Red Cube
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€2,000
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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Genetics
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 86 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 33.9 x 0 inch
€2,500
Serenity II
Karim Benchebra
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch
€1,020
Medusa 2
Lucio Forte
Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 17 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.1 x 6.7 x 0.1 inch
€120
Sans titre #1
Zahra Zeinali
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 inch
€2,500
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
€100
Portrait (10)
Sirio Pellegrini
Fine Art Drawings - 97 x 74 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38.2 x 29.1 x 0.2 inch
€2,800
Warm-up
Sirio Pellegrini
Fine Art Drawings - 96.5 x 72.5 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 28.5 x 0.2 inch
€3,600
Pensive Nude
Sirio Pellegrini
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch
€2,600
Portrait
Sirio Pellegrini
Fine Art Drawings - 99 x 75 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 29.5 x 0.2 inch
€2,800
Ballerina
Sirio Pellegrini
Fine Art Drawings - 96.5 x 72 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 28.3 x 0.2 inch
€2,800
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
€3,600
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
€3,600
Fritz en tenue de Général
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 37.5 x 26 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.8 x 10.2 x 0.4 inch
€4,000
Untitled
Joaquim Falcó
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,100
Kiss
Nina Narimanishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 42 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€950
Woman from Metro
Nina Narimanishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 43 x 41 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.9 x 16.1 x 0 inch
€900
Loneliness
Nina Narimanishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 24 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 9.4 x 0 inch
€1,250
Thought about you
Nina Narimanishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 12.6 x 0 inch
€2,500
Healer 2
Federica Frati
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,000
Healer
Federica Frati
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,000
Untitled (06)
Mansour El Habre
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 42 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.4 inch
€1,729
Untitled (52)
Mansour El Habre
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
€1,729
La Paix
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€11,900
C’est quoi le bonheur
Evelyne Postic
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 inch
€2,500
Les yeux ouverts
Evelyne Postic
Fine Art Drawings - 76 x 57 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29.9 x 22.4 inch
€2,000
Liberté lointaine
Evelyne Postic
Fine Art Drawings - 51 x 60 cm Fine Art Drawings - 20.1 x 23.6 inch
€1,600
Self-Portrait 24.129
Arthur Hent
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
€160
Go Figure
Joe Lasker
Fine Art Drawings - 20.3 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8 x 11 x 2 inch
€1,092
Ladder III
Joe Lasker
Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 29.2 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.511 x 11.5 x 2 inch
€910
Ladder II
Joe Lasker
Fine Art Drawings - 27.9 x 25.4 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 10 x 2 inch
€910
Two Girls
Joe Lasker
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 17 x 2 inch
€1,274
Ladder
Joe Lasker
Fine Art Drawings - 29.2 x 17.8 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.5 x 7 x 2 inch
€910
Sanguine - Maki
André Ferrand
Fine Art Drawings - 76 x 57 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29.9 x 22.4 x 0.4 inch
€790
Sightseeing
Michael Alan
Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 22.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 9 x 0.04 inch
€2,367
Ray Charles and the Band
Jay Russell
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch
€2,184
The Blues Boss
Jay Russell
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 2 inch
€2,184
La Fuerza
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
€6,500
Toil
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 62 x 47 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24.4 x 18.5 x 0 inch
€5,000
Prostitute
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 86 x 61 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.9 x 24 x 0 inch
€3,000
Feelings
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€5,000
Balance
Shota Imerlishvili
Fine Art Drawings - 86 x 61 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.9 x 24 x 0 inch
€4,000
Okinawo
Fred Borghesi
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch
€2,200
The layers get to me
Michael Alan
Fine Art Drawings - 46.7 x 34.3 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.4 x 13.5 x 0.04 inch
€1,200
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€780
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€780
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€580
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€780
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€580
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€780
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€780
Sans titre
Menachem Gueffen
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€580
Tito a San Fruttuoso
Samoré
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 24 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch
€550
Prima della scuola
Samoré
Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 60 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch
€750
Domenica in controluce
Samoré
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 x 0.2 inch
€650
Nonno e nipote
Samoré
Fine Art Drawings - 19 x 13 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.2 inch
€550
The encounter
Reinaldo Chavez
Fine Art Drawings - 19 x 13.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.5 x 5.3 inch
€340
Eclosion
Zdenka Palkovic
Fine Art Drawings - 69 x 49 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.2 x 19.3 x 0.8 inch
€1,600
Dépitée
Zdenka Palkovic
Fine Art Drawings - 69 x 49 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.2 x 19.3 x 0.8 inch
€1,600
Brave New World
Zdenka Palkovic
Fine Art Drawings - 69 x 49 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.2 x 19.3 x 0.8 inch
€1,600
A very interesting face
Rossella Mercedes
Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 15.3 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 6 x 0.1 inch
€280
Allow Me - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Black and White, Love
Sayeed Momoh
Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 20 x 1 inch
€1,720
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
€3,000
Untitled
José Manuel Menéndez Rojas
Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 97 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 38.2 inch
€2,800
Barbara Hutton, Portrait
Manuel Santelices
Fine Art Drawings - 25.4 x 17.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 7 x 0.1 inch
€455
Gaze up to the Sky
Tomo Sakurai
Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 45 x 3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 17.7 x 1.2 inch
€2,400
Untitled
Brian Calvin
Fine Art Drawings - 33.2 x 14.9 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.1 x 5.9 x 0.8 inch
€7,737
Nicholose
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€5,000
Le Patron de la Nef
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 28 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11 x 0.4 inch
€5,000
Sans titre
Mathilde Anclin
Fine Art Drawings - 29.5 x 42 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.6 x 16.5 inch
€720
Acquaintance
Simon Kozhin
Fine Art Drawings - 23.5 x 19 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.3 x 7.5 x 0 inch
€2,300
Dernier Jour de Louis XVI à Versailles
Marcoleptique
Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 24 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 9.4 inch
€550
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
L'esprit Déchaîné (hand-painted)
tizlu
Painting - 50 x 35 x 2.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.9 inch
€1,480
Top Elite Faschions
Shepard Fairey (Obey)
Print - 61 x 46 x 0.2 cm Print - 24 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch
€550
Degas Danseur de Ballet
Martín Duque
Sculpture - 44 x 16 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 6.3 x 7.9 inch
€980
Maiko in Springtime Kyoto
Takashi Murakami
Print - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€2,429
Love and Flowers - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Women
Taiwo Odejinmi
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
€2,230
Mask geometric - Geometric art
Tarek
Painting - 73 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
€2,300 €1,955
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.
How to draw a portrait?
To create a portrait, start by sketching the main shapes of the face, respecting the proportions, then gradually detail the features and shadows. Use guidelines like the lines of the eyes, nose, and mouth for greater realism.
What is a drawing portrait?
A drawing portrait is an artistic representation of a person, focusing on their face and expression, created using drawing techniques such as pencil, charcoal, or ink. It captures the subject’s likeness, personality, and mood through line and shading.
What is the 4 8 8 method of drawing?
The 4 8 8 method of drawing involves dividing your subject into four main shapes, then breaking each into eight smaller parts, and refining each section in eight steps. This structured approach helps artists build accurate proportions and details progressively.
How to take a good portrait?
To create a good portrait, you need to capture the subject's expression and personality by paying attention to composition, lighting, and facial details. Choose an expressive gaze and a simple background to highlight the subject.