Portrait drawing is, understandably, a challenge as it requires the ability to observe well. When you are at the stage to move from drawing in pencil to drawing a portrait in charcoal, you will need to learn to deal with a medium that acts completely differently from pencil. At first you might think charcoal is messy and a bit heavy. It rubs off too easily with an accidental lean, and when applied with a heavy hand can be quite dark, but if used in conjunction with a putty rubber and a light touch, it can be very delicate and detailed.
There is, however, no getting away from the need to observe well. When I teach a class, I often take a two-pronged approach to learning to draw a portrait – good observation and good technique, aiming to bring the two elements at the core of good portraiture together eventually. It can take time and you might want to give up, but
