How to Draw a Realistic Portrait of Belle

Draw the basic outline of Belle by looking at the reference picture. This should be done lightly so that you can erase if needed

Draw in the eyes, nose, and lips. You can draw a vertical line down the center of the face, and then draw a horizontal line halfway between the bottom of the top. This determines where you will the draw the eyes. Then, divide the bottom portion in half, drawing a line in the middle. This is where the nose should be. Divide the remaining portion in half, and that is where the mouth will be.

Identify the light source in your picture. This determines where you'll be shading. For this picture, the light source is coming from the left, meaning that you will be lightly shading on the right side of her face and neck.

Start shading in the hair. Do this by creating light pencil strokes in the middle of her hair near her parting and move your way toward the edges.

Now shade the rest of the hair, starting from the left side. You can do this by using your pencil to create light pencil strokes all throughout her hair. After you are done with this, use a small piece of tissue or a Q-tip to blend it out. Use the tip of the Q-tip and hold it as a pencil as if you erasing. If you use tissue, you can take a small piece and wrap it around your index finger and rub it in the areas that need blending.

Use a 2B or 4B pencil to go over the darker areas of her hair. This would be near the edges of her hair and near her forehead, and also where her hair is parted. If you don't have a 2B or 4B pencil, just use your normal pencil and go over those areas so they are darker. Use tissue or a Q-tip to blend these areas. Also, use the very tip or edge of your eraser to create highlights in the hair by erasing thin strands.

Shade in the eyebrows and her pupil, and then lightly shade the rest of her eyes. Also, go over her upper waterline with your pencil to make it look thicker, and draw in her eyelashes.

Lightly shade in the edge of her nose and blend it lightly if needed.

Begin shading the mouth. For this part, lightly shade the upper lip and the bottom part of the upper lip should be darker, so use a 2B pencil. Use a 2B pencil for the rest of the upper lip, but apply less pressure so it is lighter. The bottom lip should have a highlight around the center, and the rest of it should be shaded in using a 2B pencil.

Shade the rest of her hair that is tied back in the ponytail. Shade the edges of the ponytail darker than the rest.

Shade in the right side of her face and neck lightly. Use the tissue or Q-tip to blend.