ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Veronica Winters Shares Graphite Pencil Techniques for Portrait Drawing

publication · 2026-03-24

Artist Veronica Winters presents three essential graphite pencil methods for creating realistic portraits. The techniques include blending with paper stumps, erasing with kneaded and Tombow Mono Zero erasers, and shading through value layering. Winters demonstrates these approaches using her own artwork examples, such as studies from sculptures and portraits like "Khaleesi." She recommends specific materials like Strathmore Bristol vellum paper and Koh-I-Noor drawing paper, and advises using professional fixatives like Grumbacher or Sennelier HC10. The article emphasizes how these foundational skills enhance technical precision for realist artists.

Key facts

  • Veronica Winters details three graphite pencil techniques for portrait drawing.
  • Techniques include blending with paper stumps, erasing with kneaded and Tombow Mono Zero erasers, and shading through value layering.
  • Winters uses examples from her own artwork, including studies from sculptures and portraits like "Khaleesi."
  • Recommended materials include Strathmore Bristol vellum paper, Koh-I-Noor drawing paper, and professional fixatives like Grumbacher or Sennelier HC10.
  • The methods are applicable to various drawing types, including landscapes, still lifes, and faces.

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