Is drawing a portrait a skill that can be taught to anyone or is it an innate talent?

The skill cannot be taught to anyone. It isn’t one skill. Your sense of perspective, of accurate measurements and ratios of size, your sensitivity to delicate shading and coloring, your technical mastering of the oil components so that you know the portrait will stand the test of time, Your work ethic, making sure you not only get all the details you want but at the same time deliver what the client wants, and then there is a skill hard to describe, except it is keeping the client happy for three months while you toil away,knowing you need that final payment soon but the portrait will take a bit longer than that. Now, most of that I was taught. And then I refined it with about forty years in the field, often making mistakes in the beginning but never loosing faith.

My favorite answer to the above question is, It takes all of it and more. Both taught and talented and graced with hand to eye coordination and not being hateful about my fate in life and maintaining my optimism. That’s what it takes. And thank you for helping me to remember this.