Step 1: Decide what size and kind of portrait you want
I want you to be happy with the result which begins with determining what size of painting you are looking for and whether you have a preference for one kind of visual media over another. Acrylics, watercolour, or sketches each lend better to different size ranges, with acrylic being the most flexible of all.
Acrylic paints are suitable for all kinds of portraits. They are typically painted on a gallery-wrapped canvas. The edges are painted black so the portrait will be ready hang.
Watercolors are painted on cold-pressed paper and will need to be framed. I normally ship the painting unframed.
Drawings are a wonderful alternative when choosing a smaller size portrait. They look great when the frame and matting are much larger than the drawing itself.