Make an Eye Soar Drawing a Graphite Portrait with Justin Maas

This week, portrait artist and instructor Justin Maas takes us straight to the drawing board for a lively study in expression, value, and texture.

Working from a playful reference photo, Justin demonstrates how to create a dynamic portrait using graphite and white charcoal on toned paper.

You’ll see how he blocks in proportions, identifies key planes of the face, and slowly builds values to capture everything from wiry hair texture to the subtle curves of a squinting eye.

The lesson moves step-by-step through:

• Using a range of graphite pencils (from 2H to 8B) to establish structure and depth
• Placing early highlights with white charcoal — and why you must add them before heavy graphite
• Breaking down tricky features like compressed facial expressions, uneven eye lines, and facial hair
• Blending techniques for rich, matte darks in hair and beard
• Making minor adjustments that bring a likeness to life

Justin works thoughtfully and narrates as he draws, explaining why each decision matters — from mapping angles across the face to controlling pencil pressure so toned paper can do the heavy lifting.

Ready to draw with Justin? Let's get started!