Pencil portrait drawing of a woman – 265B

Pencil portrait drawing of a woman

Portrait 265B is an original pencil portrait drawing of a woman by Italian artist Dario Moschetta. The subject appears in strict left-facing profile — neck bare, hair pulled back, gaze directed upward. The composition is vertical, 21×29 cm, and the figure occupies the full height of the sheet, shoulders fading into the grey ground at the lower edge.

The technique is subtraction-based. Moschetta first covers the paper with graphite powder, building a uniform grey field across the entire surface. He then draws with a graphite pencil to reinforce the darker masses — the hair, the shadow behind the ear, the deep tone of the neck. The lights, however, are not drawn at all. They are recovered with a soft eraser, lifting graphite from the paper to reveal the white beneath. As a result, the highlights on the cheekbone, the nose ridge, the ear cartilage and the collarbone are not additions — they are subtractions. Furthermore, this process gives the skin a luminous, almost sculptural quality that no additive technique can replicate.

Original work — material and authenticity

Graphite powder and pencil on 240g fine art paper, 21×29 cm. Drawn entirely by hand, signed and dated on the back (ref. 265B, 2026). The work ships flat in protective packaging, ready to frame, with a certificate of authenticity. Acquired directly from the studio with free worldwide shipping.

If you would like to see another similar drawing, take a look at Portrait 262B, a female side profile in ink, or Portrait 261B, a female ink drawing on paper.

You can also read the full editorial about this drawing.