555 self portraits

**Farvus** · November 26th, 2005, 08:37 PM

I decided to make another thread for self portraits. This way I can see more things and sometimes experiment with different techniques. I will update it about once or twice a week.

So far I have made few sp's. Here they are in chronological order.

04/05/2005

09/05/2005

12/06/2005

15/06/2005

16/10/2005

02/11/2005

24/11/2005

PS. You can see photo in my profile.

**Dizon** · November 26th, 2005, 11:51 PM

looks like you're getting older and older! hehe

Anyway, my advice is to be more natural with your pencil strokes especially when you start shading/hatching. When there is one big part of the face that is covered in shadow, lay it in with a middle tone with no hesitation. Don't be afraid. Keep a sharp pencil and use its side for the shading/hatching. Hold the end( the one without the lead of course) of your pencil between your index finger, middle finger, and thumb, then start shakin it!

I like 15/06/2005 BTW. That's good lighting. I like the amount of reflected light you have there. I assume you're caucasian? You'll notice in darker pigmented objects or persons, the reflected light is much more subtler.

One thing you have to be astutely aware of are forms within the shadow. Still very important. Usually indicated by darker accents within. Such forms can be the eyebrows, nostrils, iris, dimples etc. Or even subtler, like the zygomatic bone(cheek), the muscles inside, etc. A good study of anatomy helps of course.

**Farvus** · December 2nd, 2005, 09:54 PM

patdzon - Yes, you're right. I'm getting older but not as fast as here, hehe

. These last self portraits are more accurate, I think. Anyway, you can compare them to photo in my profile (I am caucasian btw).

Here's new one. I had small problems with eyes.

03/12/2005

**Fellah.** · December 6th, 2005, 02:32 PM

Looks good, dude! Keep this going - it will pay of fast!

**Farvus** · December 7th, 2005, 06:01 PM

Fellah. - Thanks for comment. It's motivating

07/12/2005

**Farvus** · December 13th, 2005, 11:24 AM

13/12/2005

**asoir** · December 13th, 2005, 11:58 AM

Stuff's looking nicer! Keep this up.

**Farvus** · December 22nd, 2005, 07:39 PM

Asoir - Thanks! In this thread I can see better what is my level

23/12/2005

**Farvus** · December 31st, 2005, 01:02 PM

31/12/2005

**VuDu Pencils** · January 8th, 2006, 11:15 PM

Strange question:

Are you british?

**Farvus** · January 13th, 2006, 01:46 PM

VuDu Pencils - On these self portaits I might look a bit british but I come from Poland

.

This one done with blue ink. The forehead is to low but I couldn't erase it so I finished as it is.

13/01/2006

**Farvus** · January 27th, 2006, 09:28 AM

27/01/2006

Proportions are good but I don't recognize myself

.

**Dizon** · January 27th, 2006, 10:20 AM

hmm, the last one could need more contrast.

**Farvus** · February 5th, 2006, 08:11 AM

patzon - thanks for comment. I'm just too cautious with ink shading

.

Don't look at it

. I haven't drawn such crap for a long time. I just don't feel good today.

**Evil_Sloth** · February 5th, 2006, 09:54 AM

great stuff, when your looking at your self in the mirror always look at the angles and distance relation ships that all of the features have with each other. measurement accuracy = likeness.

**Farvus** · February 6th, 2006, 01:20 PM

Evil_Sloth - Thanks for suggestion. I always try to do it but yesterday I sketched this self portrait with just few percent of my skills.

To be honest, I think measurement accuracy is not enough for likeness. There is also one thing needed but I can't give it a name. It's something to do with face expression...

Here's much better version in pen. Something wrong with eyes (as always) but I can't change it now.

06/02/2006

**Farvus** · February 7th, 2006, 11:18 AM

07/02/2006

**maxetormer** · February 7th, 2006, 04:21 PM

Good to go man!! KEEP Feeding us with this lovely updates!!
rember that eyes are placed on cilider like shape, you are
aligning your eyes on straight line, and that flatens the forehead
area alot, check Kchen stuff for a good way to get indeep
regarding face construccion, just download this zips and
you will see what I mean

http://raven.sixdot.net/Kevin%20Chen/

your Sp are improving rapidly, keep doing them its paying off already!!

**Farvus** · February 8th, 2006, 08:18 AM

maxetormer - thanks for the link. I checked it and there's lot's of useful informations. Especially about eyebrows

Shading is a bit messy here. I think I should reduce hatching to minimum while drawing with pen. I'm still making the same mistake. The eyes are too high while they should be in the middle. Eh... I'll improve this in tomorrow SP.

08/02/2006

**Alday.J** · February 8th, 2006, 09:18 AM

Hi, man ! Nice to see your SP thread, I like it. Just a suggestion: try to do it with several medium, it will give a better dynamic to your thread. Ho, and more variety with your point of view will be fine.
Cheers, Farvus.

J.

**Farvus** · March 1st, 2006, 10:28 AM

Alday.J - Thanks for advice. I'll try different madiums.

Brush pen self portrait.

01/03/2006

**Onir** · March 1st, 2006, 11:34 AM

hey man didn't realize you had a sp thread; looks great! as always, love your pen work and it's cool to see what you look like

keep it up man they look really good

**Farvus** · March 12th, 2006, 11:35 AM

Onir - thanks.

12/06/2006

**Kman.** · March 12th, 2006, 09:55 PM

Hey there. Perhaps you should try using the side of your pencil to block in big areas with value. Try to get darker and get the shadows correct. Keep it up =)

**Farvus** · March 13th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Ksama - Actually in my last Self portrait I used side of pencil for everything.

In this self portrait the nose is too short. Well. There will always be some flaw :/

13/03/2006

**Kman.** · March 14th, 2006, 09:07 AM

So you did

Just keep busting them out, and try using a direct light source when you draw your portrait, it makes more shadows ;O

**Farvus** · March 14th, 2006, 07:37 PM

Ksama - Thanks. I'll try different light.

This time brushpen lineart and fully frontal view.

15/03/2006

**Farvus** · March 14th, 2006, 09:18 PM

Another one. Done in PS

15/03/2006

**GriNGo** · March 18th, 2006, 03:21 AM

Well, most of you're portraits look very alike, so I assume that you look like that! so that means that you're doing a pretty good job in showing us how you are! For variation, try taking photos of your self, and use them as ref. I don't think that's a sin around here... but that's just me. Try using different mirror angles as well, so you can work a little on you're perspective. Some tips in Photoshop: try using different brush types! with textures & stuff... and don't be afraid to go colors! try even simple variations, like maximum 2-4 colors... & that's it! Hope to see more of your Sp's!
later,
GRiNGoLoCo