Art Drawings, Ronald M., tizlu

Ronald M.

tizlu

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 16 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 6.3 x 0 inch

$520

Fine Art Drawings, The Kiss, Mino Maccari

The Kiss

Mino Maccari

Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 50 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$925

Fine Art Drawings, Jenna Lyons, Manuel Santelices

Jenna Lyons

Manuel Santelices

Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0.1 inch

$700

Fine Art Drawings, Dior, Manuel Santelices

Dior

Manuel Santelices

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 0.1 inch

$800

Fine Art Drawings, Ludovic, Manuel Santelices

Ludovic

Manuel Santelices

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 0.1 inch

$800

Fine Art Drawings, Gucci Fall, Manuel Santelices

Gucci Fall

Manuel Santelices

Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0.1 inch

$850

Fine Art Drawings, Phoenix, Kane Mclay

Phoenix

Kane Mclay

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 35 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

$682

Fine Art Drawings, Vessel of Bloom, Kane Mclay

Vessel of Bloom

Kane Mclay

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 35 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

$682

Fine Art Drawings, Ingrained, Kane Mclay

Ingrained

Kane Mclay

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$682

Fine Art Drawings, Emanate, Kane Mclay

Emanate

Kane Mclay

Fine Art Drawings - 45 x 35 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

$682

Fine Art Drawings, Au Cabaret, Yves Brayer

Au Cabaret

Yves Brayer

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

$636

Fine Art Drawings, Personal Orb, Michael Grine

Personal Orb

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 45.7 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 18 x 0.1 inch

$1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Confusion, Marta Grassi

Confusion

Marta Grassi

Fine Art Drawings - 66 x 46 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

$694

Fine Art Drawings, Divinité 10, Dasz Panda

Divinité 10

Dasz Panda

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

$925

Fine Art Drawings, Divinité 13, Dasz Panda

Divinité 13

Dasz Panda

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

$925

Fine Art Drawings, Menacing, Mino Maccari

Menacing

Mino Maccari

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 14 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.1 inch

$670

Fine Art Drawings, Flamenco, Eter Merkviladze

Flamenco

Eter Merkviladze

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 24 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch

$694

Fine Art Drawings, Costumer Design, Erte Tirtoff

Costumer Design

Erte Tirtoff

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 27 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 10.6 x 0 inch

$3,930 $2,947

Fine Art Drawings, Nonsense, Michael Grine

Nonsense

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.72 x 60.96 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 24 x 0 inch

$1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Tanger, Eduardo Arroyo

Tanger

Eduardo Arroyo

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 72.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 28.5 inch

$13,870

Fine Art Drawings, Cuuro, Stefano Mazzolini

Cuuro

Stefano Mazzolini

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

$809 $647

Fine Art Drawings, TT24, Stefano Mazzolini

TT24

Stefano Mazzolini

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 40 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

$694

Fine Art Drawings, SCC, Stefano Mazzolini

SCC

Stefano Mazzolini

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

$809

Fine Art Drawings, CTSS, Stefano Mazzolini

CTSS

Stefano Mazzolini

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

$809

Fine Art Drawings, Inséparables, Jéko

Inséparables

Jéko

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0.1 inch

$959

Fine Art Drawings, Silhouettes. Grace, Elena Done

Silhouettes. Grace

Elena Done

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$570

Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 01, Barbara Kroll

Portrait 01

Barbara Kroll

Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 21.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 8.6 x 0.1 inch

$320

Fine Art Drawings, Woman with cat, Barbara Kroll

Woman with cat

Barbara Kroll

Fine Art Drawings - 69.9 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.5 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch

$880

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 166, Tarek Butayhi

Untitled 166

Tarek Butayhi

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

$700

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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.