💎 +1M views on my last art reel
Gem #54 - What people (really) love in portraits
Bonjour my little demon,
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TODAY’S GEM
Last week, one of my portrait sheets went viral.
Today, the videos I made from that drawing sheet have reached nearly 1.5 million views in just seven days. I’m thankful—truly—but it’s not the first time this has happened. In 2024 alone, my portraits reached over 37 million people across the world.
And still, every time it happens, my stomach flips.
Wait—this many people love my drawings?
After years of overthinking, I’m starting to see the pattern. I’m starting to understand what people really connect with in a portrait.
And it’s not what you’d expect.
It has nothing to do with realism. Nothing to do with perfect shading or advanced anatomy. From what I’ve seen, it comes down to three simple things:
First, accuracy. Not technical perfection, but believability—portraits that feel real, convincing, like they could breathe if you stared at them long enough.
Second, style. A unique voice that’s consistent and recognisable. Mine focuses on gesture and rhythm more than detail, and I think that’s what makes people stop scrolling.
And finally—meaning. A story, an emotion, a small symbol that turns a drawing into something you remember. Of all three, this is the one that seems to have the biggest impact on my audience.
These three things took me five years to learn and refine. But with the right guidance, I know they can be learned in just a few months. And that’s exactly why I created my two portrait courses—one focused on drawing, the other on storytelling. They’re designed to help you go from “I can draw” to “I create art that speaks to people and inspire potential buyers.”
🎉 Both courses reopen from April 16 to 20. 🎉
If you want to join 700+ students and take your portraits to the next level, be ready: all week, there’ll be exclusive content, special gifts, and surprise offers.
👉 In the meantime, drop your questions in the comments—and tell me what you'd love to learn about portraits.
Voilà, that’s all for today.
Bisou,
Léa
Gosh. it must feel so overwhelming to have that many people suddenly all looking at your work at once. Positively and negatively, it's a lot of attention to take in.