Students choose their favorite famous person and draw the other half in Liberty Mickelsen's Art Class

1. ½ Face Portrait Drawing
By: Liberty Mickelsen

2. Materials:
• A close-up magazine image or photo of a human face. Both sides of the
face should be clearly visible. Try for an image where the face is
straight forward.
• White drawing paper
• A ruler
• Scissors
• Glue
• A pencil

3. Teacher
Example
Draw the
Other Half

4. The three major forms of
balance:
• Asymmetrical balance: where
equilibrium is achieved by the balance
differences in the art elements within
a composition.
• Symmetrical balance: where the art
elements in a composition are
balanced in a mirror-like fashion (it
does not have to be exact but close).
• Radial balance: a kind of balance
where the elements branch or radiate
out from a central point.

5. Portrait
• A portrait is a painting, photograph,
sculpture, or other artistic representation of
a person, in which the face and its expression
is dominant.

6. Teacher
Example
Draw the
Other Half

19. Procedure:• Cut the margins off the paper, leaving
only the image remaining. Use a ruler
and measure the image.

20. Procedure:
Your paper is 12”x18”
Find the dimensions of your
image.
Take the width of your image
(wide/Side to Side/Left to right)
Subtract it from 12”
Divide the difference in half
(by 2)
12”
-Width
Answer
*That is the new margins for
your paper.
Measure in from both sides
and place marks.
Do the same for the Height

21. Proce
dure:
Now line
your image
up with the
marks your
measured.
Trace
around the
entire
image.

22. Procedure:
• Use a ruler to draw a vertical line down
the center of the face photo. This is a line
of symmetry. Cut along the line to create
two halves.

23. Procedure:
Cut on the center
line of the face.

24. Procedure:
Glue down
one side of the
image. In the
empty space
you will draw
the other half.
If you are left
handed, glue
the image on
the right.
If you are right
handed, glue
the image on
the left.

25. • Before drawing, take a moment to
observe the face. To figure out where
the facial features you'll be drawing
should go, use your ruler to measure
the horizontal (sideways) and vertical
(up-and-down) distances from the
photo's specific features to the line of
symmetry. For instance, the distance
from the bridge of the nose to the
inner corner of the eye would be the
same on both sides of the face, so
measuring from the inner corner to
the line of symmetry on one side will
tell you how far away the line is to
the other inner corner. Everything
can be measure within proportions of
surroundings. Spacing is important
to create a realistic finished piece.

26. • With these measurements, you can
map out beforehand where the
drawn facial features should go by
lightly placing pencil marks where
you've calculated them to be.
• Now start drawing the other half of
the face.
• Once you have checked your
drawing for accurate spacing, add
appropriate value. More successful
pieces will show detail and utilize all
values within the value scale and
texture.

27. Procedure:
• Use a ruler to draw a vertical line down the center of the face photo. This is a
line of symmetry. Cut along the line to create two halves.
• Glue one side of the image to a plain sheet of paper, with an even border
around the image with appropriate space for your drawing. Do not put any
glue on the side where you will be drawing. Be sure to leave enough space
on the sheet of paper for you to complete the missing half.
• Before drawing, take a moment to observe the face. To figure out where the
facial features you'll be drawing should go, use your ruler to measure the
horizontal (sideways) and vertical (up-and-down) distances from the photo's
specific features to the line of symmetry. For instance, the distance from the
bridge of the nose to the inner corner of the eye would be the same on both
sides of the face, so measuring from the inner corner to the line of symmetry
on one side will tell you how far away the line is to the other inner corner.
Everything can be measure within proportions of surroundings. Spacing is
important to create a realistic finished piece.
• With these measurements, you can map out beforehand where the drawn
facial features should go by lightly placing pencil marks where you've
calculated them to be.
• Now start drawing the other half of the face.
• Once you have checked your drawing for accurate spacing, add appropriate
value. More successful pieces will utilize all values within the value scale.