Are you obsessed with making whimsical faces and mixed media portraits in your art journals and on canvas, but not quite sure how or where to add white highlights to make your portraits REALLY POP?! I've got YOU! In today's QUICK 4-MINUTE video on my Mixed Media YouTube channel, I'm going to show you EXACTLY how drawing highlights on face drawings and mixed media portraits will bring your characters to life and add serious sophistication to your work!!
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Love BOLD Highlights?
THESE Are My Favorite White Art Supplies!
If you're a fan of bold highlights like I am, I highly recommend reaching for a paint pen likePoscaor Sharpie.Currently, my top obsession is Opaque White by Copic. Its nail polish applicator adds a unique touch that I simply can't get enough of! What's more, its versatility shines through—you can easily add a bit of water to dilute it, tempering its intensity for a subtler effect if desired.
For those seeking a softer touch, art crayons or gelatos layered over acrylics offer a beautifully subtle highlight or glow. Surprisingly, fine-tip gel pens and Pitt Pens excel in opacity, making them fantastic choices for white highlights. One of my close art friends, Lucy, swears by the Dr. Ph. Martin's brand. Sheoften dilutes it with water on a brush for an even more delicate touch.
Where to Add Highlights on Face Drawings
Starting with the eyes is the most intuitive choice. To achieve a realistic eye shine drawing (even in semi-realistic or whimsical faces), place a highlight within the darkest part of the pupil for depth. Then add a touch within the iris or colored portion of the eye. I also really enjoy adding a little dot of white to the tear duct area, and just a tad outside of it. It's like adding an extra sparkle to my character's eyes, making my mixed media portrait come alive!
Moving down the face, I tend to highlight the ball of the nose, tops of the nostrils, and sometimes add a white line or along the center of the nose to make it appear more three-dimensional. Similarly, highlighting the ball of the chin brings the face to life. These areas can be represented as literal circles, adding to the character's realism. Additionally, the top of the lip and the middle of the bottom lip catch the light beautifully, further accentuating facial features.
Continuing with the facial features, consider highlighting above the top lip and in the middle of the bottom lip, plus adding a touch of sheen to the eyelids, and brow bones. These areas naturally protrude slightly and are ideal candidates for highlights. Additionally, highlighting the top of the cheeks adds a subtle yet impactful touch. For an extra gleam in the eye, consider adding a highlight to the bottom lid.
Ears, often overlooked, offer another opportunity for enhancement. Adding highlights along the outer ridge of the ears adds to the character's realism.
Hot Tip:When aiming for symmetry, ensure that highlights are applied evenly on both sides of the face, mirroring each other.
Embrace the slight asymmetry inherent in human features—it adds authenticity to your work. By meticulously applying highlights, whether bold or subtle, you'll breathe life into your mixed media portrait in less than four minutes. With each stroke of the pen, your character evolves, captivating viewers and inviting them into your world of creativity.
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Wanna Create the Mixed Media Portrait
Featured in Today's Video?
She's a super FUN online art lesson in my Mixed Media Society over at Awesome Art School!! The Mixed Media Society is perfect for artists of ALL levels including beginners. We're having a blast learning about ALL the mixed media supplies and how to use them to create mixed media art we can be proud of!! We would LOVE to have YOU join us!!
