Even if You Weren't Born With the "Art Gene"......

Whenever a student comes to us frustrated by drawing realistic skin, they are always ask some variation of the same three questions:
“Why don’t the skin tones I’m drawing seem smooth and realistic?”  
“How can I show the difference between light-skinned and dark-skinned subjects when drawing a portrait?”
“How can I create the difference in texture to show soft baby skin versus older, more aged skin?”
These are all fantastic questions! And we get excited when we hear them, because we know that the 5-Pencil Method offers an effective solution.
Don't fall prey to the lie that artists “are born”and not made. It’s ridiculous really… The idea that you have to be born with an “art gene” to enjoy the fun and fulfillment of expressing yourself creatively. Bravo to you for not letting this myth stand between you and your passion for drawing!
Darrel spent years refining and mastering his process for drawing realistic skin and he is excited to share it with you here!
A quick warning though:  This is a different approach to drawing.
He won’t simply suggest that you “just do what feels right” and then leave you to follow your “artist’s intuition.” Darrel offers practical principles and techniques that you can follow to achieve the desired result. That makes this a bit different than most drawing methods, but it’s what he used to make his living as a fine artist and illustrator for over 50 years, and  it is working for thousands of our students as well.
Darrel will demonstrate a step-by-step process for achieving stunning results.
We include a free, 30-minute video drawing training where I show you exactly how I build up and layer my pencil values to create life-like skin texture.

E-Book How to Draw Realistic Skin-2020.pdf

How to Draw Portraits with Realistic Skin Download E-Book/Video

BONUS: Video Training “Drawing Smooth Skin Demystified”

Materials: Paper

Materials: Pencils

Materials: Erasers

What is ArtStudio? Watch the video below to learn more:

**Weekly Critique submissions:** To use one of the CRITIQUE tokens on your account (purchased or earned) **[CLICK THIS LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK AND REFERENCE IMAGE](https://form.jotform.com/71506781794163)**. EACH WEEK... the deadline for Art Studio Classic submissions is Tuesday evening at 10 pm EST. For the Art Studio PhotoRealism Class deadline is Sunday night at 10 pm EST. You may submit up to 2 works. Darrel will pick 3 to 5 each week to include at the end of his Wednesday Live Class or to add onto the recorded PhotoRealism lesson on Monday . Your token count will be reduced only if your critique is selected for Darrel to use during class. Please be sure to use a scanner if possible. If you need to use a picture, please be sure to have good lighting with no shadows or borders on your photo. If you need any assistance, please email support@fivepencilmethod.com or call 833-5-PENCIL.

Critique Tokens

BOOK: How to Draw Portraits With Realistic Skin — Even If You Weren't Born With The “Art Gene”

# Materials

## **Paper**

Getting the correct type of paper is extremely important. It must be the Strathmore, 300 Series, Bristol with the vellum surface. Accept no substitutes!

Watch this video to find out which sizes of a tablet to buy and more.

Update from Strathmore: All of the 300 Series Bristol Vellum paper is 270 gsm (100 lb).  If you see 260 gsm, it is a misprint and has now been corrected.

# Materials

## **Pencils**

We come to what my technique is named for: the 5 pencils - 4H, 2H, HB, 2B and 4B - out of the 20-or-so total.

These are the 5 graphite drawing pencils that we will actually need to use. They will give us the best tonal range, keep our paper from getting damaged, and help keep our lives sane, because we won’t have to continually choose from 15 other pencils.

The #1 recommended pencil brand is BLICK STUDIO made by [dickblick.com](http://dickblick.com).  They are also manufactured under another name, Koh-I-Noor pencils, and may be easier to find for our foreign members.
#2 recommended - Caran d'Ache Grafwood pencils
#3 recommended - Faber-Castell 9000 pencils

The Prismacolor Turquoise pencils are no longer recommended. After using these pencils for 40 years with consistent results, this brand has sadly changed and is no longer a quality pencil.
The five pencil values again are:  4H, 2H, HB, 2B and 4B

# Materials

## **The 3 Erasers**

This video will explain the 3 eraser types that are integral to the 5-Pencil Method.

These erasers are used differently than you may think. They are about more than just fixing mistakes and making alterations: they are essential tools for drawing realistic images, while also helping you avoid paper damage.

How to Draw Portraits with Realistic Skin Download E-Book/Video

What's Included

Description

Videos

How to Draw Portraits with Realistic Skin Download E-Book/Video