Portrait illustration – fascination for people and their individual faces

Capturing a person’s face in a portrait has fascinated me ever since I first picked up pen and paper. Gesicht eines Menschen in einem Porträt festzuhalten, fasziniert mich, seit ich zum ersten Mal zu Stift und Papier gegriffen habe. Portrait illustration can therefore easily be described as one of my passions. What makes a face so unique that it is recognizable among thousands and thousands? After all, all faces consist mainly of eyes, mouth and nose and yet the interplay of the individual components is so fine and special that it results in a unique expression. It is important to capture this expression in a good portrait. Color, light and shadow as well as the dominance of the individual parts of the face are the most important aspects for a good interplay.

Portrait illustration at events in Berlin and throughout Germany

The approach to a portrait can look very different, depending on how much time I have available.

I create quick portrait sketches of the guests present at events and special occasions to give them an individual souvenir of the day. A unique snapshot, so to speak, in which my focus is on the dominant features of a face and put on paper with watercolor and ink. I capture the characteristic features of a face in just a few strokes, creating an expressive illustration within ten minutes.

Drawn portraits as an alternative to photos

But detailed portraits of individuals, couples or families are also part of my portfolio. I usually like to use a digital brush to create a coherent overall composition and draw an almost photorealistic illustration that can then be used in a digital context or printed on high-quality watercolor paper as a lightfast art print. Portraits can also be a wonderful eye-catcher for occasions such as weddings or birthdays and especially on invitation cards.

A good portrait illustration can certainly replace a photo and serve as a creative profile picture in social networks or on websites. I am pleased that I have already been able to realize portraits of this kind for agencies and their employees.

Last but not least, drawn portraits are a great and unique gift for special events and whenever an illustration can say more than a normal photo. If you need a beautiful new profile picture for your website and social channels or would like to have a portrait made for a very special occasion, please write to me at info@anjakarboul.com and I will get back to you as soon as possible.