Category: Drawing

More Portrait Practice Sketches

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date November 13, 2020
5 Comments on More Portrait Practice Sketches

Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9" — Sketch of Michelle from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″

Sketch of Tajh G from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9" — Sketch of Tajh G from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″

Sketch #2 of TJ from Sktchy — Sketch #3 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″

Sketch #1 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12x9" — Sketch #1 of TJ Smith from Sktchy, graphite, 12×9″

These are more of my portrait sketches from the Drawing the Head class I took last summer (doesn’t summer seem so long ago?!) I discovered that starting over is easier than correcting bad starts so I sketched most of them more than once. TJ Smith’s sketch took three tries until I felt like I captured what struck me as his very pleasant expression.

I always like to see how artists interpret their subjects. If you’re like me and want to see the reference photos, just click their names below their images to either go to my Sktchy page (if you have the Sktchy app) or to Sktchy on the web. Then click (PC) or swipe (mobile) my sketch to reveal the reference photo below it.

Tags graphite, Portrait drawing, Sketch, Sktchy

Art Drawing Faces People Portrait

Michigan Moron Mugshot Sketches

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date October 13, 2020

Mugshots of 10 of the 11 morons arrested for plotting to kidnap the governor, graphite on paper, 14" x 8.5" — Mugshots of 10 of the 11 morons arrested for plotting to kidnap the governor, graphite on paper, 14″ x 8.5″

When I saw the mugshots of the morons that plotted to kidnap Michigan’s governor, I had to draw them. (I know, I’m weird.)

The strange thing about drawing someone is that in the process you begin to see their humanity, develop compassion for them, see the sadness in their eyes, recognize that they have mothers who may or may not have loved them. But still….

Here’s the original mugshot photo I sketched from

Tags Kidnapping, Michigan Governor Kidnapping, Mugshot sketches, Mugshots, Portrait

Art Drawing Faces Sktchy

Learning Loomis; Drawing Heads Part 1

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date September 16, 2020
3 Comments on Learning Loomis; Drawing Heads Part 1

Christiane Vex, Sktchy, graphite 10x10" — Christiane Vex, Sktchy, graphite 10×10″ To see the photo reference, visit Sktchy, here and click the drawing.

I recently finished a 4-week class on Sktchy’s Art School, “Drawing the Human Head with Mike Creighton” based on the Loomis method. I highly recommend Mike’s class if you struggle with making people look like actual human people, let alone looking like very specific people.

Tags graphite, Portrait, Portrait drawing, Sktchy

Art Drawing Faces Portrait

Stella! Back to Sketching Sktchy People

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date August 31, 2020

Stella from Sktchy, 8x6” colored pencils — Stella from Sktchy, 8×6” colored pencils

This was the last portrait sketch I did before beginning on some intensive head drawing study. More about that coming up on my next posts, but wanted to get this one from over a month ago posted first. You can see the reference photo by clicking on my sketch on Sktchy here.

Tags Colored Pencil, Faces, Portrait, Sketchbook Pages, Sktchy

Art Digital art Drawing Faces Oil Painting People Portrait Sktchy

Three Portraits of Dayris

Portrait of Dayris, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 10"x8.5" — Portrait of Dayris, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 10″x8.5″

I’ve had so much fun painting and sketching the lovely Dayris from Sktchy in oil (above), and before that, in pencil and then doing a digital sketch in Procreate (below). Also below you’ll find a slide show of the work in progress. Doing the two initial drawings really helped me quickly get a pretty accurate drawing for the oil painting. You can see her reference photo on Sktchy here.

Initial pencil drawing of Dayris, 12x9" — Initial pencil drawing of Dayris, 12×9″

Below are the steps in the process of making the portrait.

Initial pencil drawing of Dayris, 12×9″
Digital Sketch of Dayris in Procreate
Umber underpainting
Some background and shirt
Some paint on face
Icky background in with palette knife
More work on background, still icky
Background better but not happy with shirt or hair
Almost done
Scraped off shirt and some hair to redo
Portrait of Dayris, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 10″x8.5″

Tags Oil Painting, oil portrait, Portrait, procreate portrait

Art Drawing facebook people Gouache Painting People Portrait

Tattooed Guy on Painted Bull: People Facebook Thinks I Should Know #3

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date April 28, 2019

Facebook "People You May Know #3", gouache, 10x8 inches — Facebook “People You May Know #3”, gouache, 10×8 inches

When I posted this painting on Instagram I mentioned that I’d love to know the story behind this picture of a burly guy riding a painted bull in a parking lot in a desert somewhere who Facebook in its wisdom recommends I get to know.

Shortly afterwards someone I know recognized him and told me that this lovely gentleman was her former sergeant and that he is a much loved retired law enforcement officer. Below is my pencil sketch before I painted it.

Pencil sketch before painting with gouache

Tags facebook people, Gouache, Portrait

Art Digital art Drawing facebook people Faces Portrait Procreate on iPad Series Watercolor

Guys with Hats: People Facebook Thinks I Should Know #1 and #2

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date April 27, 2019
2 Comments on Guys with Hats: People Facebook Thinks I Should Know #1 and #2

Facebook "People You May Know #1", Procreate digital painting — Facebook “People You May Know #1”, Procreate digital painting

Every time I open Facebook it shows me photos of random people it thinks I might want to know. Many of them are in curious settings or have interesting faces so I’ve started saving them to paint or draw. Above is the first one, done in Procreate on the iPad, where I tried to simulate an oil painting digitally.

Since I don’t have permission to use their photos I won’t post them here but it will be fun to see if anyone recognizes themselves or their friends, given the small world we live in now.

Facebook "People You May Know #2", watercolor, 7x7 inches — Facebook “People You May Know #2”, watercolor, 7×7 inches

I tried painting with watercolor (above) over the graphite sketch below in a Stonehenge square sketchbook. I discovered that I am very rusty with my watercolors and this sketchbook is apparently NOT watercolor paper, so this is kind of a mess. But an interesting mess.

Facebook "People You May Know #2", graphite, 7x7 inches — Facebook “People You May Know #2”, graphite, 7×7 inches

I realized I need lots more drawing practice, after trying to paint a life-size three-person portrait in oils over several months and failing again and again. I put the project and the four failed canvases in the closet to try again another day after I improve my portrait drawing skills.

Tags Digital art, facebook people, Portrait, Procreate

Art Digital art Drawing Gouache Procreate on iPad

Bunny Girl 3 Ways: Gouache, Pencil and Digital

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date April 17, 2019
1 Comment on Bunny Girl 3 Ways: Gouache, Pencil and Digital

Painting of Hildur and her bunny from in gouache, 8.5 x 11”.

I drew and painted Hildur from Sktchy App with her bunny three different ways. First I sketched her in pencil on paper then painted her in gouache and then did a digital rendition in Procreate. Which do you like better?

Hildur and her bunny, graphite on paper 8.5 x 11 inches

I was simplifying shapes in Procreate and decided to leave off her facial features.

Tags bunny, Digital art, Gouache, pencil sketch, Portrait, Procreate

Art Digital art Drawing Procreate on iPad

Paolo, Fasyali and His Bow Tie

Post author By Jana Bouc
Post date April 9, 2019

Digital sketch of Fasyali from Sktchy in Procreate

I was attracted to draw Fasyali (above), by the photo he posted on the Sktchy App because he just looked like such a nice person and I loved his bow tie and ears. I drew it first in one of the pencils on Procreate and then added a layer of color beneath the pencil so it colorize the sketch.

Below is another sketch from a fun photo of Paolo in the Sktchy app.