Prove yourself as the best artist for the week

Hello, Steemit family. 👋

I hope all is going well, and I welcome you all to my post today. There’s something deeply satisfying about turning a blank sheet of paper into a living expression, and today I’m excited to share my latest pencil portrait for this week’s contest, “Prove Yourself as the Best Artist," organized by @dequeen. This piece challenged me in ways I didn’t expect, and I’m proud of how it turned out. Stay tuned as I walk you through how I created this portrait.

Drawing items

• A4 paper

• graphite pencils

• mechanical pencil

• charcoal pencil

• 2H, HB, and 5B pencils

• black pen

• eraser

• sharpener

step-by-step process

Step 1

First I began with the eyes and nose; I carefully refined the eyes and nose. These features are the most expressive parts of a portrait, so I took my time here.

Step 2

Next, I drew the mouth and shaded the face. For the smile, I worked slowly to capture its natural look. I paid attention to the curves and the small lines around the mouth to avoid making it look stiff.

Step 3

After doing that, I then focused on the hair. First I made the outline, then I added details.

Step 4

After doing that, I then worked on the clothing. For the suit and tie, I used darker shading to create strong contrast. I pressed my pencil a bit harder here, allowing the darker tones to frame the portrait nicely.

Step 5

Finally at this point, I stepped back and observed the drawing as a whole. I made small adjustments where needed—darkening some shadows, cleaning edges, and refining details. And below is my final result.

My selfie with my drawing

One thing I’ve learned is that drawing is not about rushing to finish—it’s about enjoying each stage of the process. To everyone participating in this contest, keep pushing your limits and trust your growth. Every drawing you make brings you one step closer to mastery. Thank you for taking the time to view my work; I really appreciate the time.

Inviting

@maryam86

@m-princess

@green015

@us-andrew

Cc @dequeen

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME