[Course]clazroominstructor,liangwei Details
Intro
Class Intro
Clazroom Instructor, Liang Wei
"Learn how to draw realistic and stylized portraits from black and white sketches to full color."
Start with Realism, Stylize with Purpose, and Discover Your Own Style.
The process of stylizing a realistic portrait bridges technical skill and personal creativity. Students will not only learn how to draw accurate, lifelike portraits, but also how to transmute them into expressions of their own artistic voice. This dual approach helps learners build strong foundational skills while developing their individuality—of paramount importance in the creative sphere.
This class will take students on a whirlwind course to help them master portrait art and develop their own stylized approach. They will learn their way around facial structure, facial proportions, shading techniques, and drawing with realism and accuracy utilizing various Photoshop tools. Then, they’ll experiment with simplification and exaggeration to stylize their work. Using real images for reference, they will enhance it further by learning the mechanisms of light, color, and mood. This course blends technical skills with personal style development, helping students to realize portraits that are both realistic and artistically unique.
Class Preview
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Check Out Liang Wei's Class Preview!
Chapter 17.
Light and Color Application
1. Adding light, color, and mood. 2. Skin tone under different lighting, color, and mood. 3. Color rendering techniques and layers.
Class Perks
Special Gift from Liang Wei
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Unlimited Access to All Chapters and Class Materials- Study at your own pace and return to any chapter you need, anytime. -
Claz'room's Discord Community Support- Connect with peers and share progress in a dedicated artist community -
One-time Personalized Art Feedback- Recieve direct, tailored critique on your work from the instructor
- Identify strengths and areas for improvement with expert guidance
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Brushes and Reference Pack- A wide variety of texture brushes for you to experiment with and incorporate into your work.
- Access to all the reference photos used throughout the class. -
In-class Working Files- Full-resolution PSD files provided so you can explore every layer and detail.
- A live sketching demonstration included to help reinforce key concepts through visual practice. -
Class Slides and Exercises- Comprehensive notes and presentation slides are available for every chapter.
- Ready-to-use templates provided to help you navigate class exercises more easily.
Recommendation
Who should take this class?
Beginners who want to learn to draw realistic and stylized portraits with step-by-step instructions
Novices who want to improve their skills in lighting, mood and coloring techniques
Amateur artists who want to refine their realistic portrait drawing and painting techniques
Expert Clazroom Instructor Liang Wei's Portfolio
* This Portfolio includes fanart.
Why Take This Class?
Uncover the many mysteries of portrait drawing with Instructor Liang Wei’s comprehensive course designed for aspiring artists. You’ll start with the fundamentals—mastering head proportions using the Loomis Method before learning to tackle facial anatomy from every angle. Then there’s light and form, and learning how to shade both geometric and organic shapes to bring depth to your sketches. From there, he will guide you step-by-step through realistic portrait sketching and shading using different brushwork techniques.
Want to forge your own artistic identity? His portrait sessions will help navigate your path between semi-realism and stylization, teaching you how to simplify as well as exaggerate key features. By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a strong foundation in portrait art but also the tools to refine and personalize your work. Whether you want to make your art look realistic or vamp it up with creative flair, this course will give you the freedom to achieve both. This is where you can start to bring your characters to life!
19 Class Exercises
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Head proportion- Learn ideal head proportions using the Loomis Method. -
Facial features- Understand and draw facial features from different angles. -
Heads from different angles- Practice male and female heads and basic hairstyles in varied views.
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Drawing basic forms- Shade geometric shapes while learning lighting, form, and edge control. -
Drawing organic forms- Apply shading techniques to organic objects with attention to edges. -
Front view portrait, part 1- Create a realistic outline using the Loomis Method and references.
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Front view portrait, part 2-Apply shading with a hard round brush to add light and shadow. -
Profile view portrait, part 1- Draw a profile outline based on photo reference and proportion rules. -
Profile view portrait, part 2- Shade the portrait using pastel texture brushes for depth.
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3/4 view portrait sketching, part 1- Outline a 3/4 view portrait using the Loomis Method and observation. -
3/4 view portrait sketching, part 2- Use dry brush strokes for realistic shading and depth. -
Low angle portrait, part 1- Outline a low-angle portrait while maintaining accurate proportions.
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Low angle portrait, part 2- Shade using charcoal brushes to enhance form and volume. -
Skin tone rendering- Paint skin tones with appropriate color and lighting. -
Portrait in different lighting- Explore how mood and light direction affect color and form.
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Drawing a stylized portrait (semi-realistic)- Simplify and exaggerate features for a semi-realistic look. -
Drawing a stylized portrait (cartoonish)- Use bold shapes and stylization to create a cartoonish face. -
Coloring a stylized portrait- Apply expressive color, mood, and lighting in a stylized portrait. -
Adding the final details- Refine your work with personal touches, brushwork, and style choices.
