PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Now you’re ready to combine all of the techniques and concepts

you’ve learned to create stunning, realistic portraits in colored pencil!
In the following step-by-step projects, I’ll show you how to go from
initial sketch to fully developed final art.

At the beginning of each project, you’ll find a list of all of the colored
pencils I used to complete the portrait. You don’t need to use the exact
same palette as me—feel free to explore and experiment!

For each project, you’ll need the following:

• 9" × 12" mat board
• White transfer paper
• Drafting film or tracing paper
• Light box (or a sunny window)
• Erasers (such as a kneadable eraser and the Tombow Mono eraser)
• Fixative (optional)
• Paper towel to rest your hand on
• Soft brush to remove pencil dust

Project 1: Capturing Childlike

Innocence

If you look closely, you’ll notice there’s a lot of green in this reference
photo. I opt to use dark green mat board, but I keep the background
simple. With no visible light in the reference, the focus is entirely on the
gorgeous subject.

PALETTE

Faber Castell Polychromos (FC):

144 Cobalt Blue-Greenish
172 Earth Green
176 Van Dyck Brown
179 Bistre
283 Burnt Sienna

Prismacolor (PC):
927 Light Peach
928 Blush Pink
939 Peach
1001 Salmon Pink
1080 Beige Sienna

Caran d’Ache Pablo (CDP):

001 White
043 Brownish Orange
047 Bistre
049 Raw Umber
051 Salmon
063 English Red
071 Salmon Pink
099 Aubergine
270 Raspberry Red
401 Ash Grey
404 Brownish Beige
409 Charcoal Grey
491 Cream
493 Granite Rose
496 Ivory Black

Caran d’Ache Luminance (CDL):

001 White
002 Silver Grey
004 Steel Grey
571 Anthraquinoid Pink
599 Crimson Aubergine
732 Olive Brown 10%
801 Buff Titanium
808 French Grey
821 Naples Ochre
832 Brown Ochre 10%
862 Burnt Sienna 10%
866 Burnt Sienna 50%
872 Burnt Ochre 10%
876 Burnt Ochre 50%
906 Sepia 50%

Note: Pencil manufacturers sometimes change the names of their colors, and you
may also notice spelling variations. To match the exact colors I use, refer to the code
numbers for each color.

Start with a line drawing. I first create an ink outline on white paper and then transfer
the drawing to my mat board when I’m happy with it. Refer to here for tips on
transferring your line drawing.

1 Use (CDP) White to lightly draw the whites (sclera) of the eyes, and then use
(CDL) White with a heavy hand to accentuate the highlights, including on the
pupils and along the lower rim of the eye on the left.

2 Use (CDP) Ivory Black with heavy pressure to draw the pupils and the upper
eyelid.

3 Apply (CDP) Raw Umber on the iris and go over it with (CDL) Crimson
Aubergine, layering again with (CDP) Raw Umber to create depth and
richness. Blend it into the pupils, so there is no obvious line where the pupils
start or finish. In the corners of the eyes, add flesh color with (CDP) Salmon.

TIP

The key to great portraits is keeping the layers light enough that you
can keep making subtle color shifts if the colors appear too bright, too
dull, or just not right.

Drawafewlowerlasheswith
(CDP)RawUmber,adjustingthe
directionandlengthasyougo.

1 Focus on the right eye and apply another layer in the sclera, pressing more
firmly and using tight, circular strokes. Near the top, add a touch of (CDP)
Cream or (CDL) Naples Ochre. Apply a touch of (CDP) Brownish Beige,
particularly near the top, and glaze a little down the left side of the eyeball;
then use (CDP) Salmon to blend it in. If your peachy-pink color isn’t bright
enough, gently add a touch of (CDL) Anthraquinoid Pink. You can tone it
down again with (CDP) Brownish Beige and (CDP) Salmon; then burnish this
section with (CDP) White.

2 Apply (CDL) Burnt Ochre 10% on the upper eyelid and the inner corner of
the eye, using light pressure. Apply heavier pressure in the very lightest areas.

3 Under the eye, apply a base layer of (CDL) Burnt Ochre 50%, (CDL) Burnt
Sienna 50%, and (CDP) Brownish Orange, using (CDL) Burnt Sienna 10% on
the lower lid’s rim. Near the outer corner, use (CDL) White and (CDL) Buff
Titanium for the highlighted areas.

1 Now let’s render the base layers of skin. Start with (CDL) Buff Titanium and
use loose, circular strokes and a pressure of P1 and P2.

2 Draw the crease on the upper eyelid with (CDP) Black, and apply (CDP)
Charcoal Grey on top to soften.

3 For the inner eye, use a mix of (CDP) Brownish Beige, (CDP) Brownish
Orange, (CDL) Burnt Sienna 50%, and (FC) Bistre to add the golden hues. If
needed, darken with a lighter layer of (CDL) Sepia 50%.

4 In the outer corner of the eye, use a mix of (CDP) Salmon Pink for the
pinkish areas, (CDP) Brownish Orange, (CDP) Brownish Beige, (CDL) Burnt
Sienna 50%, and (FC) Bistre. In the under-eye area, add (CDL) Burnt Ochre
10%, (PC) Salmon Pink, and (PC) Blush Pink. Work all these colors into each
other, overlapping and layering to create a seamless, multidimensional look in
the skin.

When working on large areas of skin like the cheeks, start with large,
loose circular strokes and work toward smaller, tighter strokes in the
subsequent layers.

1 On the left side of the face, start with a base coat of (CDP) Salmon Pink.
Further layer the corner of the under-eye area with (CDP) Brownish Orange
and (CDP) Brownish Beige, leading up to (CDL) Buff Titanium along the rim.

2 Mix (CDP) Brownish Beige and (CDL) Burnt Sienna 10% at the corner of the
sclera. Use (CDL) White with a sharp tip and a heavy hand to render the
brightest highlight in the top left. Use (FC) Bistre to add a line around the
outer sclera, and use a mix of (CDL) Burnt Sienna 10% and (FC) Bistre for the
rim of the upper lid.

3 Add lashes to the upper lid with (CDP) Charcoal Grey, tapering to a point at
the ends and clustering together.

4 Moving to the nose, add a touch of purple in the shadow with (CDP)
Aubergine, softened with (CDL) Burnt Sienna 50% and (CDL) Burnt Sienna
10%. For the golden-beige areas, use a mix of (CDL) Burnt Ochre 50%, (CDP)
Salmon, and (CDP) Granite Rose.

Finish rendering the nose, following these tips. Overlap all your colors slightly
to create seamless shifts from one area to another. Rendering the tonal values
in the shadow on the side of the nostril accurately gives the nose shape and
depth.

Add more layers on the right eyelid, using (CDP) Brownish Beige and (CDP)
Brownish Orange, and then soften and blend with the bottom layers using
(CDL) Burnt Sienna 10%. Shade the brow with (CDL) Sepia 50% and soften
the black at the crease of the eye. Overlap and blend your colors until you are
happy with the overall look.