So I decided to make my mother's portrait for her birthday and my first attempt was completed April 12, 2008 freehand drawing.At the time Paulette, Ernest and others tried to help me in the Portrait gallery thread.
April 12, 2008
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Today, May 5, 2008 I had the second attempt at drawing it from scratch. I used the split photo page system drawing and measuring half of the portrait at a time. Look what I got. I think I am moving closer yet the likeness is missing.
May 5, 2008
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Anybody any idea what's wrong with it and why I don't have the likeness?
Thank you for your time.
Full Version: my mother's portrait revisited
worked half an hour more. Total time on the second portrait 3 hours.
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[attachmentid=10273][attachmentid=10274]
Elena
first off - well done ! There is so much right with this portrait that I want to applaud that first
Now here comes the bits that I think can improve your portrait.
I think her jaw is a bit too square - its a strong jaw but its a little too strong in your drawing.
Also the neck (on the right side of the drawing) needs to be widened at the jaw line - I took some measurements on your reference and it wasn't wide enough in the drawing.
I was going to comment on the right eye but I see in pic 3 that you addressed that - and it is good.
Her mouth is a little fuller than in the reference as well. But hey what's wrong with a little artistic licence there!
While the ear (on the right side again - sorry) can be seen in the photo it is really obvious in the drawing - perhaps if you lost the top of it in the darks of the hair - and blurred it a bit more as well as toning down the whiteness a little.
And the last is her widows peaks are a little high - I think her forehead would look better if you brought it down - a little more on the right than the left.
I hope this doesn't sound too picky because I just love what you have done so far and I could not come close to a portrait like this - I just feel that these things might bring it to where you want.
I am sure that Ernest will jump in and give better feedback than mine - he is so much more talented in this area than me.
first off - well done ! There is so much right with this portrait that I want to applaud that first
Now here comes the bits that I think can improve your portrait.
I think her jaw is a bit too square - its a strong jaw but its a little too strong in your drawing.
Also the neck (on the right side of the drawing) needs to be widened at the jaw line - I took some measurements on your reference and it wasn't wide enough in the drawing.
I was going to comment on the right eye but I see in pic 3 that you addressed that - and it is good.
Her mouth is a little fuller than in the reference as well. But hey what's wrong with a little artistic licence there!
While the ear (on the right side again - sorry) can be seen in the photo it is really obvious in the drawing - perhaps if you lost the top of it in the darks of the hair - and blurred it a bit more as well as toning down the whiteness a little.
And the last is her widows peaks are a little high - I think her forehead would look better if you brought it down - a little more on the right than the left.
I hope this doesn't sound too picky because I just love what you have done so far and I could not come close to a portrait like this - I just feel that these things might bring it to where you want.
I am sure that Ernest will jump in and give better feedback than mine - he is so much more talented in this area than me.
I agree with everything Bigs said, and just wanted to touch a few other none drawing things. You are doing something that takes years and years to master. But you are timming yourself? You need to put the clock away and concentrate on seeing your reference and drawing what you see. You have known you mother for years and therefor it is hard to look at the picture and draw what you see, rather then what you brain tells you that you know. Spend an hour (yes an hour) and study the photo, look at it in detail, break it down into shapes. Spend the time it takes to get it exact if that is what you are trying to achive. 3 hours to me is just about started any project be it paint or charcoal. Unless you are getting paid to do the job, time spend should not be a factor on your drawing. This is hard to do, time is short and we have so much to do and so many projects to start.. but try and relize there is nothing wrong with taking as much time as needed.
Indeed. It's nice to know how long something takes, but it's not a race!
First, I agree with Sue -- this is great, you're really coming along, Elena. You should be proud of the progress you're making.
Probably the largest difference between the drawing and the photo is the placement of the eye on our left. It's shifted to our left and downwards by a significant amount -- about half the iris width. The face is also widened considerably on our left side by about the same amount. This means that if you measure the placement of the left eye from the left side of the face, you'll get the correct number -- but then every other facial feature would be half-an-iris to the right.
Another important difference is eyebrow shape. In the photo they have more of an arch, shifted slightly to the outsides, while in the drawing, they're more flat. It affects the facial expression.
The shading on the nose -- especially on our left -- is too harsh. In the photo you really can't see the outside lobe separating from the long part of the nose, but in the drawing there's a strong line; that's why the nose in the photo looks more delicate. That line between the nose and mouth on the left side is too harsh as well.
Also in the photo the lobe on the right is in shadow, but in the drawing it's bright.
The hair is detailed very nicely, but not really shaded; the hair at the hairline is in shadow and should be darker, for example. Look at the photo a bit more to see the large contrasting areas of dark and highlight.
First, I agree with Sue -- this is great, you're really coming along, Elena. You should be proud of the progress you're making.
Probably the largest difference between the drawing and the photo is the placement of the eye on our left. It's shifted to our left and downwards by a significant amount -- about half the iris width. The face is also widened considerably on our left side by about the same amount. This means that if you measure the placement of the left eye from the left side of the face, you'll get the correct number -- but then every other facial feature would be half-an-iris to the right.
Another important difference is eyebrow shape. In the photo they have more of an arch, shifted slightly to the outsides, while in the drawing, they're more flat. It affects the facial expression.
The shading on the nose -- especially on our left -- is too harsh. In the photo you really can't see the outside lobe separating from the long part of the nose, but in the drawing there's a strong line; that's why the nose in the photo looks more delicate. That line between the nose and mouth on the left side is too harsh as well.
Also in the photo the lobe on the right is in shadow, but in the drawing it's bright.
The hair is detailed very nicely, but not really shaded; the hair at the hairline is in shadow and should be darker, for example. Look at the photo a bit more to see the large contrasting areas of dark and highlight.
BIgs, Airscapes, Ernest thank you so much for all your time and feedback. Great and minute detailed suggestions i will have to consider. I'm a perfectionist, you know yet i lack patience and i want to do so many things.I have to educate my patience too together with my attention to details rather than spontaneous sketching as i started with in January this year.Thanks again.
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