Pencil Portraits: Light, Shadow, and Proportion

A course by Juan Perednik , Illustrator

Illustrator. Naperville, Argentina.
Joined February 2022

Learn how to draw expressive portraits by understanding the basics of lighting and the proportions of the human face

97% positive reviews (79)
2,991 students
Audio: Spanish, English
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

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.

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What will you learn in this online course?

14 lessons & 25 downloads

  • 97% positive reviews (79)
  • 2,991 students
  • 14 lessons (2h 8m)
  • 25 additional resources (12 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: Spanish, English
  • Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

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

2,991 Students
79 Reviews
97% Positive ratings

Juan Perednik

A course by Juan Perednik

Teacher Plus
Illustrator

Argentine illustrator Juan Perednik has been drawing for as long as he can remember and it is one of the things he most enjoys in life. For him, every drawing is a brand new experience, a challenge, and the truest artistic technique for expressing emotions.

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
    Plus

    If 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

Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.

All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.

The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.

You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.

If you're a Plus member, when you complete a course you've purchased, you'll instantly get your personalized certificate. You can see all your certificates in the Certificates section of your profile. You can download your certificates as PDFs and share the link online. Learn more about certificates.
Pencil Portraits: Light, Shadow, and Proportion. Illustration course by Juan Perednik

Pencil Portraits: Light, Shadow, and Proportion

A course by Juan Perednik
Illustrator. Naperville, Argentina.
Joined February 2022
  • 97% positive reviews (79)
  • 2,991 students