How to Master Pencil Portrait Drawing — Step-by-Step Cross-Hatching Tutorial

I start my work as always with a straight line. This line shows the position of the eyebrows. Then I draw the next line which marks the position of the nose. The height here is really important because the distance between the eyebrows and the nose is one of the key proportions of the face. Now I move on to placing the facial features. At this stage we only need the basic shapes of the components and should avoid drawing details. I mark the position of the eyes. Remember the outer corner of the eye is aligned with the wing of the nose. If you're enjoying this tutorial, a like and a subscribe would mean a lot. It helps me keep making more videos like this. Now carefully I draw the shape and form of the eyes. Like in the reference photo, first a long thin line followed by an almond shape and elongated at the end. During the process I correct any section that needs modification to make the drawing closer to the reference photo. When it comes to the hair, I first sketch the general form with a few flowing wavy lines. Then I slowly add the details. Now I draw the pupils. This part requires high precision because even a millimeter of mistake can make the eye look strange or unnatural. Next I erase the extra construction lines to see how close the drawing looks to the reference. This step helps you notice mistakes more easily. The cheeks are one of the most prominent features of the face, so placing them correctly is very important. I begin shading the whole face with long continuous strokes so that I can have a uniform base. I darken areas like the nose with more and deeper hatching. I shade the lips following the natural lines on them. I add more layers of hatching in the darker areas. These layers are what give the drawing depth and volume. With the blending tool I softly blur the shading around the eyes and the nose to make them look more natural. With a soft brush I gently go over the hatching. This makes the strokes smoother but still keeps the texture of the lines. Now with a darker and sharper pencil I press harder to make the dark lines stand out more. For drawing eyelashes, I use a sharp, dark pencil and draw the lash lines from the bottom upwards. I work on the details of the hair and shade them with a darker pencil. I left the hair to have a sketched look, so I use broken and discontinuous lines. I keep working on the drawing until it reaches the stage I'm satisfied with. And here it is, the final result. If this tutorial was helpful for you, I'd really appreciate it if you subscribe to the channel, like the video and leave me a comment. I carefully read every single comment and your support is what gives me the energy to create more tutorials.