Pencil Portraits: Light, Shadow, and Proportion
A course by Juan PerednikIllustrator
A course by Juan Perednik, Illustrator
Learn how to draw expressive portraits by understanding the basics of lighting and the proportions of the human face
Self-expression through portrait drawing is Juan Perednik's way of understanding art and reinterpreting the world around him. He has been drawing for as long as he can remember, and it's his delicate and unique style that has enabled him to create portraits for celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Josh Brolin, as well as collaborations with The Rock, PayPal, MercadoLibre, and Canal 13.
In this online course, learn to draw realistic portraits by focusing on the basics of lighting as a vehicle for expressing emotions far beyond what the eye can see. Discover the secrets of light, shadows, and proportion to create one-of-a-kind images.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 25 downloads
What Is Realism in Drawing?
4 minutes, 32 seconds
How to Choose a Reference Photo?
5 minutes, 10 seconds
What Is the Abstract Structure and What Is It For?
15 minutes, 4 seconds
Character Drawing
7 minutes, 14 seconds
How Light and Shadow Work 1
11 minutes, 12 seconds
First Layers of Shading of the Drawing
10 minutes, 3 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by meeting Juan Perednik, who tells you how he landed in this incredible world of art and drawin. Then he takes you on a tour of his influences and some artists he turns to when he needs to take his work to another level.
Next, get to know the main characteristics of realism and how to apply them to a design using a reference photo. Choose the photo you want to use for your portrait, then look at the materials needed to get started on your masterpiece.
Now it's time to create your portrait from scratch. To do this, build the abstract structure and proportions of your character and move on to develop the details using the shading technique.
Edit your drawing in Photoshop and discover how to document it to share on social media. Juan wraps things up by helping you reflect on your own portrait, looking at your reference image, as a method of improving through constructive self-evaluation.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Draw a realistic, expressive, and creative portrait with a graphite pencil.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to draw realistic portraits by mastering light and proportions.
Requirements and materials
To take this online course, you need:
- Pencils of different types, sizes, and hardnesses
- Erasers and pencil sharpeners
- Blending stumps of different sizes
- Absorbent kitchen paper or toilet paper.
- 20 x 30cm sheets of paper with a smooth texture (or no texture)
- A computer with Photoshop installed
Reviews
- 6 months ago
Extraordinario! me comí el curso en una tarde de domingo, muy claro cada explicación. Me quedé con ganas de más, pero en el buen sentido. Voy a buscar mas cursos donde esté él. Me voy con más seguridad. Valió cada centavo.
- 6 months ago
amazing Course, I love the instructor Methods it is very simple and percise i can follow it and got measures result ... Thanks
- 6 months ago
O curso é bom, o professor possui uma boa didática e o conteúdo é enriquecedor.
- 6 months ago
Excelente! muy completo y super bien explicado.
- 7 months ago
Lo recomiendo 100% Muchas gracias por este curso
His delicate line work and mastery of light paved the way for him to work with The Rock, PayPal, MercadoLibre, Canal 13, and Marcelo Tinelli, as well as create portraits for various celebrities as famous as Justin Bieber. This gave him the visibility he needed to grow his now extensive community, made up of fans who admire and follow each of his new creations through his social media.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Realism in Drawing
- What Is Realism in Drawing?
- How to Choose a Reference Photo?
- The Materials
- U3
Construction of the Portrait from the Front
- What Is the Abstract Structure and What Is It For?
- Character Drawing
- How Light and Shadow Work 1
- How Light and Shadow Work 2
- Thumbnail Sketches
- First Layers of Shading of the Drawing
- Blending: Composition and Movement
- U4
Final Edition of the Drawing and the Reference
- Retouching and Documentation of the Process
- Drawing Analysis
- FP
Final project
- Pencil Portraits: Light, Shadow, and Proportion
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn realistic pencil drawing techniques, reference analysis, handling light and shadow, proportions, symmetry, and how to create expressive portraits, plus how to exhibit and share your artwork.
This course is designed for intermediate-level artists who already understand basic concepts and want to refine their realism and expression in portraits.
You’ll need graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B), a blending stump, eraser, suitable drawing paper, a sharpener, and high-resolution photo references.
Choose high-resolution images with good lighting and a frontal or three-quarter angle that clearly show light, shadow, and facial details.
You’ll learn to blend graphite smoothly with a blending stump, create soft transitions between tones, use erasers for highlights, and control soft and hard edges to achieve volume and realism.
Yes, the course includes strategies for exhibiting your work in galleries and tips for effectively sharing and promoting your drawings online.
Realism aims to faithfully represent reality with expression, while hyperrealism focuses on extreme detail, smoothing textures to create an almost photographic effect.