DAVID BOWIE portrait studies - Step by Step 👩🏻‍🎤✨

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all doing well 🧡

Sorry for my absence here but I am applying for subsidies to start my own business (now I work by signing individual contracts all the time) and I was consumed by a lot of paperwork. I'm hopeless when it comes to documents and government offices. It was all very time consuming and stressful for me. Fortunately, I made it on time and now I am waiting for the application to be processed. Wish me luck 🍀

Today I am finally back to drawing 😊 I've been asked several times to draw David Bowie. I also took one of the references posted on Discord by vickgou 🤗

Here are the portrait studies of David Bowie and the Step by step process:

1. REFERENCES + OUTLINE SKETCHES

As usual, when I want to draw a consistent page with your references, I organize them together digitally first. Then I make a very rough outline and a position on the paper with an HB pencil. Then I clean them a bit from too many supporting lines - with moldable eraser.

2. THE ONE WITH GLASSES

It was for this drawing that I got reference from you on Discord 👾.

I rarely choose photos with glasses because I find them difficult to draw. In this photo, the eyes are additionally difficult to see. Nevertheless I decided to try as usual - with big shapes first and then from the nose 🤓

3. DRAW WHAT YOU SEE

The eye on the right is practically not visible. In situations like that you need to just draw the weird shapes that you can see. If it works on the photo, it should work on the sketch as well, right?

4. 6B PENCIL

I’m very happy that I tried (as always when you push me out from my comfort zone 😄). I like the angles I used to draw his hair. I used 6B pencil to add darker details and depth.

5. QUICK SKETCH

After the first challenge this sketch went pretty fast 😁 I was warmed up and I picked the reference by myself.

6. HATCHING

I used simple hatching to create shading in this sketch. I like how fresh it looks. I love that David had two different eye pupils and such amazing androgynous beauty type ! 💕

7. BLOCKING/ SHADOW OUTLINES

There were many more and quite geometric shadows on this reference so I made outlines to place them. I love that his features are so sharp and unique 🤩

8. WALLPAPER 🌸

I love the whole photo - also the background so I marked few flowers behind the portrait. As usual I finished the piece with a very soft pencil.

9. FINAL PAGE

Here’s the final page. What do you think?

That’s all ☺️ Thank you!

Hugs 🧡 Gaby