In this lesson, you’ll create a portrait illustration from imagination, focusing on form, light, and color temperature. Gary Meyer will demonstrate how to start with a proportional pencil lay-in, followed by a structured, procedural approach to painting. You’ll establish flat light and shadow masses, then gradually refine subtle halftones, shadows, and key facial features. By incorporating cool skylight into shadow areas and warm sunlight into highlights, you’ll achieve a natural, dimensional effect. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to apply light logic and color harmony to create expressive, imaginative portraits.

This lesson belongs to the course Classic Illustration Crash Course. In this 11-week course, master illustrator Gary Meyer guides you through the essential principles of classic illustration, focusing on perspective, light, and form to create dynamic, fully realized compositions. Designed for students looking to build believable illustrations without reliance on reference, this course emphasizes logical, procedural approaches to drawing and painting in acrylic. You’ll begin with foundational exercises in linear perspective, applying these principles to construct buildings, vehicles, and street scenes. As the course progresses, Gary will guide you through painting landscapes and natural environments with atmospheric lighting, as well as man-made environments, cars, and airplanes with reflective surfaces, all while maintaining a structured and efficient workflow. By the end of this course, you will have developed a diverse skill set to create original, professional-quality illustrations from imagination.

Throughout this course, you’ll have access to the NMA community for feedback and critiques to improve your work as you progress.