The Plane Truth: Carve a Graphite Portrait with Milla Weideman

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by capturing the complexity of the human face in a drawing, Melbourne artist Milla Weideman will help you "simplify, simplify, simplify."

In this lesson (30 mins), Milla treats the head not as a collection of daunting features, but as a three-dimensional object, much like a simple cube. By shifting your focus from "drawing an eye" to "mapping a plane," you’ll find a much more grounded way to capture both form and light.

Working in pencil, Milla guides us through a broad-to-specific process. Instead of chasing perfection in the details, this lesson is about finding the "design" within the shadows and midtones. You’ll explore:

• The "Site Size" Strategy: Comparing the scale of your reference directly to your paper to keep proportions in check.

• Geometric Mapping: Using long, straight lines to block out "sunglasses" for eye sockets and simple triangles for the nose.

• Toning the Ground: Applying a quick 2B pencil wash to your paper so you can "carve" out highlights with an eraser, creating instant atmosphere.
• The Power of Squinting: A simple trick to help you stop seeing individual hairs and start seeing the relationship between values.

As Milla notes, it’s not about getting it right on the first try but about correcting as you go. Grab a pencil, embrace the messy midtones, and let’s get started!