Some Photo Realism tips for The Artists out there 💙

 Here’s some things I’ve learned after drawing on and off for about 10-11 years now…

• Keep it light and don’t overwork your drawing. Start light and then add dark as you go. Too much B and you look like you’re drawing a dark screen. It’s cute to draw an entire picture with a mechanical pencil (and I have done this) but it will not look photo realistic! You need to use all the variant Hs and Bs in order to get the stark differences. 
• Use the ERASER! Sometimes it’s not in what you draw but in what you DO NOT draw. I really like the mono-zero eraser and would highly recommend.
• Make your Blacks very black and your whites Very white. Especially in eyes, y’all, they need that sparkle and shine. (Eyes are my favorite thing to draw- they are the windows to your soul and so different and interesting!)
• Use a piece of parchment or wax paper to protect your drawing while you work. So this will prevent smearing  (and keep your hand from becoming covered in graphite!). 
• Use a GOOD reference photo. I actually usually take my own photos of my subject (since I known what I want). If you can’t, you need to print out a good black and white one. This makes All the difference in the world! 
• Look for ways to make your drawing stand out from just standard graphite art. Maybe you need to make that necklace really sparkle, or bring out that highlight in the hair, anything to make your art POP helps.
• Study your subject. I Really like to study faces. People have their own unique way of looking  and I have to figure out why they look that way. If you can study the subject in person then study them in person (ha ha). It’s a little weird, I know, but it helps. I make my family members a little self conscious when they catch me staring at them (hee hee)!!! ;) 

Hope this helps! In Christ, Hope 💙💙