Nina Blangstrups Free Portrait Drawing Course!
Hi, I am Nina Blangstrup and Welcome to my FREE Portrait Drawing Course! (This Course is for intermediates and patient beginners)
In this course you will learn how to draw a realistic portrait of a human face from the top of the head to the shoulders. You will get my best tips and tricks to become a good portrait artist and a few lifehacks on how to post your drawing on social media. Also I will give you advice on how to improve your mental game as an artist!
I Urge you to get comfortable and plan doing one lesson per week using at least a couple of hours per lesson for the best results!
You can just get started by pressing the first video! But before you do Please Support my Art Work by Sharing with your friends on Social Media. Read below how to support these free ressources to help me make more.
Consider sharing my art with friends and family via a visit to my Youtube, Facebook or Instagram or by using hashtag or tagging me:
#ninablangstrup #ninablang #byninae
I also highly recommend you become part of My Art Community on Facebook, where artists support each other in improving.
Lesson 1 - Draw a Realistic Eye!
In Lesson One you will learn How to Draw a realistic eye using Graphite pencils! This lesson is to get you started on a beautiful drawing and to make you feel confident about the rest of the course!
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson! (The coloured version is optional!)
Your homework: Practice Drawing 3 Eyes! And try to Draw an Eye from Memory when you are done! It's optional if you want to draw a coloured version!
Drawing Tip: The "mental game" is something people don't think about when doing art. But it IS actually important that while you improve your skills you also improve your attitude and patience.
"Little by Little one Travels Far" - J.R.R. Tolkien
Lesson 2 - Eyelashes and Eyebrows
In Lesson Two you will build on the knowledge from Lesson One and learn How to Draw realistic eyelashes and eyebrows! It's important that you take your time and start thinking like an artist working from Sketch to Detailing.
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Practise drawing eyebrows and eyelashes!
Drawing Tip: I want you to start thinking about how to get comfortable when drawing. What will make a cozy and nice workspace for you? You don't need a mansion, but you need to be able to improve your current situation. Some people want to be alone, others just need a nice flower on their table. Go and improve your workspace!
"It's so important to do something every day that will make you happy" - Bob Ross
Lesson 3 - Let's Talk about Art Supplies!
In Lesson Three you will learn about getting the right art supplies and how to prepare yourself to get started as a portrait artist. It's important that you have a basic knowledge about art supplies/drawings materials as it can improve your art significantly. On the other hand you can really do great art with only a few supplies.
In the first video I will walk you through the best art supplies for beginners. In the second I will teach you how to make a blending stump. And in the third I will give you a few lifehacks on how to get started.
In the next lesson you will need ALL of this knowledge as we move into drawing YOUR FIRST FULL portrait!
You will need:
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
- If you do the blending stump materials are in the video.
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Try making your own blending stump. Otherwise make yourself an art supply expert and visit your local art store and check out the REAL DEAL!
Drawing Tip: You don't have to have the full variety of graphite pencils. Basically you can make a pencil feel a little harder or softer just by being aware of your pressure on the paper. In that way you can use a normal pencil as a HARD pencil by NOT pressuring too hard and a SOFT pencil by pressing harder. Try it out yourself <3
"Do not be afraid of Perfection - you will never reach it!" - Salvador Dalí
Lesson 4 - Say Hello to Mr. Loomis!
In Lesson Four you will learn how to draw the basic head construction from ANY angle using the Loomis head method. I can highly recommend the teachings of Mr. Andrew Loomis. And I believe it's considered fundamental to learning how to construct the human head.
You will learn the basics in this video here and practise together with me in my live video (you don't have to watch all of it)
The Loomis head method is basically a method on how to construct the human head around a circle. It's about getting proportions right before you start to put facial features.
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: The best way to learn this method is by building muscle memory. That means learning by multiple of repititions! Learn the basics and then draw 10.000 heads. Starting now and never ending!
Drawing Tip: When drawing you need patience. Patience doesn't mean beating yourself up that you might not have patience, but by helping and building patience while drawing. Therefore it's not about forcing yourself to do stuff you don't like. It's about taking your time, taking breaks, do multiple sittings, rest, listen to music and make time. Find one thing that will help your patience and implement it into your practice!
"Our Patience will achieve more than our force" - E. Burke
Lesson 5 - Drawing Your First Portrait!
In Lesson Five you will draw you very first portrait! You need to watch ALL videos of these two Realistic Face Tutorial - that might take more than a week. But it will be VERY helpful! And you will need to compare the loomis head method with the measurements I am using on the female face, as they are not entirely the same. So I guess now you know there are different methods.
When you are done with these videos, you will definately have improved. If you have any questions or would just like to share your work and get feedback, head over to my art feedback group on facebook.
Later we will go over the specific facial features again. So don't worry if you don't get everything right here, when drawing your very first portrait of this course!
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Draw both portraits following the series of tutorials!
Drawing Tip: It's important to have nice people around you when you are learning how to draw. If you have negative people around you, they will suck your good energy in no time and leave you feeling demotivated. It's important that you allow yourself to make mistakes, because that's the best way to learn. Online you can find other artists that are also on an art journey - and you should find the ones that are nice and only give constructive feedback.
"Art takes Courage" - Henri Matisse
Lesson 6 - The Basics and The Lingo!
In Lesson Six you will learn the basics of drawing. Basically I just sifted out the best and most relevant from the 7 elements of art. It's nice to know the "lingo" of art and drawing, so you should study that.
Also I am leaving you with an easy video with a few advice. In this lesson you will not get homework... ALMOST NOT!
