• Use only clear large reference photos to work from (get permission if it's not a free stock photo).
• Use good contrast photos (lots of darks and light tones) a good balance makes for a great drawing
• Print out the reference in grayscale, lighten the photo to better see shadowed areas (print different samples)
• Do not draw from full frontal flash photos, they will look flat
• Begin with a light outline (draw a one inch grid with the H)
• Use a clean piece of plain paper under your drawing hand to prevent any smudges
• Keep works in progress (wips) covered when your not working on them
• Work on a small, 1-2 inch area at a time, finish it to near perfection before moving on
• Use a mechanical pencil to draw in details, the point is always sharp
• Leave highlights untouched and draw around them, use the kneaded eraser to lift out highlights when needed
• Color in tones with light-med pressure making sure to keep you pencil strokes close together
• When coloring in an area use circular stokes making sure to overlap all
• Wrap a piece of clean plain tissue around one finger and blend your mid tones
• Blend medium tones and then recolor in the area, build your tones until they are realistic
• Blend all hard lines, unless they are also seen in the reference or in real life
• Use a mirror when drawing a portrait, besides the photo reference you are your best reference
• Use a 3b pencil to build up the darkest tones, layer them and do not blend for near black tones
• Go darker to give the drawing more depth
• Turn the drawing and reference upside down to better see and render shapes
• Draw ever tiny detail you see, it’s the details that give the drawing realism
• Use light layers of a workable fixative on the finished drawing to help reduce graphite shine and smudges
• Keep in mind that an artist never stops growing, like everything in life you learn as you go along, time truly is your friend
• Oh and if you rush a drawing it will show so sloooooow way down and enjoy your artistic journey.
• Look at your work with objective eyes, once you see areas that can be improved make that your goal for the next drawing and you WILL see improvement!
• In order to draw tiny details you need to use larger paper/boards! Yes I know it takes longer to finish a large drawing, but honestly it's so much easier to work bigger!
• Tell yourself that you are doing your best work, then reinforce those thoughts by working the best you can! :)
• If you are not happy with a drawing, re-draw it until you are. We truly do learn from practice...so practice on something you like and as always have fun drawing!
• When I say to draw not only what is seen in the reference but what you know. I mean draw what you have seen with your own eyes either in person or in a photo.
• Do Not use printer paper or thin sketching paper to do detailed drawings, the paper WILL NOT hold up and you WILL be disappointed!
• Use Bristol, Illustration, and other boards for all of your best drawings.

Video drawing Tutorials:

• Part 1, 2 and 3 of my red wine glass drawing
• Eye Tutorial 1
Eye Tutorial 2
• Nose Tutorial 1
• Nose Tutorial 2
• Mouth Tutorial

Older tutorials

• Lip tut
• Hair 1 tut
• Hair 2 tut
• To view a very old Drawing Tutorial click here.