PaperFaces project
PaperFaces was an illustration project by designer Michael Rose — hey that’s me! For two years I drew the faces of strangers everyday using only an iPad, a stylus, and the app Paper by WeTransfer.
The following gallery of drawings shows how my technique has evolved over the years. Most posts include work in progress screenshots or time-lapse videos showing my process.
Hair Scarf
Unstoppable Hand
Bokeh Behind that Purple
Unfinished except the nose
Broken Neck Lines
...I feel cold. Death.
Bearded skull of the night
White Eyes Glow Sometimes
Driving Sunset
Red vs Green
The Battle Within
Live long and prosper
Rosebuds in Blur
Flipped Shirt
Oh Eye Dunno
Bubble Bubble
Violet Moon
Rabbit Rabbit
See Right Through Me
Drape Fold the Shoulder
From Blue to Fuchsia
Pull My Lips
The Dark Knight Rises
Tiger Style
The Killing Joke
Hooded Girl that Hides
You Need a Mouth to Mumble
Let's get spooky
Winter ready
A beard that hides
Rosebuds in the pumpkin patch
White room with gray
He Did It. No He Did It!
Landscape of the Apocalypse
A face that hides
Beer and Pretzel
Portrait winner number 3
I Really Enjoy Gray Part 199
Portrait Winner Number 1
Revisiting the first PaperFace
Groomed Beard Blur
Still Faking Pencil with Pencil
Faking pencil with Pencil
Blue green grin
Fine Line Glasses
Lid Flip
Wind Blown Guile Hair
LEGO Man
Soft and Light
Vampires that Sparkle
A Drawing of a Ghost
By himself
Data is such a card
Visible pencil strokes
Chalkboard Words
Ska Killer
The Littlest Avenger
Blue is the Warmest Color
Bright Yellow
Girl and Cat
Watercolor Shades
Fuzzy Sweater
Isn’t easy being green
This Dog Stole My Hat
Half and Half
Wild hair
The twins turn two
This Shirt Has a Lot of Lines
Very Painterly
Faking a bokeh again
Hoodie Fight
Architecture in Gray
Hats up glamour shot
Suited up beardo
Union Jack
Hint of a bird’s wing
White Rooms Always
Black tie on white
What do you see?
Chalk Lines
Earbud buds
Mountain Posing
Orange and blue beart
Pixelated glasses
Ripped jeans
Smile directed at 270 degrees
Red stripe
Smiley beard
White ringed eyes
Four lights
Get to the choppah
Riddle me this
The darkness
A classic pose
Off camera glance
Rosey cheeks, green shadows
Sharks have fins
Heard you like eyes
White light blur
Cloud dancer
Hoodies and architecture
Wall of light
How much is that doggy in the window?
Foliage lurking in the dark
Balancing act
Stop staring at me
Chloe, 22 months
Everly, 22 months
Thumbs up, cool hat
Glasses cast shadows
Sideways drawing
Toss of the hair
Glasses of the gray
All alone
I am utterly alone
Zombie face
Curls of orange
Coffee mug bokeh
All for money
Brick wall
Public transportation
Smoke if ya got ’em
Happy doll
Lurking behind Domo
Your shirt is unbuttoned
Grumpy cat
In a gray room
Plaid against the wall
Stripes and shadow
Ukulele and bikes
Beard chin on green
Guitar shredding
Sass in shadow
Days of Future Past
Eyes up
Half lit diagonals
Sun hat
An unlit cig can't kill you
Blue eyes wrapped in blue
Cloud and mountain pr0n
Open the Pod bay doors, HAL
Intense eye
Live long and prosper
Scruffy beard revisited
Soft spot light
Stylin' pose
Artist in gray
Scarf and blazer
Flipped lid
Hair in your eyes
I'm the firestarter
Crazy eye
Sniff sniff
Die, Jedi, die!
Hand on hand
Here goes nothing
It's a trap!
You were the chosen one!
And now, young Skywalker... you will die.
Jedi scum
I know
Black cat Cadillac
An upward tilt
Matilda Jane Rosebuds
Soft blur to the right
Snake bites
45 degree tilt
Open eyes
Beard over the shoulder
Lip lick
Vintage cool
Warm Face
Buttoned up in a sweater
Hello face
Wearing Glass like a boss
The Declaration of Independence is mine
Beard envy
Posterized in yellow
Spelling mistakes
One year
Hug the moon
Jean jacket rock
Blank stare
Collars up
Hold up
Graduation Two
Causing chaos
The sun casts pale light
Hoodie and a glow
A hair flower without color
Beauty is in the moment
Climbing mountains
Le hockey sur glace
Cello, is it me you're looking for?
