![ntopaz-image-0](https://artisteem.io/media/a72af1d3-a15e-4099-b374-51a0575582d5)I am trying some new style to paint portraits. One of my favorite artist on instagram paints like this sometimes. Her arts are obviously way better than this. She draws portrait that are not full, the whole canvas has only part of the portrait. 
I tried this way before but wasn't very successful at it. So i tried again. This time i think i did quite well. 

I feel like i will be doing some portrait study like this for a while. I am loving how this looks.

Enjoy

Used <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/159244536810363696/"> Reference Image </a> for style and structure.

Here are some process shots and description:

I took the exact same sized canvas as the reference photo, it was important. Since i am not painting the whole face i need to be careful while drawing facial features. when i draw whole face i have the round structure to put the facial features in, but in this case I short of had to go in completely blind. So taking the same sized canvas was very important. I took the reference photo in my phone and hold it right by the side of where i am painting. 
Then i started drawing simple lines to mark where the eye and lips and nose will be.

![Screenshot (1347).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUDCpmxf69vRjq3SN6vENrj9jxbtyGCAKaxARXNVWBaMj/Screenshot%20(1347).png)

There weren't very much lines but i still had to erase a bunch of times to get these right. Although i couldn't say i got them right, because i still haven't drawn the detailed sketch. 
So i start to sketch things out, not in too much details. I was still using the same messy layer because this wouldn't be the final layer. I will be taking another layer to try to make a clean line work.
![Screenshot (1348).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZYGN63W3xPucX8aBMiw29vHDZ3PNCa48KH4JV1fEwhQB/Screenshot%20(1348).png)

I took a different layer and placed it beneath the previous layer. First i had to turn down the opacity of the previous layer so i could see things more clearly.

Then I tried to make a clean sketch because i thought i would be leaving the sketch visible. 

![Screenshot (1349).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVrv4M1ZtWF247HWQ5uH8hCTCzBZJVdYPXBswy9qFKjjP/Screenshot%20(1349).png)

Since the entire canvas was full of color, I didn't had to be very careful while placing base color. I just took a hard round brush and filled everything properly. Using that same brush I started to place in block of light and dark colors. Later I will start blending them together.

![Screenshot (1350).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWDVUrNyHrndRKvjsy6PzKh5cihPRTZ9YdA8qZkSnvb2z/Screenshot%20(1350).png)


![Screenshot (1351).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaKcoSqmjMAsycPy1XZMXTHi5V1Ujh8kbvFEpq6EYGJxT/Screenshot%20(1351).png)

I made the dark part as much as dark possible while keeping it well shaped for the light that's hitting the face.

I start to blend everything properly
![Screenshot (1352).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdsBnFyuRxcRQ3jBgq7BoGEK4S4n9pWF67xEzAXeNfhNC/Screenshot%20(1352).png)

I bring in some really bright colors for the lighter part of the face. I am still blending everything as i keep painting
![Screenshot (1353).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPJS8bfS3TLxUNWMX7vtMBpqaJF7RUFEjizwfquHsFrMv/Screenshot%20(1353).png)

At the end i did some details such as the eyelashes and the light and shadow over the eye. Some textures on the nose and some dodged light on the lips. 

![Screenshot (1354).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPWcfrCEGmiYAyA4YcYJy6HPonARtApda2KPGsQVTYdoL/Screenshot%20(1354).png)


![Screenshot (1355).png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSLjPndfjAq9vZsE9yg5hcyYWnz4oPKBRFZPNzEBFj52n/Screenshot%20(1355).png)

I have added a lots of color dodges to bring in contrast and brightness. This is actually the second portrait of this style. I painted the first one two days ago. I was going to post that yesterday but i ran into some problems so trying to fix that and in the mean time posting this one instead. 
I really do think that the first portrait that i will be posting soon is better than this one actually.

![cropped portrait2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPEyed4aQjREmK66e82N1W1JjnyKZQAptbQGCSG7d4CEu/cropped%20portrait2.jpg)
I must say, this kind of portrait is looking really good with a dark background. 
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