How to draw a portrait tutorial with markers. A step by step guide (Part 2 of 2)

Arlie Opal’s Step-by-Step Marker Portrait: Part 2 of 2

Stage 3: Coloring and Shading Hair

Welcome back to my Step-by-Step portrait tutorial! The image I am using is the beautiful Art-n-Fly creative director, Farren Arendse. Instagram account @farrenlauren. Be sure to check out Part 1.

 

 

Last time, we finished off drawing the sun glasses and added some details around the piece. Everything is starting to come together as we start Stage 3. Now let’s start with drawing the gold hues on the sunglasses and earring.

 

 

Silly on me for this one. I totally forgot to take pictures of the step by step. Although if you have been paying attention so far, you should have and understanding on studying references! The marker colors I used are 38Y, 36Y, 45Y, 23YR, 236BR and a 0.3 sepia pen. The next image has some close ups of the details.

 

 

So starting with the lightest yellow marker 38Y look at your reference and go from there. You can do it! At the end I used the pen to outline the glasses.

 

 

Now look at your work and have a snack! This is where we should be, next we will be moving on to some fine details and then to Farren’s amazing hair.

 

 

Using gray markers 2CG, 6CG, and our two trusty pens, we draw in some of the finer details and shadows on the glasses and the earring. Again smaller details on the next image.

 

 

Here are the details. I used the grey markers on the earring and on the glasses near the ear. I used the pens on the earring to sharpen the outline and added some dimension.

 

 

Here is where you should be so far! Have you learned some cool things?

 

 

Now to the hair! I took gray marker 2CG for shading the hair bow and then just colored the rest of the hair with gray marker 6CG. It’s okay if it looks streaky now. We will be layering it and smoothing it out.

 

 

While looking at the reference photo I colored some areas with light blue marker 215B. This blue is the color I used to highlight her hair.

 

 

Next, using brown marker 236BR I drew some stray hairs around the ear and under the bow. Then, taking gray marker 8CG I layered as I saw fit. Feel free to either use the reference or go off what you know or feel. Personally I love drawing hair so I built up a huge mental library, that’s why it may look a bit different on my drawing.

The next step, in the picture on the right, I added warm gray marker 203WG for coloring the bow. Then using black marker 120 I darkened the hair and shaded the ear.

 

 

Taking those same 4 colors move to the next section. To avoid wasting ink I left the center blank since I plan on going over it in black later. Using the reference I added the brown marker 236BR on the bottom left for some stray hair.

 

 

Now with dark gray marker 8CG and black marker 120 I draw some curled lines and even dots to shade the area. Coloring in the spot that I left open with the 120 black. Here are some close up of the technique I used for shading curly hair.

 

 

How it looks so far and on to the next section!

 

 

Just like in the last section, use the brown marker to color stray hairs (remember to use your reference) and start shading with dark gray marker 8CG and black marker 120.

 

 

Now that I finished with the hair I moved to the bow. I chose to just use a simple design that wouldn’t pull away from the face. I try not to be so crucial on detailing so that most of the attention would be drawn to the face, so I chose to draw a simple grid pattern with gray marker 6CG. Then some simple dots and lines with dark gray marker 8CG and bllack marker 120. Just place where you feel, there is no right or wrong in this area so let yourself be free.

 

 

Then continue to use those same techniques on the top bow. I did take the liberty in shading a little bit more on the top section.

 

Stage 4: Fur, Textures and Finishing Up

 

 

I first started with skin tone marker 107BR for the lightest highlights.

The best way to draw fur is to make sure your strokes are in the direction the fur goes. The base of the hair follicle being the starting point striking quick to a fine line at the end of the hair. This will make it look textured on a 2-D surface. Using the same technique with 236BR and 36Y to add the golden touches.

 

 

Then you start the layering process again. With the same technique I added brown markers 96BR and 97BR before moving on with the darker spots of the fur.

 

 

If you look closely at the black parts of the fur you can see the blue highlights. So with that in mind I added light blue marker 215B then overlapped it with gray marker 6CG. Remember to use short strokes in the direction the fur goes.

 

 

With the same technique that you used on the brown, continue layering dark gray marker 8CG and then end with black marker 120. Keep the reference close.

 

 

Section by section make your way down the fur coat. I did add some random fur lines through the brown as well to not make it look blocky. By doing this it creates flow to your work making it seamless instead of blocks of color.  

 

 

Here are the details on the right side of the fur. I usually go over huge 120 (black) areas twice to make sure it looks more solid. WE ARE SO CLOSE GUYS!

 

 

On the left side of the furs using the brown technique and adding markers 215B, 2CG, 6CG and then cold gray 8CG. Be mindful of the chin. Use sharp lines around the neck and chin. It would be so sad to cover up your beautiful skin layers!

 

 

With the 120 (black) safely mark around the chin and neck, color in the rest of the shadow. Then move down to the final section of the fur coat.

 

 

Now with markers 215B, 2CG, 6CG, 8CG and finally 120, work your way down the final part of the coat. I go over the 120 twice to make it darker as well as making sure it doesn’t show any streaks.

 

 

Moving on to the leopard print shirt, I started with warm gray marker 203WG and cold gray marker 2CG. You have to remember to do the layering first underneath it. If you try doing the spots first and shadowing underneath, you run the risk of smearing it.

 

 

With the yellow marker 38Y, color the yellow sections. After the lighter yellow, spot around with the darker yellow 45Y. Make sure to stick with the reference picture. Next, taking cold gray marker 2CG, mark out the dark spots. I used dots and small marks to make it look textured.

 

 

So at this point, I decided I wanted to add 185B as part of the under shadow. It did smear a bit with the 2CG but luckily it wasn’t noticeable.

Moving on the 6CG I added more to the spots, again using dots and short strokes.

With the darker colors 8CG and 120, I darken the rest of the animal print. Not all the leopard spots need 8CG and 120. If you keep to the reference, you can see it for the values and not the shapes.  With this your portrait is complete! Congratulations! I added a background in the last few pictures, you don’t have to have a background but I wanted to bounce the colors from the sunglasses. So either stop here or continue with me!

 

 

Now with the markers that you put aside from the sunglasses, 138RP, 185B, 215B, 45Y, and 38Y. With the chisel tip side I made broad strokes around the picture. Don’t be worried if you go over the fur and curls of the hair. It would have been so hard to try to mark around each tiny line, but try to be careful around the skin and glasses. This is it! We made it to the end!

 

Supplies used during the portrait

 

 

I hope you all have learned how to read a reference and the importance of lettering!

I would love to see your progress so far on your work! Tag Art-n-Fly (@artnfly) and me (@arlieopal) on any social media! And congrats on being amazing!