Okay, so today I decided to dive into something totally new – creating a digital portrait of Erin Serafini. I’d seen some cool digital art online and thought, “Why not give it a shot?” I’m no artist, but hey, everyone starts somewhere, right?
Finding a Good Reference Photo
First things first, I needed a good picture of Erin Serafini. I spent some time browsing the internet, looking for a high-quality photo that really captured her essence, and has a good posture. I finally found one that I liked – it had good lighting and a nice, clear view of her face.
Setting Up My Tools
Next, I downloaded a free drawing app on my tablet. I’ve used it before for some basic sketching, so I was somewhat familiar with the interface. I also grabbed my stylus – gotta have that for any kind of digital drawing!
The Sketching Process
I started by importing the reference photo into the app. Then, I created a new layer on top of it – this way, I could draw without messing up the original image. I picked a basic pencil tool and started tracing the major outlines of her face, hair, and shoulders. It was pretty rough at first, just getting the basic shapes down.
- Focusing on Proportions: I kept reminding myself to pay attention to the proportions of her features. Like, how far apart are her eyes? How wide is her nose compared to her mouth? That kind of stuff.
- Lots of Erasing: Let me tell you, there was a LOT of erasing. Digital art is forgiving that way – you can just undo your mistakes!
Adding Some Detail
Once I had a basic outline I was মোটামুটি happy with, I started adding some details. I zoomed in on her eyes and carefully drew the irises and pupils. Then I worked on her eyebrows, trying to get the shape and thickness just right. The mouth was tricky – getting the curve of her lips and the slight shadow underneath took a few tries.
Working on the Hair
The hair… oh, the hair. That was a whole challenge in itself! I switched to a different brush tool, one that was a bit softer and wider. I started by blocking in the main areas of light and shadow, then gradually added more and more strands. It definitely took the longest time, but it’s very important.
Adding Color (or Not)
I am hesitating, I decided to keep it black and white for now. Maybe I’ll add color later, but I kind of liked the simplicity of the grayscale sketch. I did add some subtle shading to give her face more dimension, though.
The Final Touches
Finally, I hid the original reference photo layer, so I could just see my drawing. I spent some time cleaning up any stray lines and adjusting the shading. I even added a simple background – just a plain, light gray color.
And… that’s it! It’s definitely not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of it for a first attempt. It was a fun experiment, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe I’ll try another portrait soon!