Final Products
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Realistic Portrait- Learn to capture lifelike proportions, lighting, and facial features using reference photos.
- This final piece demonstrates your ability to create depth and realism through shading and brush control. -
Semi-Realistic Portrait- Blend realism with expressive stylization by simplifying or exaggerating key features.
- This outcome showcases your grasp of form while allowing for creative interpretation. -
Stylized Portrait- Develop a unique, cartoonish or graphic style that highlights your personal voice.
- This final work reflects your ability to abstract and stylize faces while applying color, mood, and bold brushwork.
Instructor
Clazroom Instructor
Liang Wei
Hello everyone! I’m Liang Wei, a 2D illustration instructor at Clazroom College, specializing in figure sketching and still life drawing. I have over 10 years of experience as an art instructor, freelance illustrator, and photographer.
In this course, you’ll learn how to draw realistic and stylized portraits—from black and white sketches to color rendering. Don’t worry if you’re new to drawing! I’ll guide you one step at a time and provide clear instructions on the techniques with demo videos. We’ll also explore how to use photos for reference, applying the type of light, shadow, and color that make your work more interesting. The course builds slowly from basic to advanced, so let's grow together and start creating beautiful portraits!
We believe that every dream is precious and everyone has the ability to attain their goals.
We believe that a good school is a community full of culture, philosophy and good mentors.
Our environment embodies the dreams and will of all our students. They are the soul of this community.
They are here to tell us that passion, hard work, and commitment are more valuable than the carelessly-used word we call “talent”.
Clazroom Instructor,
Liang Wei
[Current]
Instructor at Clazroom College
[Previous]
Freelance illustrator
Magazine photographer
Projects & Awards
Instagram
Highlights
Class Highlights
Fundamentals for Drawing a Head
Learn basic shapes and proportions of the human head to be able to draw heads from different angles. Understanding general facial structure and features helps you to draw more accurate portraits of men and women.
Drawing a Realistic and Stylized Portrait
Realistic portraits aim for accurate proportions, detailed features, and shading to create depth and texture—just as a real person would look. Stylized portraits often simplify shapes, exaggerate features, and rely on the artist’s creativity to express the subject’s personality or mood.
Mastering Light, Color, and Mood
Understand how different directions/angles of light affect the subject. Good understanding of the use of value (in art) effectively helps convey depth and form. Learn to choose and mix colors to set the mood, achieve realism, or express your artistic style. When combined, these skills allow you to create visually compelling portrait art.
Class Details
You'll Learn
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Head Proportion & Facial FeaturesDraw male and female heads from various angles, keeping ideal proportions in mind. Understand the basic anatomy of facial features, including their structure and placement. -
Light and FormExplore the different types of light and shadow, and learn how they affect the appearance of objects. Practice shading techniques to add flesh to both geometric and organic forms. -
Sketching a Realistic PortraitPractice drawing realistic portrait sketches using reference photos to capture accurate proportions and details. Textured brushes for shading adds depth, dimension, and a lifelike quality to your work.
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Color Theory and LightingDevelop an understanding of brightness, color, and mood. Apply these elements when coloring portraits to make them more vivid and emotionally engaging. -
Semi-realistic & Cartoonish ArtCarefully study your subject’s facial features to better capture their unique characteristics. Experiment with various techniques to find your own creative approach to stylization. -
Painting a Stylized PortraitCreate a stylized portrait by incorporating bold brushstrokes and expressive lines. Let your personality shine through your art.
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Interview with
Clazroom Instructor Liang Wei
Question.01
Is there a specific reason why you chose this specific topic/themes?
I think that portrait drawing is an essential skill every artist should have, especially for those looking to settle in the art industry. Many roles in the industry including game artists, illustrators, animators, and concept artists, require the ability to design believable and expressive characters. Strong foundational skills in portrait drawing help bring these characters to life.
Question.02
Could you please share how you started your journey in the industry?
I've always loved to practise drawing since middle school, and eventually moved on to study illustration at an art college. After graduating, I spent my time carving out a career as an art instructor and freelance illustrator. At some point, I also turned photography, another one of my interests, into a full-time job. Now, I've reversed course to get back to my roots, teaching illustration at Clazroom College.
Question.03
What do you think is the most important trait(s) to success in your industry?
One of the most important traits needed to succeed in the art industry is consistency—the number of hours put into practice, refining, and producing a work of art, even in times of challenge, personal or artistic. Other than that, I would say that passion, adaptability, and a willingness to learn are powerful personal virtues to live by. The world of art and illustration changes at a blurring pace, and staying curious and open to feedback is how you manage to grow and thrive in the industry.
Required Programs
This course will use Adobe Photoshop.
Please purchase and install these program(s) for an optimized chapter experience.
*These programs and/or materials will not be provided with the chapter.
