Prove yourself as the best artist for the week

Greetings, my fellow Steemians, it feels good to be here, and I humbly welcome you all to my blog. Today I shall be participating in this contest, and I hope you all like my drawing. Participating in this contest, “Prove Yourself as the Best Artist This Week,” organized by @dequeen, gave me a wonderful opportunity to challenge my skills and show my dedication to art. For my entry this week, I decided to create a realistic pencil portrait, focusing on capturing expression, emotion, and balance. The reference image inspired me with its calm and natural beauty, and I knew that bringing it to life on paper would test my patience and technique. Using only my pencils, paper, eraser, and determination, I began a journey that was both demanding and rewarding. Here are the steps involved.

Drawing materials

• A4 paper

• mechanical pencil

• graphite pencil

• 6B and 4B pencils

• black pen

• eraser

• sharpener.

creation process

Step 1

The first step I started with was adding definition to the eyes, which I treated as the soul of the drawing. Carefully, I darkened the pupils and added small highlights to give them a realistic shine. I drew the lashes one by one, using quick but controlled strokes.

Step 2

After that, I worked on the nose and lips, using soft shading to define their shape. I avoided bold outlines and instead let the pencil shading create form. The gentle smile of the subject came to life as I gradually built up the tonal values; I then outlined the structure of the face.

Step 3

Next I shaded the face and sketched the hair, showing the flow of the hair.

Step 4

After doing that, I then completed the hair, which required the most concentration and time. I followed the natural direction of the strands while applying layered strokes. I used darker pencil tones in areas that needed depth and softer strokes in areas where light touched the hair.

Step 5

Next I worked on the neck and shoulder area; I carefully shaded it to complete the drawing.

Step 6

Finally, I refined my entire drawing, added darker lines and contrast where necessary, added little details, and finally my portrait drawing was complete.

A selfie of me and my drawing

When I finally put my pencil down, I didn’t only see a completed portrait. I saw hours of effort, silence, mistakes, corrections, and passion transformed into art. This drawing is my proof—proof that I am growing, learning, and steadily becoming a better artist, and I am proud to present it as my entry for this amazing contest. Thank you for sticking with me till the end, till we see each other again.

Inviting

@rumanaafroz

@nsijoro

@lilly610

@jasimuddin0

@us-andrew.

Cc @dequeen

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME