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March became a deeply personal and transformative month in my digital art journey. What started as a simple challenge—to complete a daily digital sketch—quickly evolved into a renewed focus on self-portraiture, pushing both my creativity and technical skills in new directions.

I created these works using a universal capacitive touchscreen stylus. Its compact size and ultra-fine tip make it particularly well suited to detailed digital sketching.

A Return to Self-Portraiture

Earlier this year, I had already begun revisiting self-portraiture, typically dedicating Sundays to the practice. This habit was inspired by my long-standing involvement in a portrait-focused online community where artists share weekly self-portraits. Having been part of that space for nearly a decade, returning to it felt both natural and motivating.

After a period of inactivity during the pandemic and the years which followed, March marked my re-engagement—not just with the group, but with my own artistic identity. By the final week of the month, I had completed a full series of individual self-portraits, each reflecting subtle growth and experimentation.

Starting Small: Rebuilding Skills

Coming back to self-portraiture after a long break required patience. I began by focusing on a single feature—the eye. This allowed me to ease back into observation and proportion without feeling overwhelmed.

Gradually, I started achieving a reasonable likeness in my portraits. However, challenges quickly emerged:

• Skin tones often appeared blotchy
• Facial features felt stiff or “wooden”
• Overall results sometimes resembled a “peg doll” aesthetic

These early struggles became valuable learning moments, guiding my experimentation with tools and techniques.

Experimentation with Texture and Hair

One of the most rewarding breakthroughs came from experimenting with texture—particularly when drawing hair. I explored a range of brushes and tones, using layered browns and chestnut shades to capture depth and movement.

A standout moment was creating a self-portrait with wet hair. To achieve this:

• I used a spray tool to build a soft background tone
• Added thicker, darker strokes to define strands
• Focused on contrast and layering to suggest moisture and weight

This process helped me better represent the natural thickness and unpredictability of my hair.

A 10-inch tablet offers the perfect balance for digital sketching, providing enough screen space for detailed work while remaining portable and comfortable to use for informal evening sketch sessions.

The Challenge of Drawing Glasses

One of the most difficult aspects of my recent self-portraits has been drawing glasses. Before the pandemic, I didn’t wear them, but now they are a constant part of my appearance—especially with blue-light filtering lenses for digital work.

Capturing them accurately proved tricky:

• Frames were often uneven
• Lenses lacked realism
• Proportions didn’t align with the face

I experimented with glow effects to simulate lens reflections, which added some visual interest. However, the real breakthrough came when I began using layers more effectively.

A Game-Changing Technique

By placing the glasses on a separate layer:

• I could adjust size and angles independently
• Easily erase or refine without affecting the underlying portrait
• Experiment freely without fear of ruining previous work

This approach significantly improved both accuracy and confidence, giving me a repeatable process to carry forward.

Looking Ahead: Plans for April

As March concludes, I’m shifting my focus slightly while maintaining consistency in my practice.

Returning to a Weekly Rhythm

Self-portraiture will move back to Sundays, aligning with my routine and allowing space to explore other subjects during the week.

Unsure how traditional self-portrait techniques—those used for centuries and responsible for preserving the likenesses of past monarchs—translate into digital methodologies? Anti-Portraiture offers a compelling read, thoroughly questioning the role and purpose of portraiture in contemporary art.

Exploring Still Life

I’ve collected several tin cans that I’ve been meaning to draw. These will serve as great studies for:

• Reflections and metallic textures
• Light and shadow
• Composition and form

Moving Outdoors: Urban Sketching

With longer evenings and warmer weather approaching, I’m planning to spend more time sketching outdoors. My goal is to schedule at least one or two afternoon sessions each week focused on urban scenes.

These will include:

• Architectural studies of buildings
• Observational sketches of people
• Capturing the energy and structure of city life

The Digital Painting Techniques course from Reed is an excellent self-paced option, covering many of the methods explored throughout this article.

Final Thoughts

March has been a month of rediscovery—reconnecting with self-portraiture, rebuilding technical skills, and embracing experimentation. From struggling with basic features to developing new workflows with layers, each step has contributed to a stronger artistic foundation.

April promises a broader creative scope, blending structured practice with outdoor inspiration, and continuing the momentum built over the past month.

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