Daily Sketches

In 2026, feeling stuck with my progress with drawing and painting, I set myself a simple rule: one portrait a day. Here they are in chronological order: the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Sanguine portrait of a man with curly dark hair and a thick mustache, looking straight at the viewer. Warm reddish shading on the cheeks, nose, and neck, with dark sepia on the hair and mustache.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman in 3/4 view, looking to the side with a strong frown and furrowed eyebrows. Hair is pulled back, with loose strands near the ear. Soft shading on the cheek and neck, and she wears a choker with a small heart pendant.

Portrait drawing of a young man with messy curly dark hair and light stubble. He has a tired, neutral expression and heavy-lidded eyes. The shading is soft in warm brown tones with darker charcoal lines.

Hand drawn portrait of a young woman with dark straight hair and short bangs. Warm brown shading on the face and neck, with dark sketchy lines for the hair, on light toned paper. She looks slightly to the side and has a calm, serious expression.

Graphite drawing of an older man wearing a tall top hat. His face looks tired and serious, with deep wrinkles and heavy shadows. The background is softly shaded in gray.

Portrait of a woman with dark wavy hair. The face is shaded with warm reddish tones and soft charcoal, looking slightly to the side with a calm, serious expression.

Graphite portrait sketch of a woman with long curly hair, shown from the shoulders up. She is looking to the left, with soft shading on the cheek and a darker mass for the hair.

Small portrait sketch of an older bald man with intense eyes and a big white beard. Warm brown tones model the face, with charcoal shading around the head and background.

Graphite portrait of a woman in three-quarter view, looking to the left. She has long dark hair, winged eyeliner, and a small hoop earring. Soft shading defines the cheekbones and neck.

Sanguine portrait of an older man with a furrowed brow and serious look. Warm reddish-brown shading on the face with charcoal around the hair and background.

Sanguine and charcoal portrait of a young woman with messy hair, looking to the side with a small calm smile.

Graphite portrait drawing of a man looking straight at you, wearing a wide cap and a thick turtleneck. He has big dark eyes, a long nose, and a curled mustache, with soft shading around the cheeks and hat.

A loose portrait drawing of a young woman in three-quarter view, with wavy dark hair and a calm, slightly tired expression. Warm reddish shading and dark charcoal lines shape the face.

Portrait sketch of a young man head and neck, looking to the side. Warm sanguine shading on the face with charcoal hair and darker shadows.

Graphite pencil portrait sketch of a woman facing forward, with hair pulled back and a strong shadow covering the right side of the face and neck.

Graphite sketch portrait of a man with a thick mustache, looking sideways with intense eyes. He wears a suit jacket, patterned shirt, and dark tie, with loose construction lines and shading around the jaw and cheeks.

A small graphite portrait sketch of a young woman with dark hair, looking to the side with a calm, serious face. Soft shading on the cheeks and under the chin, and the hair is drawn in broad dark tones.

Graphite portrait sketch of a bald man with a serious, tired expression, looking slightly to the side. Strong shadows define the cheekbones, nose, and jaw, with a dark turtleneck and a jacket collar.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman in three-quarter view, looking to the left. Her hair is parted and tied back in a low ponytail, with soft shading on the face, neck, and shoulder.

Graphite pencil portrait sketch of a young man in three quarter view, looking sideways with a sharp eyebrow and calm expression. Dark shaded hair swept back, strong jawline, and a shaded shirt.

Portrait sketch of a woman with wavy, curly hair framing her face. She looks straight ahead with a calm, tired expression, with deep shading around the eyes, nose, and lips. Drawn in dark sanguine pencil on toned paper.

A woman with long dark hair stands against a white textured wall, holding a spiral sketchbook with the portrait from the first picture. Two decorative masks hang on the wall behind her.

Graphite portrait sketch of a man facing forward. Short dark hair, tired eyes, and strong shadow shapes around the nose and cheekbones. Neck is loosely indicated with light lines.

Graphite sketch of a woman’s head in 3/4 view. Hair is pulled back with a middle part, big eyes looking forward, and dark shaded lips. Soft shading on the cheek and jaw.

Pencil portrait sketch of a young man in 3/4 view, looking slightly to the right. He has short curly hair, strong cheekbones, and full lips. The face is shaded with soft graphite tones and crosshatching, and there is a loose outline of a shirt collar.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman in three-quarter view, looking slightly to the left. She has thick eyebrows, calm eyes, and full lips, with strong shading under the cheekbone and neck. Her curly hair is tied back with loose strands on the side.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young man in three-quarter view, looking to the side. He has thick wavy hair, strong eyebrows, and soft shading on the cheek and neck, with a simple collared shirt and light hatching in the background.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman in 3/4 view, looking to the right. Her hair is parted in the middle and pulled back, with loose strands near the neck. Soft shading builds the cheek and nose, with a darker shadow covering the right side of her face and eye.

Pencil portrait drawing of a young woman with long wavy hair, looking slightly to the side. Soft shading defines the cheekbones, nose, and lips, with darker shadows under the chin and around the hair.

The woman from the first portrait holds up a sketchbook with her graphite portrait, smiling under soft pink light.

Graphite portrait sketch of a woman looking straight at the viewer. She has dark hair pulled back with some loose strands, and sunglasses resting on top of her head. One hand supports her cheek, and she wears a small earring and a simple shirt, with soft shading around the eyes and neck.

A graphite portrait sketch of a young man with wavy medium length hair. The head is slightly tilted, with a calm but tired expression and heavy shadow around the eyes and nose. Loose pencil lines shape the curls, and the shirt is filled with quick diagonal strokes.

A graphite portrait sketch of a young woman looking to the side with a serious expression. Her hair and dress are shaded with the same dense pencil strokes, creating a dark shape that frames her face. The face is lighter with defined eyebrows, eyes, and lips, with a few soft smudges on the paper.