Classical Portrait Drawing: The Renaissance Man’s Method

Meet Michele and learn about his journey towards becoming an artist and teacher. Explore his artistic references and hear about the renaissance artists that most inspire him.

Discover the renaissance movement by putting Leonardo da Vinci’s work into context. Explore the life, career, and works of the artist, along with the legacy and insight he bequeathed to the art world. Learn about the art materials used during the renaissance and how to use them. See the importance of tonal values when creating light and shadows.

Observe how Leonardo depicted nature and draw a step-by-step study of one of his botanical drawings. Then, see some of his extraordinary anatomical drawings and draw your own. Learn about proportions, gestures, and how to capture the essence of a person by observing how Leonardo made the study of a human head.

Prepare for your portrait drawing by learning to choose a good reference photo and seeing some basic composition rules. Sketch the structure and construction lines of your drawing and create your tonal values, before adding the features and details. Finish your portrait by adding small details, analyzing your drawing for mistakes, and seeing how to fix them.

Learn how to document your drawing process and photograph your portrait to share it online. Finish the course with Michele’s advice on how to preserve and frame your artwork.