Painted nails
Breathing underwater
Cousin It
Bashful hair
Over the shoulder
Red glow
Bashful hair on Sktchy
Direct sunlight and bokeh part 2
King of pop
Direct sunlight and bokeh
Drinks in gray
The one who knocks
Thinking
Weather appropriate
Car ride reflections
Walter White look a like?
The color of ice
Illusion of the eye
Little one x2
Twinkling lights from Paris
Suit doesn't match the name
Leather jacket
Hat halo
Bright colors and bokeh
Front faced gaze
Hand tats
Killer clown
Getting realistic with gray
Killer curled stache
Green strikes the glasses
Blood prayers
A slight grin
Gray stripes in gray light
Ribbit ribbit
Sweaters are sweeter
Focusing on the glasses
Redhead in shadow
Painting contrast in gray
A gray day
A scenic view of The Mokes
An awkward stare
Smile and blush
Rugged hat in sunlight
The littlest panda
Beard at an angle
Graduation in the sun
A revisit in gray
Punch something
Rose tinted sunglasses
Eyes that pierce
Lit in profile
Weathered wood
Blood bath
Curls at the beach
Yellow shirt and blur
Peekaboo halved
Thin stripes in gray
Forest lighting
Ears covered in sounds
Looking forward
Polka dot draws
That weathered look
Blizzard protection
Details in the sunglasses
Looking soft in her blizzard protection
Black cap
Fancy shear and flowers
Bird back
Glitching out
Red sweatshirt, I think
Semi erased
Motorcycle jacket in soft focus
Feather necklace
Bundled up in red
Mirrored faces
Overhead halo
Sometimes you need to add blue
Orange you glad I didn't…
Bird cage faux forest
Upside down draws
Reflected orange light
Riding in cars with yellow and blue hues
White hair
Long locks of curl
Black and white bangs
Fake mountains
First face of 2014
Green bokeh
Pink sweater
Dolphin whisperer
Half peekaboo
Sweater weather
Rosebud twins on Christmas
Purple frames
Shoulder riders
Spiderwebs and dew drops
Winter cap in the street
Capturing all the details
Old timey brothers
Softly lit full face
Little one in the orange bow
Happy family
Movember is over
Polka dot drape
Purple strands and specs
Winter faces
Best man
Rohan robber
Not a club
Afterglow face blurs
For the flowers against pink
Grayscale and Pencil and Blend oh my!
Bright whites
SNIKT!
Undercut inspiration
Drawing in shadows
Fire tipped hair
Painterly orange wall
Rated blue for bright
Reason 2 live
The color of gravy
Time Travelers
Two fer
Zipped up by sea
Raining hearts
Eyes on the prize
Ghosting faces
Kitty on the shoulder
Only god forgives
Birdie by a cage
Drawing in the shadows
I caught a fish this big
All snuggled up
Blue beanie monkey
Drawing with DayGlo
Red brick hair
Blue cool
Thor and his big hammer
QR coded
An exercise in gray
Stylized yellow flowers
The kids and their Final Fantasies
Look up smile
Sun dress
Hairs on fire
Hey Darkman, how do you like your steaks?
Half light, half dark
Locked in a pink room
Remember kids, always wear your safety belt
Rock and roll
Yankees cap
Cat familiar
Kissy kissy
7 heads, 3 backsides, and one plumber's crack
Can you find the penquin?
Geometry down the hall
Overlooking red
Sippy sip from the big cup
Wood grain practices
5 shades of pink
The sky ran red with blood
Triforce of Courage
Yellow sleeveless
Scarfie selfies
Side hoodies of gray
Another happy couple
Dramatic lighting in a suit
Balance is everything
Drawing geometry
I want your skulls
Tilted
Three stars
Halfsies
Pink tips
Maps and earbuds
Monitor reflections
That old time photo look
Plaid is the new plaid, get it?
Scattering light through a hat
Happy Anniversary
Half a shadow hawk
Pondering
Basement dweller
Goatee at the wall
Smile for Lady Liberty
A pipe smoking velociraptor walks into a bar…
Wild and furry
Look at this view!
Wrapped around
Backlit colors
Looking up
Peace sign
Hold up your iPhone in honor of iOS 7
Jean Jacket Rocks x2
Google Glass fancy future
Hair in braids
Hat tip in gray
Magenta and beard on a tilt
Sitting in grass
Spooky kids
Woof! Cuddle in gray
Computing on a computer
Eye spy with my golf ball eye
Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin
Brightly in blue
Is that a hanging noose?
