Drawing Faces

by Sarah Gorham
(Philadelphia)

I've been trying to draw this picture, but i can never get the face to look real. I have been having trouble with the nose, eyes, and just making it look like an actual person.

***Answer From Kerry:

Hello Sarah
Portrait drawing is the toughest thing of all to learn. Most expert portrait artists will tell you it takes years to acquire a real talent for this type of artwork.

I've been practicing portraits for ages too and I'm not the one to give you any sage advice. My recent efforts were done with the aid of a grid and that's the closest I've come to getting a good likeness.

I'd suggest that if you have any drawing books at home, go through those to see what that author advises. Everyone has a different way of doing faces.

Some of the more experienced artists here may have some good advice for you so I'll leave the floor open for discussion...