Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with something completely new to me – creating a digital portrait, specifically of Erin Serafini. I’d seen some cool digital art online and thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
Getting Started
First, I gathered some reference photos. You know, a bunch of pictures of Erin from different angles and lighting situations. This is super important because, let’s be real, I’m not a memory artist. I need something to look at!
Next, I opened up my drawing program. I use the basic. No thrills, but it gets the job done. I created a new canvas, nothing too crazy, just a standard size.
The Sketching Phase
This is where things got a little messy. I started by lightly sketching out the basic shapes of Erin’s face – the oval of her head, the placement of her eyes, nose, and mouth. It looked… rough. Like, really rough. But that’s okay! It’s just a sketch.
- Drawing the eyes was tricky. I kept going back and forth, erasing and redrawing until they looked somewhat symmetrical.
- The nose was another challenge. It’s easy to make it look too big, too small, or just… off. More erasing and redrawing.
- The mouth, thankfully, was a bit easier. I just focused on getting the general shape right.
Adding Some Color
Once I was somewhat happy with the sketch (it’s never perfect, let’s be honest), I started adding some color. I picked a skin tone that seemed to match Erin’s, and filled in the face. Then I added some basic shading to give it some dimension. It started to look a little less like a potato and a little more like a person!
Details, Details, Details
This is the part that took the longest. I zoomed in and started adding details – the highlights in her eyes, the individual strands of hair, the texture of her skin. It was slow going, but it really made a difference. I kept switching between the brush and the eraser, refining the details until I was (mostly) satisfied.
Final Touches and share
Finally, I added a simple background, share to my friend. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s mine. And it was a fun learning experience! Maybe I’ll try another portrait tomorrow…
