Get Access to World’s largest Template Library & Tools

How to Make a Portrait in Adobe Illustrator

Portrait artworks are types of artworks that focus on the face of the subject. These artworks include an individual, group, or self-portrait. In this article, learn how to make a compelling portrait in Adobe Illustrator.

How to Make a Portrait in Adobe Illustrator

Artists, designers, and painters make portrait art to showcase the likeness, mood, and personality of a person. Below are simple steps that you can follow if you need to make a visually aesthetic portrait in Adobe Illustrator.

  • Step 1: Place Portrait Reference in the Artboard

    how to make a portrait in adobe illustrator step 0
    Open Illustrator, and Create New Document. Then, go to File > Place and select the image that you want as the reference for the portrait art you will be doing, and place it on the artboard.

  • Step 2: Create Custom Art Brushes

    how to make a portrait in adobe illustrator step 0
    In the Brushes panel, there are different types of art brushes available there. But, you can create custom art brushes to make realistic strokes to your portrait using the line tool and stroke.

  • Step 3: Draw the Outlines of the Face, the Hair, and Other Parts

    how to make a portrait in adobe illustrator step 0
    Create a new layer at the top of the portrait reference, and lock the layer of the reference image. In the new layer, use the Brush Tool, Pencil Tool, Shape Tool, and other tools when you are drawing the outlines of the face such as the eyes, eyebrows, lips, nose, hair, and many others.

    Step 4: Color the Portrait

    how to make a portrait in adobe illustrator step 0
    After you finished drawing the parts of the face, you can now color the entire face of your portrait art. Expand Vector Appearance, add the base color for your portrait, and work on the eyes, lips, teeth, skin, hair, and other parts of the face.

FAQs

How to make a minimal vector portrait in Adobe Illustrator?

Begin with a reference for your portrait as you open it in Illustrator, reduce its opacity, use the Pen tool and Shape tool to trace the reference photo, repeat to other parts of the reference, color some parts, add some shadow, and customize other elements.

How to draw a simple portrait?

Plan what you want to draw in the portrait, create an initial drawing, set the tone, add some shadows, focus on the eyes, construct the nose, draw the mouth and ears, layer the hair, add some volume, introduce context, detail the features, and incorporate some finishing touches to the portrait.

How to draw a face portrait?

Draw a circle, draw some guidelines on the face, make some eyes in the right position, construct a proportionate nose, add the eyebrows, use a triangle shape to draw lips, add the ears, and draw the hair.

How to make a digital portrait?

Set up your Illustrator document in 1000 pt. × 1000 pt. in RGB color mode with an image resolution of 300 DPI, import the portrait reference, set the transparency, create two new layers, set up the work area, set up your brush appearance, deselect the ‘New Art Has Basic Appearance’, use the Paintbrush tool, create calligraphic brush, and start tracing the reference.

More in Adobe

How to Combine EPS Images in Adobe PhotoshopHow to Make a Greeting Card in Adobe InDesign
How to Make a Calendar in Adobe InDesignHow to Change from Inches to MM in Adobe InDesign
How to Blend Faces in Adobe PhotoshopHow to Curve Text in Adobe InDesign
How to Remove White Background from EPS File in PhotoshopHow Do you Change the Margins in Adobe InDesign
How to Create a Brochure in Adobe InDesignHow Do I Resize a Picture on Adobe InDesign
How Long Does It Take to Learn Adobe InDesignHow to Add Columns in Adobe InDesign
How to Wrap Text in Adobe InDesignHow to Create a Newsletter in Adobe InDesign
How Do I Add PNG in Adobe Premiere ElementsHow to Apply Texture to an Image in Adobe PSD
How to Change Adobe InDesign to InchesHow to Add a Picture in Adobe InDesign
How to Save Action Set in Adobe PhotoshopHow to Convert PDF to Adobe InDesign [Templates + Examples] 2023
How to Wrap Text Around an Image in Adobe InDesignHow to Create QR Code in Adobe InDesign
How to Make a CV with Adobe InDesignHow to Change Background Color on Adobe InDesign [Templates + Examples] 2023
How to Adjust Text and Line Spacing in Adobe PSDAdobe InDesign
How to Create Shapes in Adobe InDesignHow to Crop an Image in Adobe InDesign
How to Create a Hyperlink in Adobe InDesignHow to Zoom In/Zoom Out in Adobe InDesign
How to Insert Page Numbers in Adobe InDesignHow to Make/Create Fonts in Adobe InDesign [Templates + Examples] 2023
How to Create SVG Elements with JavaScriptHow to Convert EPS File to PSD with Layers
How to Create Table in PhotoshopHow to Use the Align Tool in Photoshop
How to Open Multiple Images as Layers in Adobe PhotoshopHow to Save a Mesh Object as SVG Format in Illustrator
How to Create and Modify Brushes in Adobe PhotoshopHow to View and Edit SVG Files
How to Add an SVG Signature File in Your Outlook EmailsHow to Convert EPS to JPG
How to Batch Convert Adobe Illustrator Files into EPS FilesHow to Convert Adobe InDesign File to JPEG
How to Edit SVG File Warning Message in AndroidHow to Convert Adobe InDesign File to PDF
How to Edit a PDF in PhotoshopHow Do I See Word Count in Adobe InDesign
How to Spell Check in Adobe InDesignHow to Make Photos and Vectors in EPS Format
How to Create a Hyperlink in Adobe PSDHow to Create a Brochure in Adobe PSD
How to Print a Poster on Multiple Pages Using PhotoshopHow to Put an SVG into Any Application that Uses HTML
How to Add SVG to a WebsiteHow to Insert SVG Image into a Webpage
How to Export EPS File to BMPHow to Use EPS Files in Photoshop
How to Make Single Line SVG FilesHow to Convert PSD/PSB to JPG in Photoshop
How to Change DPI in PSD to Print High-Quality PhotosHow do I save a logo as an EPS?
How to Save Psd File for Older Version of PhotoshopHow to Convert Sketch Design File into a Layered Photoshop File
How to Include Image in Illustrator EPS FileHow Do I Use the Vector EPS File
How to Recover Deleted EPS FilesHow to Create Specific SVG Outputs through Adobe Illustrator
How to Edit EPS File in AndroidHow to Ungroup Image in Adobe Illustrator
How to Merge Layers in Adobe IllustratorHow to Use Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator
How to Send an EPS File Through EmailHow to Recover Deleted SVG File
How to Use SVG Images in CSS and HTMLHow to Save An Image As An EPS File
How to Combine Multiple EPS FilesHow Do I Create an EPS Logo?
How Do I Create a High-Resolution EPS File?How Do I Convert PNG to EPS in Illustrator?
How to Print an EPS FileHow to Export Photoshop Shapes to SVG with Stroke Effects
How Can I Open EPS Files with Adobe ReaderHow to Create a Metallic Text Effect Using Layer Styles in Adobe Photoshop
How to Make an Infographic on Adobe IllustratorHow to Curve Text in Adobe Psd
How to Use the Magic Wand Tool in Adobe IllustratorHow to Save an Image as an EPS File
How to Resize a Layer in Adobe PsdHow to Add Fonts in Adobe Psd
How to Export SVG Code in Adobe IllustratorHow to Change Stroke Thickness in Adobe Illustrator
How to Make a Business Card in Adobe IllustratorHow to Import Illustrator SVG File to InDesign
How to Resize SVG in Adobe XDHow to Draw Hair in Adobe Illustrator
How to Change the Language in Adobe IllustratorHow to Change Text Color in Adobe Illustrator
How to Animate on Adobe IllustratorHow Can You Save an EPS as a PNG File?
bottom banner