You Need:
- A graphite pencil and Paper
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Draw a value scale like in the video and keep it next to your drawings! Your Homework is also to refill your batteries and get inspired! Go actively treat yourself after drawing your first portrait. Remember to AWARD yourself for progress!
Drawing Tip: When sketching you should try and mark out all your Edges! And then determine if they are smooth or sharp. That will make you able to shape almost any object as you want. It's a good idea to practise on simple 3D shapes such balls, boxes and cylinders.
"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home" - Twyla Tharp
Lesson 7 - Facial Features (Part 1)
In Lesson Seven you will ZOOM IN on some facial features! In this lesson we will be practising drawing the ear and the nose.
In these tutorials you will start learning how to draw the different facial features from different angles. And you should thereby be able to start fitting them onto the Loomis head from that earlier lesson!
The ear is a complicated object to draw, but you will be surprised to see how well you remember the details after you are done practising.
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Draw the facial features from different angels and try to put some of them on the loomis heads you did earlier.
Drawing Tip: I use a synthetic make up brush as a blending tool. If you are a girl you know how to get one. It's important that you find one where the synthetic hairs are tightly packed together. It's a brilliant art tool and they last for a long time. If you are a guy you can ask your mom or sister for help!
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes - art is knowing which ones to keep" - Scott Adams
Lesson 8 - Drawing Hair!
In Lesson Eight we will draw hair! I might as well say it straight away: Hair takes time and patience! And there are just no ways around it if you want that realistic "feel"!
When drawing the hair patience is key as it can REALLY take time to make it look realistic, so get out your best audio books or music and make it a spriritual practice to learn How to draw hair.
Also try out different haircolors and values. Use reference pictures to place hair on peoples heads!
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Coloured Pencils (or use the value scale actively)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Use a reference picture and draw hair like in the videos. Try to put hair on the loomis head using different reference pictures.
Drawing Tip: Hair is by FAR the most challenging exercise when it comes to drawing with patience. But it will be totally worth it, when you get a hang of it. My tip is to make it a meditation practice to draw hair and of course to do multiple sittings.
"An artist cannot fail - it's a success to be one" - C. Cooley
Lesson 9 - Facial Features (Part 2)
In Lesson Nine you will once again ZOOM IN on facial features. The more you practise them, the better you will get!
When drawing the mouth you will notice that there are differences between male and female lips. And I am not only talking about the beard around the mouth. Male lips are oftentimes thinner while female lips are more voluptuous.
Also we will take a look at different skin tones. In that way you can learn how to draw people from around the world.
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Coloured Pencils (or use the value scale actively)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Try drawing people of these four colours. And while you do you can think about how stupid it is that some people thinks the colour of your skin is even important for who you are as an artist.
Drawing Tip: I want you to start noticing how other people draw the human head. And try noticing how people in your real life looks like! Does your dad have a big nose? Well, maybe try drawing it! Does your favourite artist use a special trick? Well, you can get inspired by that (don't copy, but get inspired)
"Art is a line around your thoughts" - G. Klimt
Lesson 10 - Shading and Shading and Shading!
In Lesson Ten I will teach you how shading can significantly improve your drawings! Shading creates depth and it's a must to achieve realism.
As you can see on the thumbnail for the next video shading has lifted this drawing from being boring to having real depth and life.
But don't ONLY focus on the shades. Make sure you PULL out the highlights as well. Again your value scale will help you!
Materials needed:
- A Soft and a Hard Graphite Pencil (Ex. 2H and 2B)
- I recommend getting a black coloured pencil!
- Quality Drawing Paper or a Sketchbook
- An Eraser (Normal, Kneadable or Pencil Erasers)
- A Blending Tool (A cotton swab, a tissue, a blending stump or a make up brush will do)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Try out shading your facial features or a ball using the different shading techniques. Blend it too.
Drawing Tip: You should really consider getting a white gel pen for the whitest highlights. It can easily draw eye reflections or the wetness of the eye or skin.
"Great Artists suffer for the people" - Marvin Gaye
Lesson 11 - Draw and Publish Portrait with style!
In Lesson Eleven you will draw and publish your first portrait! (if you don't have social media, you can show your friends or family!)
In this lesson you will use a reference picture to draw a portrait using all your new skills (it doesn't have to look exactly like the reference picture), you will shade it, take pictures of it, edit it and publish it online!
Materials needed:
- All former materials you need
- A Digital Camera
- A Smartphone
- A Social Media Account (or some friends to show)
- Patience and Will to Learn! <3
Let's get started! Press the video(s) and follow the instructions! Come back, when you are ready for the next lesson!
Your homework: Draw a Portrait using reference and publish it online! Tag #ninablangstrup
Drawing Tip: When posting online it's a good idea to do it in a closed enviroment where you trust people. Don't post it for everyone to see as some people are just rude and doesn't respect your process. Post it to a group of nice people! If you get critisized use it to get better and ask people to be constructive and suggest improvements.
“Every artist writes his own autobiography." - Havelock Ellis
Congratulations! You did it!
If you made it this far you can be really proud of yourself! And now you are hopefully A LOT better at drawing realistic portraits!
Having the knowledge of actually drawing by yourself instead of copying off others you are now able to call yourself a skilled artist. All you have to do now is PRACTISE! If you feel up for a challenge I have a course teaching people how to draw portraits like Disney. It's on my homepage too!
Before you go Please Support my Art Work by Sharing with your friends on Social Media.
Consider donating to me via Paypal or You can share my art via a visit to my Youtube, Facebook or Instagram or by using hashtag or tagging me:
#ninablangstrup #ninablang #byninae
I also highly recommend you become part of My Art Community on Facebook, where artists support each other in improving.
Love from Nina <3
