Realistic Embroidery Portrait

Historically, human likeness has been considered one of the most challenging and complex artistic expressions. Regardless of the medium and art form a portrait takes, it requires advanced skills and understanding of facial anatomy to do it correctly. I have always been fascinated with portraits and decided to combine my passion for embroidery with my love of humanity and interest in portraiture. I decided to challenge myself by thread-painting a face. Here is my creative journey. I hope you find it interesting and inspiring.

To begin with, selecting a high-quality reference photo is crucial. In my case, I opted for a picture of my favorite actress, Alexandra Nikiforova. When it comes to embroidery, color is a key factor, so I made sure to choose an image that is large enough for high-quality printing. After adjusting and printing the image, I transferred it into a line drawing and then onto the stabilazer layer that goes ove the base fabric. While tracing, I carefully observed the shadows and highlights on the facial features and made sure to incorporate them into the pattern.

I collected the embroidery floss and sorted it by color, matching the colors to the reference photo. I added two stabilizer layers to my base fabric: one on top with the design outlined, and one on the bottom. This makes the fabric less wrinkly as I add stitches, since the embroidery will have a few layers and become thick." I started the embroidery by using medium values, avoiding shadows and highlights initially. It's easier to add them later. When embroidering, I mainly use a simple running stitch with a single thread, following the direction of the surfaces and planes of the face, as I would draw it with a pencil. If you're new to portrait drawing, I suggest practicing on paper with a pencil first to understand the direction the lines take as they follow the form of the face before beginning the embroidery.

I gradually add stitches to the face, filling in the space. Once I'm done with the mid values, I deepen the shadows and add lighter tones as I go. Paying attention to details is crucial in realistic depictions, so I always keep my reference in front of my eyes as I work and study it constantly.

The artwork is complete, and I am quite content with the outcome. I could leave it like that, however, I aim to assemble a comprehensive composition. With this in mind, I've decided to craft a fabric collage using embroidery to infuse the piece with an air of mystery and mood. I have carefully chosen beautiful vintage lace and soft, stretchy velvet for the base, ensuring that the color scheme complements my vision by dyeing the lace a dark blue. Then I cut out the portrait and assembled the composition together. To add an extra touch of radiance, I have also opted to incorporate sequins and glass seed beads.

Then I stretched the finished work on the oval canvas and framed it. Here is a short video of the step-by-step work on the project. Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments.