Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Work In Progress III

I couldn't resist working on this piece again before hitting the sack. A few thing are bothering me about this, but for the most part I'm very happy with it so far. If you have seen my other work, you've noticed that I steer clear of hands. I focus primarily on the face because that is what I know how to draw. I'm moving out of my comfort zone w/ this one and attempting to tackle hands.

I have an approach to drawing the face that seems to work really well for me. I work from the inside out. I start w/ the typical oval shape and draw lines where the features should be. But then, very lightly, I do a rough sketch of the skull and eyeballs. I was originally taught the technique by a professor during my freshman year in college; however, it was only taught to help draw eyes better. I love to draw eyes, and this really helps to ensure that it turns out more realistic. Anyway, I figured if it works for the eye, maybe it would help me w/ the rest of the face. And it really does. I work w/ the paper at a tilt, somewhere between portrait and landscape, and it used to be far more evident in my work. With this technique, though, I tend to catch it before I really start drawing.

Anyway, take a look at the progress I've made and feel free to leave me a comment. I appreciate constructive criticism.

4 comments:

Daddy Cool said...

Since I can't draw at all I can offer no criticism only that it looks great!

richwhiteboy said...

You have a nice, sensitive touch. Actually, I like the first version the best. I love your technique, but don't overwork it.

Why are the pupils so big? Just askin.

And no, I still don't know know who it is.

I abandoned my drawing board long ago, but I've been thinking about starting to draw and paint again. I love drawing eyes, too--it's a life-long compulsion.

gayborhood gringo said...

brian - thanks babe!

rich - thanks...and as for the pupils, a friend/co-worker pointed that out. all i can say is that they honestly seemed bigger in the picture, until after i had drawn them and darkened it in. now it's too late to go in to correct.

i'm trying to figure out when to stop on it. in school, my teacher would always push me because i was afraid to go darker, so that's always stuck w/ me. i probably won't add too much more to this one, just fill in the rest of the hair.

as for who it is, i don't expect anyone to know. it is someone famous, but it isn't fan art or anything. i may be working from their photograph, but i'm not necessarily trying to make it look just like them. i'll reveal when i'm done.

richwhiteboy said...

Your teacher may have been trying to tell you to add more contrast, not necessarily more lines.

My teacher used to tell me that it's hard to judge when you're finished, but you'll just know. She also told me that on every drawing or painting she ever did she'd reach a point at which she'd wonder why she'd ever started it. And then after she got past that point the rest was easy.

I guess it's sort of like exercisig or jogging. At some point you just want to quit, and then you get a second wind.

Anyway, don't mean to hog your comments section. Have a good week.