Course "Exploring Portrait Realism in Graphite and Charcoal" with Solomon Iken

NEW COURSE

BY Solomon Iken

Exploring Portrait Realism in Graphite and Charcoal

Learn to shade, blend, and erase with fluidity and create a lifelike portrait of a young woman under the guidance of a renowned portraitist Solomon Iken

LIFETIME ACCESS

Portraits look amazing in graphite and charcoal! These realistic textures, effective contrasts, and extraordinary depth just can’t leave us indifferent. But how to achieve such an impressive result and draw portraits like professionals?

At this course, you will master the whole process of creating a hyper realistic portrait drawing step-by-step.

You will get acquainted with all the needed tools and see how to combine graphite and charcoal in one piece,
see how to effectively plan a drawing process, understand how to work by stages and what every stage comprises,
learn to create realistic textures, blend, avoid harsh lines, and make smooth gradients.

You will see how to draw realistic hair, eyes, skin, nose, lips – every part of a portrait! Together with a renowned hyperrealist artist and art tutor Solomon Iken, you will draw a majestic portrait of a pretty young woman, paying attention to every nuance and getting all your drawing questions answered!

Solomon Iken,

the author of the course

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Lesson 1

Introduction

Organizational information, how to use the platform. The list of materials needed for the course.

Lesson 2

Creating Background Illusion

See how to get started with charcoal, make a smooth background using the blending technique, and how to use a piece of foam or a soft brush for creating textures.

Lesson 3

Drawing Realistic Straight Hair, part I

In this lesson, we break down realistic hair drawing into 4 easy steps that anyone can follow. Learn what makes straight hair look natural and how to choose the right shading techniques to capture flow and shine.

Lesson 4

Drawing Realistic Straight Hair, part II

Now it’s time to focus on the fine details. Discover when not to use a fine tip eraser and how to layer and overlap strands for extra realism. You’ll finish with a hairstyle that looks soft, natural, and full of life.

Lesson 5

Drawing an Eye, part I

Get comfortable drawing every part of the eye – the eyelid, eyelashes, eyebrow, iris, and pupil. You’ll learn how these elements work together and create a strong, believable form.

Lesson 6

Drawing an Eye, part II

Move beyond the eye itself and explore how to draw the delicate skin around it. We’ll continue experimenting with Willow Charcoal to create realistic textures and subtle transitions that make your eye drawing stand out.

Lesson 7

Drawing a Realistic Nose, part I

Learn how to sketch the nose in a front view, starting with simple shapes. We’ll help you choose the right paper, map out proportions, and identify key contrasts that define form.

Lesson 8

Drawing a Realistic Nose, part II

Bring your nose drawing to life with the dry brush technique – perfect for soft gradients and smooth shading. Discover how to work with fluidity, so you can speed up your workflow without losing accuracy.

Lesson 9

Drawing Realistic Lips, part I

Start by shaping realistic lips, focusing on the difference between light, mid-tones, and shadows. You’ll learn how to map out values before adding texture.

Lesson 10

Drawing Realistic Lips, part II

Add that final touch of realism by using tools like an electric eraser to create highlights and fine details. You’ll see how small changes in texture can completely transform the look of your lips.

Lesson 11

Drawing Neck, part I

Learn how to accurately draw the neck and chin so they support the overall portrait. We’ll show you where to place shadows and how to create soft transitions between areas.

Lesson 12

Drawing Neck, part II

In this final part, you’ll work on blending and shading the neck area for a cohesive look. We’ll wrap up with composition advice and practical drawing tips that bring your portrait together beautifully.

Lesson 13

Conclusion

Creative task. Use all the knowledge you've gained at the course to create a completely unique portrait based on your own reference photo.

Ikenchukwu Solomon, popularly known as Solomon Iken, was born and working in Nigeria as a hyperrealist artist and art tutor.
He is a published and internationally recognized artist with features in Magzoid, Beneath Your Beautiful, and a Patreon collaboration.
Solomon loves to draw faces and capture emotion with great attention to detail and all that makes a countenance.
In the category of Hyperrealism, Solomon sees his art as the realest means through which he can express his appreciation for life by drawing its essence.
Solomon draws inspiration from life experiences and in most cases anything that acknowledges the presence, the essence of and appreciation for life, happiness and beauty (as expressed through facial emotional gestures and body postures of drawing subjects).
His motivation for making art comes from his daily desire to be more confident, consistent and concentrated. These ideals have aided him through his journey as an artist till this very day.

Examples of Solomon's works

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Certificate of completion

(For Premium plan)

Upon completion of the course we issue a certificate. The certificate could be used as a proof of your qualification's upgrade at work (if it is related to arts) and for your private affairs as a recognition of your mastery in painting.

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Olga is a practicing artist specializing in drawing, watercolor, and acrylic.
After graduating from the St Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Olga has been working as an architect in St Petersburg and has founded a school of aesthetic education for children.
Olga came to Sweden in 1993, she is self-employed and manages art courses in Karlstad and all over Sweden (online).
Olga participated in national and international exhibitions and competitions such as IWS Fabriano Acquarello (2019, 2022), IWS Bulgaria (2019), and IWS Malaysia (2021).

HERE YOU WILL FIND OLGA'S WORKS

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