Patterns of plaid
Gray values in a four inch square
Happy in red
Missing plastic chairs
America Eff Yeah!
Beard by the beach
It's hard to stare without eyes
Lean back and relax
Shirtless in gray
Spooky sepia lighting
Cyborg
G is for Grrrape
Long hair and lips
Naturally lit with sunlight
War paint
Feet up relaxin'
Lower right corner
Overlooking the water
Think Different
Going light on the color
Pixelated beard
Stripes in the trees
Back to drawing color
White highlights in gray
Fiesta!
Smile, you're on candid camera
Dramatic mustache
Hooded figure
Some of my favorite colors
Summer popsicle
Curls in the sun
Mohawk in gray
A birthday bokeh
Folding a menu in a gray room
Hoodies from the future
Looks like an airplane window
Painterly backdrop and beard
Plant something
Invisibility is a white shirt on a white wall
A gaggle of big headed hipsters
Low contrast is the best contrast
Mountains or hill tops?
Sitting on the beach at sunset
Sidewalk stroll
Blurry foliage portrait
Intersecting lines and long hair
Tying ties in the woods
A pixelated hoodie and face
Long walks on the beach
Drawing hairs before midnight
Half of this drawing is blonde hair
A face of pixels
Trading drawings for a feature
Another eye and half face
A full face in low contrast
Curly hair in a knit hat
Posterization
Dramatic contrast and a hint of smile
Curly hair on the grass
Rotated the composition
Chillin' at the game
Painterly skylines
Shading hair with blue and magenta
Holding a bottle by a wall of mellow light
Look ma, I'm a SIM!
Wanna fight?
Full half face
Ghost faces by a spiraling staircase
Blurring backgrounds and curling hair
Busy streets drawn less chaotic
Faking light leakages and green hats
No eyes, 95% face
Hats in a car
Some sort of furry
Flickering lights of rain
Wind blowing blue green skies
All flipped up
Blue tinted eye
Look up, the sky is falling
Long hair in black and white
On the gray everything is enhanced
Using your imagination to see a smile
Neon look of blue and green
Horse head drinky the beer
Nose ring smirk
Winking, but you can't tell
Blanket party with puppy
Eye eye captain
Orange and blue
PaperFaces portrait of Mates of State
Hey, my eyes are up here!
Hungry for a knuckle sandwich?
Long hair in a dark room
Please excuse the face, sometimes I draw them
Shirt and tie in black and white
Sun lights the hair in a bokeh filled afternoon
Google Glass, I am from the future
PaperFaces portrait of a Go master
Brand New shirt pulling a light switch
Floating head in grayscale
Long hair near them stairs
Look up, graffiti wall and sunglasses
A PaperFaces Thank You for FiftyThree
Work shirting it
Overcast day at the beach
She said yes
PaperFaces self portrait of Michael Rose
Brightly colored by the sky
For my next trick…
Glowing glasses made from glowsticks
Purple glow
365th PaperFaces portrait
Blouse made of turquoise
Kind of looks like Slenderman no?
Working in grayscale is totally my jam
Grinning in front of a red curtain
PaperFaces portrait of Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk
At the salon
Goatee reflected glasses
Scarf beard
Put a bird on it
Deal with it
A Mother's Day PaperFaces portrait of @veganwendy
A couple of war paint faces
Hold the iPhone steady as you frame your shot
Muted tones in a cozy sweater
Long hair with a slight curl
PaperFaces portrait of Iron Man
Remember to always wear a helmet
Long flowing fire hair
Dressed up all fancy
Mute colored wall
Thumbs up Giants
PaperFaces portrait of Boba Fett
PaperFaces portrait of Chewbacca and Princess Leia
PaperFaces portrait of Darth Vader
PaperFaces portrait of Slave Leia and Jabba the Hutt
PaperFaces portrait of Yoda and Luke Skywalker
Blazer and t-shirt
Long hair outside in nature
Pew Pew Pew!
Pink mohawk
Speaking at a conference
Blonde hair in red
Dark hair in gray
Faux pipe smoking in a sweet hat
Glasses in red hair
Grayscale mustache
In a blue wintery scene
Mail Chimp shirt at the bowling alley
Pretty sunset
Sideways down on a red leather couch
Tattooed in trees
Wearing a cheetah print headband
Bride and groom posing by a trolley car… I think
Curly hair drawn in sepia tones
In shadow on an overcast day
Restaurant green lights the hair
Shirtless military
Getting grabby at those heart shaped glasses
Glasses wearing a pair of headphones
In shadows with dramatic lighting
Long brown hair
Neon green short sleeve shirt
PaperFaces portrait of the in-laws
Shag cut in plaid
Beard wearing a bowtie
Glasses wearing houndstooth
Slenderman look a like?
