How to Paint Portraits: Part 1

By Aaron Rutten

Learn how to use any reference photo to paint amazing digital portraits using Corel Painter without cloning or auto painting. Painter Master Aaron Rutten paints a self-portrait while describing his process so you can follow along. Impress your friends and family with the portrait painting skills you’ll learn in this easy-to-follow guide.

This art tutorial starts by tracing over a photograph to get a rough outline of the face. Next, the portrait will be created by shading with lighter and darker colors to build up the 3D form of the face and imply lighting. Fine details like hair and skin texture will be added as a final touch to make the piece feel lifelike. Corel Painter is used in this video, but you could also use these techniques with Photoshop, ArtRage and other digital painting software.