Beyond the Photo
Understanding that we can't always rely on the presence of a live model for the entire drawing process, artist Cuong Nguyen demonstrates how to use a photo reference effectively in creating an expressive portrait. He uses a crosshatch technique with charcoal pencils and white chalk, and explains his decision process for adapting and highlighting details from his source photo.
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Beyond the Photo: Part 1
Materials and blocking in the drawing.
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Beyond the Photo: Part 2
Continue with blocking in, and establishing values.
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Beyond the Photo: Part 3
Adding details.
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Beyond the Photo: Part 4
Completing the portrait.