Glasses wearing v-neck
Guy and gal all bloodied up
Long curly hair in a red scarf
Red hoodie and glasses in the shadows
Against striped walls
Backpacking in a scarf
Black and white face in shadow
Glasses in a washed out palette
Violets and purples
Blue Man Group look-a-like
Cat face bathroom selfie
Developer slash designer
Knit hat wearing sunglasses
No eyes, bright red lipstick
Painted joker smile
Side swept in a hoodie
Don't I know this guy from somewhere…
Hair drawn like fire
Holding a Twister DVD
Lips in a dull green hoodie
Scuba mask underwater
Blonde in the dark cuddling a white pussy cat
Blue dress curved
Bug furry hat
Holding a camera in front
Illustrated in purble and blue tones
Long hair wearing a fashionable scarf
Mouth open in muted tones
Red and purple illuminated side
Tight winter hat
Bacon mustached
Circles behind grayscale
Drinking from a red plastic cup
In a suit
Long hair and blue striped shirt
Orange tones
Large goggles in black and white
Mustache sitting in the dark
Pink hoodie hearted hand
Rosey cheeks against an illustrative background
Winter wonderland couple outside
Blonde up against a dark red background
Bowtie and nerd glasses
Long hair purple and red highlights
More metal than a toaster
Van dyke moustachio drinking cat
Beard in golden yellow tones
High contrast beautiful long hair
Long black hair and dark clothing
Tony Stark look-a-like
V-neck in black and white
Dark jacket looking downward
Playing strings in the forest
S basecball cap in black and white
Glasses with red headphones
The king has risen
Dramatic looking gray bricks
Glasses wearing a plaid scarf
In front of an ornate frame and candle holder
Pink and bright violet tones
Plaid shirt leaning against a blue wall
Sunglasses in black and white
Black and white 3/4 view
Guy and his gal in Washington DC
Happy couple and their two dogs
Long hair against a bright red background
Purple long sleeve dress shirt
Sunglasses chilling in the street
3/4 pose
Fire fighter
Happy couple sitting on the grass
Three boys sitting side by side
Couple in front of water
Plaid in front of some architecture
Suit in a landscape
In a hat, but not a cowboy
In sunglasses
Light orange toned background
Long hair in grayscale
In shadows, black and white
MiemZzz drawn in black and white
In a black motorcycle jacket
In a gray hoodie
Jumping really high in the blue sky
Long hair and red lipstick
Long hair wearing a striped shirt
Black and white beard
Glasses and short hair
In a hat
Yellow and violet tones
Glasses in front of green water
Short hair and red lipstick
In a scarf thinking lots of orange hues
In a suit and hat talking mobile phones
Sunglasses with green stuffed animal
Hand eyes with a curly mustache
Laying on a blanket at the beach
Listening to music, window style
Yellow and blue tones
Batman and his girl
Blonde hair taking a selfie
Sunglasses with side swiped hair
Yellow lime colored shirt
Ferris wheel at night
Furry hat snuggling a Siamese cat
High brightness front view
Self portrait of the scruffy artist
Standing in a field of sunflowers
Swallow neck tattoos and glasses
Wearing a bright orange knit hat
A couple
A man and his dog
Big grin on those orange hues
Camo hat and floral wallpapers
Dramatic lighting in a brown room
Fancy pants hat tip
Flower girl in a grass field
Frosty blue snowflake bokeh
Goatee earlobe tugging
Gray and blue striped hoodie
Gray tones and striped shirts
Holding a baby on a leather couch
iPhone holding purple blouse
Just married mustache lip disguises
Long hair in violet
Long hair leaning forward
Raiden wins. Flawless victory!
