Coloring Book Portraits

I believe that drawing skill and an understanding of color are essential factors in artistic growth. However exercises that eliminate the stress of color and drawing, can provide great learning opportunities.


Coloring Book Portraits is an exercise I do with new artists (it's also fun for those who are not so new).


Using a reference with strong value contrasts, trace only the large dark light and mid tone shapes (this photo was taken a trip to Mexico. I simplified and edited it in Photoshop to enhance the values.)




Paint the portrait with just one color.



This is another lesson where working upside down helps.




Coloring Book Portraits help artists learn to achieve value range with one color. It reinforces the truth that we see shapes because of the contrast between light and dark and that likeness can be achieved by accurate shapes and values.

This was painted by a new artist who had never before painted a person and who has only been painting a couple of months. Nice!