Graphite Portraiture for Beginners

Master the essentials of portrait art with our drawing and painting courses in Sydney!

Whether you’re a complete beginner or returning to drawing after time away, this structured 4-session course offers a bridge between casual sketching and formal studio training. Join this hands-on portrait drawing class to develop fundamentals of graphite drawing techniques, build observational skills, and gain confidence working from both life models and reference photographs.  You’ll explore how to see like an artist, sketch with purpose, and draw faces with structure and expression.

Led by an experienced tutor in a supportive small-group setting, this workshop series is ideal for adults seeking a foundational art course that encourages practical skill development and visual understanding.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this portrait drawing course, you should be able to:

• Use graphite pencil tools effectively to control line weight, edges, and shading
• Apply light and shade to create form through cast shadows and tonal variation
• Measure angles and proportions accurately to establish a balanced composition
• Simplify the human face into planes to enhance three-dimensionality
• Complete a drawing from a reference source using foundational techniques

Want to deepen your skills further? You might enjoy our other Portrait Drawing Classes.

Course content

Each session focuses on a key element of the portrait drawing process:

Week 1 – Line and shadow

• Blind contour warm-up exercises
• Understanding graphite pencil techniques and shadow creation
• Drawing geometric forms to explore light and form
• Reference photo drawing with varied line weight and edges

Week 2 – Proportion and structure

• Composition planning with thumbnail sketches
• Measuring techniques and the “constellation” approach to relationships
• Blocking in basic portrait shapes
• Breaking the face into planes and understanding light

Week 3 – Life study and integration

• Extended drawing session with a live model
• Application of line, proportion, tone, and structure
• Group critique and reflection

Week 4 – Refinement and expression

• Revisiting unfinished work to build complexity and polish

• Exploring texture, edge control, and mark-making styles

• Techniques for finishing a drawing: blending, lifting, and accenting

• Developing a personal drawing voice within a realistic framework

  Intended audience

  Who is this Graphite Portraiture for Beginners for?

  This course is for beginners who want to learn how to sketch portraits. 

  Course venue

  Rozelle Campus

  2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

  Course materials

  What to bring to class

• 1 x A3 sketchpad

• 1 x Blackwing Matte pencil

• 1 x kneadable eraser

• 1 x large blending stump

• (Optional: 1 x small blending stump)

• 1 x long lead pencil sharpener

• Additional information

  Please note the following:

• Closed-in shoes required

• Please wear old clothes and/or bring an apron

• Long hair must be tied back