Draw an Elegant Graphite Portrait with Tess-Marie White

In this lesson, Tess-Marie White, a classical drawing and painting instructor from the Bay Area, guides you through the fundamentals of graphite portraiture.

You’ll learn how to build a strong foundation by focusing on elegant shapes and cohesive values, rather than getting lost in details too soon. As Tess-Marie explains, “We’re going to focus on the most important fundamentals: creating accurate, interesting, and elegant shapes and developing a cohesive value structure to give us a beautiful light impression.”

One key takeaway is learning to see portraits in terms of light and shadow, rather than relying on outlines. Many students found this shift in approach eye-opening, with one commenting, “I tend to see tone more than line, and I often struggle with outlines. This approach really clicked for me.” 

You’ll also pick up practical tips on materials, from choosing the right pencil hardness to controlling blending tools effectively.

By the end of the lesson, you’ll have a clearer, more structured approach to portrait drawing—helping you capture likeness, depth, and expression with confidence.

Ready to draw with Tess-Marie? Let's get started!