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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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.

Graphite portrait sketch of a woman in three-quarter view, looking to the side with a calm, serious expression. Her dark hair is tied in a messy bun, and she wears a high collar coat with a button. Soft shading on the cheekbones and neck, with loose pencil strokes around the hair.

Pencil portrait sketch of a woman turning her head over her shoulder. Her hair is pulled back and the face has strong shading on the eyes, nose, and lips, with the shoulder left more loose and unfinished.

Small watercolor study of two trees with wide, bright green canopies and brown trunks. The background is soft gray and blue washes, with a simple ground shape at the bottom.

Watercolor sketch of a church tower seen from below, with a small cross on top. The building is painted with loose gray and warm orange shapes against a pale blue sky wash.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman facing forward, wearing a soft beret-like hat. Short hair falls over one eye, with big focused eyes and dark shading around the nose and lips. Strong light and shadow split the face, and a simple jacket collar is suggested.

Graphite portrait sketch of a woman in a beanie, three-quarter view with her head slightly tilted up, eyes looking off to the side, and soft shading defining the nose, lips, and cheek.

Graphite portrait sketch of a young woman, front view, with dark shoulder-length hair and bangs, a furrowed brow, and a serious expression. Strong shadowing around the eyes and cheeks with loose, sketchy clothing lines

Graphite portrait sketch of a woman in three quarter view, hair pulled back into a bun with a few loose stands. Soft shading defines her features, with detailed eyes and lips on a lightly textured paper.

Graphite portrait sketch of a person with short, wavy hair and a calm, sideways gaze; strong shading defines the nose, lips, and the shadowed side of the face, with the neck and shoulders loosely outlined on smudged paper.