Steam punk aesthetic, in a hat
The big man in red
Framed stuck tongue
Plaid in glasses
3/4 view against an orange background
3/4 view in rust tones
A study in gray
Cap, eye glasses, and tie
Drawing in black and white
I wear my sunglasses at night…
In a blue dress shirt
Long flowing hair in a red tank top
Looking at a mobile device intensely
Man of Steel
Muted Tones in an Earthy Room
Pasta strainer over the head
Plain white T, another study in gray
Sitting in the dark wearing a hoodie
Yellow and blue stripes, view from below
Bearded sir in a striped scarf
Drinking wine in an argyle sweater
Floral dress outside the steps
High contrast blue and yellow composition
High contrast blue and yellow composition part deux
The iPad has become a face
Wearing a green knit hat
Beret in black
Brightly colored hair
Dr. Who Superfan
Holding a fan in sepia tones
In front of a lime green background
Standing in front of vines and branches
In a car at night
In front of a face
Black and white, full frame
Drawn in black and white
Jean jacket and hood
Silhouette of a man
Smiling girl
Sweaters in office cubes
Wearing a suit
Goofy grey cat
Black and white wearing a hood
Brick wall beard
Doing video editing in a theater
Fellow iPad illustrator
Full sleeve of tattoos
Girl in dark, in front of a blue background
Sitting on some steps in black and white
Standing in front of wood paneling
Wearing an orange safety cone can be fun
Epic beard
Girl in gray
Blonde black and white
Clapping. Let's clap.
Dark haired girl in purple
Dude with a beard
In a nice suit
In front of a rock wall
Upside down
Dark hair, red lips
Metal, dark hair
Muted tones
Rockin' some Spotify tunes in a scarf
Water pistol
3/4 view in grayscale
Blue shirt
Bright red lips
In a black top
Sunglasses and a hoodie
Curly locks of hair
iPhone man in a suit
Life guard smoking a cigar
Long Hair Faceless in Grayscale
Dark hair and glasses
Face mask without the face
Glasses and dark spikes
Goatee and blue v-neck shirt
In front of book shelves
Lady in red
Wearing an orange afro
What do vegan werewolves eat?
Heart shaped earrings
Suit and tie against gray
Wear a scarf in this moody lit room
Black and white bearded fella wearing glasses
Black and white stubble
Blue collard shirt with muted backdrop
That's a really large @
Black and white glasses hat
Long hair spaghetti straps
Pink stripes against blue backdrops
Sports cap in a gray room
Sunglass chillin friends
Adorned with a flower
All suited up
Dude in blue
In gray on a bridge in the wilderness
Red shirt on a train
Sunglasses and bangs
Unicorn hair flowing on the floor
Kids in 3D glasses and red hats
Short hair, pink bangs
Solar flares and blue lighting
Big black glasses
Black and white beard formal
Bright lighting and glasses
Dangling earrings
Girl with the curl, and some geese
Monochromatic blue goatee
White headphone chillaxin
Black and white girl
LA cap on the beach
Red lips and top
Surprise face hiding in a sweater
Baby in light blue
Free Boosie
Resting glasses
Vamped out in costume
Orange hat
Red hair, green sunglases, not quite Christmas
Sweep the leg Johnny
Bearded fella in a car
Black and white closeup of an eye
Bokeh of light colors
On a boat!
Smiling in a dark room, does anyone see you?
Stretched ears and brick walls
Beard and pink hat
Happy beard in plaid
Purple lollipop and sunglasses gal
Blue backgrounds
Dark hair
Striped swimsuit on the beach
Goatee
Hoodies and beards, a perfect combination
Mother and little one
Scuba diving gear
Sunglasses near some toxic looking water yo!
Dramatic lighting and a white hoodie
Light blue hoodie
Cookie monster on the shirt
Oink oink, blue pig mask
Smiling with a hat
Big sunglasses on the beach
Camera and spooky lighting
White car and sunglasses
Wine and cheese
Beard and black v-neck shirt
Dark hair and eye glasses
Fiery blond hair curling about
Girl balancing on a log in the forest
Long blonde hairs in front of a brick wall
Remember when he was on Shark Tank?
Wearing a backpack
Black and white in a long overcoat
Dramatic plaid angle
Girl with blonde hair smiling outside
Hiding behind a decorative fan
In blue, in glasses, sitting by some photographs
Water and skyline
A dude and his dog
Black and white sir in dark shirt
Black and white with the city making lights
Cropped face
Dark hat and flannel coat
Fancy is a purple dress
FIU banners away
Nintendo is mind control
Pilot headset
Sitting in gray
Wearing a hoodie and 3D glasses
Black and white iPhone selfie
Bright and muted colors
Low contrast at the beach
Purple shirted sir
Dressed up in the car
Long hair and geometric patterns
Taking selfies
Lens flared friend
Lifting up a white dress in a purple room
Long hair and forearm tattoos
Mona Lisa caricature
Red hair and full of smiles
Sepia toned beard
Sketchy strokes, short dark haired fella
Sunglasses at the beach
Red backdrop and beard
Hey scruffy beard, double exposure self portrait
The first PaperFaces portrait
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