I'm glad you're here!
A few things about me, in case you're curious...
Hi, I'm Michael Riley!
I'm an artist based in Memphis and I draw realistic portraits using a single ballpoint pen, the same kind sitting in your kitchen drawer.
I share my work and process online to a community of artists who, like me, believe great art doesn't have to come from expensive supplies.
MY STORY
I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Atlanta. My hands found a pen before my memory really started keeping track. Art class was the only hour of school I actually cared about.
While other artists chased expensive charcoals and oils, I kept coming back to the same boring tool everyone overlooked: the ballpoint pen. No erasing. No undo. Every stroke was a commitment and that's exactly what made it feel honest to me.
It took years of finished drawings (and a lot of failed ones) before I figured out a system that worked. Proportions, layering, patience. Once I had it, I couldn't unsee it. So I started filming.
What began as a few short videos turned into a community of artists who don't believe the "you need talent" story either.
WHAT I TEACH AND WHY
I teach realistic portrait drawing: proportions, anatomy, layering, and the small decisions that make a face look alive instead of stiff.
But really, I teach one idea:
You don't need a studio full of expensive supplies. You don't need to be "naturally talented." You need a 50-cent pen, a system that works, and the patience to take your time.
That's it. That's the whole thing.
I make tutorials, share my process, take on commissions, and I built my first full course, Fix Your Faces, so I can properly hand over the system in one place.
If that sounds like your kind of art, you're in the right place.