Self Portrait of the Week

[githistle]

After having looked over a few different artists self-portraits and the progression of skill, I've decided to take the plunge. Only I'll post a self-portrait a week as I often do not have the time to do one a day.

[githistle]

30 minutes

[githistle]

Here's the latest. I'm not happy with it. Makes me look to old or like Dr. McCoy. I think it's in the way I shade / render.



The Real Me



Time: 1 hour
Media: Blue Pencil

[USER777]

you have to loosen up more.. dont erase every line that isnt right at first but put the corrected line next to it.. and try to see in terms of geometrical shapes, planes (values) and lines, and, most important, practice practice practice. self-portraits are good practice as everything from life is, but you have to think analytical about your mistakes and try to figure out what isnt right (proportions and such)

[githistle]

Lim,

Thanks for the input. I never though about placing the correct line next to the "mistake" line. Also, when does a piece become overworked? And should I just leave my construction lines at first?

[I0N]

make sure you draw from a mirror...I dont know how but drawing from a mirror helps more than a picture. as for when a picture is overworked...theres I think that when there is no defined part of a picture, it is overworked. leave the construction lines...or dont...just make sure you are paying attention to how things are related on the face. loosen up too. dont worry about getting a clean shap line. sometimes suggesting form with shading is better than lines. draw most everything n the face: lips (top one too) bridge of the nose, forhead...etc. keep at it!

[Mindflaw]

You look older since your accentuating lines and wrinkles in your face..that we most often don't think about... until we start to examine ourself in the way we do when drawing sp:s. Don't forget that the big masses and forms are more important then details when it comes to getting a good likeness.

And to repeat what ION said draw using a mirror you learn a lot more, the sp:s will not be as good, but when it comes to getting better at drawing it pays of big times.

[githistle]

Ion and Mindflaw,

Thank you for the advice. Just to let you know, I do use a mirror for my SPs, which makes it interesting as I was especially noticing on the second one that I kept tilting my head when concentrating on shape / shadow. I don't know if that has anything to do with some of the proportions being off since I started with an upright head in the beginning.

Regardless, I will take your advice for my next try.

[githistle]

This week's SP.

Eyeglass is off on right side and I need to study ears.

[USER777]

way to go, seems like you're improving already.
i think you should stick with the self-portrait practice but you should also do simple shape practice. that means, since you're lacking control over your lines and shading you should practice things like drawing straight lines in every direction, drawing freehand circles and ellipses, get the principles of perspective (go to saveloomis.org and choose succesful drawing).
i know in my own experience that almost everyone starts drawing faces or human like shapes because they are some of the most interesting stuff to draw.
but to master the art of portrait drawing and painting it takes the artists many hours, days, weeks and years to do so. it's for sure one of the most complicated things in drawing. so first try drawing basic shapes in perspective and you'll notice how hard it is to get some straight, good lookin lines. i think for beginners it's all about control of hand and getting input for your brain (from life drawing)

later on you can study anatomy, landscapes, animals, mechanics, complicated objects and so on. but you have to learn the basics first, sharpen your control and vision, then you will succeed.

oh, and most important of all (which i lack big time), if you really want to improve (i guess you want to, or you wouldnt have come here) you should do as this great artist once said:

"If you want to be great at art and great at what you do then you need to do it all the time. You need to make art your life."
Kevin Llewellyn

[githistle]

Lim,

Thank you again for the advice and encouragement. This past week alone, I spent roughly 2 - 4 hours a day working in my sketchbook before trying the SP again. I'll just make sure to add simple shape exercises to my mastercopy and life drawing sessions and see what happens.

This is the first time where drawing hasn't seemed like a chore but something I've come to look forward towards doing on a daily basis (even though I can't always get to it everyday).

[githistle]

I know this isn't my usual day to post a self portrait, but last night riding on the ferry was too good of an opportunity to pass up. At first the lights where on and it help to block in some of the mass, but then the lights were turned off and all I could see where lights and dark. I wasn't sure how to continue at that point since all details where obsured.

The cool thing about it all was that the window acted like a fun house mirror and so it made the parts of me closest to the window (i.e. my hands) look massive.

[githistle]

This week's SP (45 minutes)



Thought'd I'd try to improve my use of the tombo brush pen. I didn't get quite the line variation that I wanted.

[githistle]

45 minutes

Crit: 1. Need to study more hair for massing and highlighting.
2. Forehead perspective seems to be scewed.


I feel like I'm able to get more down in the amount of time I allot myself to do these portraits. And that proportions are slowly starting to come together.

[githistle]

45 min.
blue pencil

Tried doing more of a perspective shot looking down the mirror at myself. I don't think the forehead is large enough for the narrowing of the face.

First SP for March since last week a concussion and virus decided that I should take a little break.