It’s always so bizarre when a single drawing has the power to unlock something within me - to spark a new level of excitement and inspiration. I would have never guessed it would be a portrait…

Since I was 13 or 14, I’ve had a love / hate relationship with drawing portraits. Back in high school, I painted and drew tons of portraits as that was part of the curriculum in the art classes I took. However, they were always so insanely challenging. Getting the proportions and shading right seemed impossible at times and that created a lot of stress within me. Overtime, all of that built up on top of my outrageous level of perfectionism, which made me resent drawing portraits. They were no longer enjoyable at all. I began to become more attracted to taking portraits of people with my camera instead. Which later led to a career in photography.

This was the last portrait I drew in early 2013 before a 12 year hiatus:

Fast forward to the end of 2024. I randomly began saving portrait drawings in a Pinterest folder. I wasn’t just saving these images. I was studying them and obsessing over them. I began to fall in love with the idea of making portraits again… Maybe it’s because over the years, I took steps to address my unhealthy perfectionism while also understanding how much I truly love faces. Then seemingly out of the blue, I just decided that I would give it a go and draw one of my favorite portrait photos of all time. Which happens to be a photo of my great-grandmother (see drawing below). The process of making this drawing re-ignited my love for portraits. And the response it received just blew me away. I felt inspired again.

Portrait Commissions

Drawing My Own Photographs

After I completed the drawing of my grandmother, I began going through my photo archives to find some of my favorite portrait photographs to draw. I’ve been very fortunate to photograph so many beautiful and unique faces over the years which has been such a gift. So to start, I chose three faces that are vastly different and decided to draw them.

Here are the few drawings I’ve recently completed:

Portrait Commissions

I realized that if I’m going to be drawing portraits on a regular basis again, then it’s time to let everyone know that I’ll also be accepting portrait commissions! If you’re interested in one, please send an email to:

pthorntonart@gmail.com

You can also use the form at the bottom of the commissions page on my website.

Commissions

A New Beginning?

Maybe this is a new chapter in my art career. It kinda feels that way but who knows. I’m just riding the waves of life and continuing to explore my curiosities. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyways?

I’m forever grateful to those who have decided to tag along and join the ride by subscribing and following my work. It makes all of this that much more special. More portraits on the way.

Thank you and much love.

-Parker

Art Prints

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www.parkerthornton.work