How I Created a Graphite Portrait of Anne Shirley

Every portrait tells a story long before the final drawing is finished.

For this artwork I chose Anne Shirley from Anne with an E. Her genuine smile, curiosity and warmth make her one of my favourite fictional characters. I have always found the relationship between Anne and Gilbert incredibly touching, and I hope to draw them together one day.

This article takes you behind the scenes of my drawing process, from preparing the paper to adding the final highlights.

Preparing the Workspace

Before making the first marks on paper, I prepared all the materials I would need.

• Graphite pencils
• Charcoal powder
• Kneaded eraser
• Mechanical pencil (0.5 mm, B)
• Makeup brushes for blending
• A soft makeup sponge

Then I add details with graphite pencils...

The soft makeup sponge is one of my favourite tools for the very beginning of a drawing.

Instead of starting with dark outlines, I first establish the overall values using charcoal powder. Even when the facial features are still barely visible, the sponge allows me to see the future volume of the portrait and judge the light before committing to darker details.

Watch the Drawing Process

This short time-lapse shows approximately forty-two seconds of the drawing process.

It doesn't include every stage, but it captures how the portrait gradually comes to life as graphite layers are built one after another.

Choosing the Paper

For this portrait I used professional Canson drawing paper designed for graphite and charcoal.

One thing I particularly enjoy about this paper is its surface. It holds charcoal powder extremely well without constantly shedding it, while still allowing me to lift highlights cleanly with a kneaded eraser.

Building the Portrait

Most of the portrait was drawn with a 2B graphite pencil.

For the finest details—especially around the eyes, eyelashes and small facial features—I switched to a Faber-Castell 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with B lead.

An H pencil was used only occasionally for subtle corrections and very light construction lines.

The charcoal powder provided the deep background values and stronger contrast, while soft makeup brushes helped create smooth transitions without damaging the paper surface.

The background isn't perfectly even, but I actually like the natural texture it created. More importantly, it gave the portrait much stronger contrast and helped Anne's face stand out from the paper.

The Finished Portrait

One of my favourite parts of this drawing is Anne's smile.

Capturing a genuine expression is always more rewarding than simply copying a photograph. My goal is to preserve not only the likeness but also the feeling behind the moment.

I hope this small behind-the-scenes story gives you an idea of how much care goes into every graphite portrait.

Every commission follows the same philosophy: taking time with every layer, every shadow and every tiny detail until the portrait feels alive.

If you would like me to create a portrait from your own photograph, I would be delighted to hear your story.