wow, Sveta, you have such a way with color! Splendid spontaneous artistic job on the clogs and the shading too.Thanks for joining.

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to respond, as I have a 3 year old and didn't realize that this discussion was going on without me....

Back to the point at hand,

I created the China Girl Drawing based on a digitally enhanced version of the original photo. I will attach it to this reply, so you may see.

The only effects I used to achieve this look were to increase the contrast.

I only used that photo as a reference, which I was unaware of any rules that forbid that.

I did use Charcoal and Pencils to create this drawing. Well, I assume that it's charcoal because the pencils I have say "CHARCOAL 557-2B med" and "CHARCOAL 557-4B soft". I also have some drawing pencils that I use for lighter shades.

I do agree that when uploaded to the gallery, they look different than in my sketchbook. I think they look much better in person than in my gallery.

Also...I did not scan these drawings as my scanner is not easily accessed, so I used my camera to photograph them. I always take a picture of my drawings WITH and WITHOUT the flash, to see which comes out better. Sometimes it depends on the time of day that I take the picture, or it could even depend on the drawing itself.

I assure you that I did indeed create this drawing, and I have included some "evidence" (for lack of a better word).

Here is the picture I used to work from (after I had enhanced the contrast dramatically in Microsoft Office Picture Manager):
Click to view attachment

Here is a picture of my drawing in my sketchbook:
Click to view attachment

I have also included a picture of the Vase Drawing still in my sketchbook.
Again, I enhanced the contrast in the original photo, but the difference with this one being that I used the Original Photograph in COLOR to start out with, then I decreased the "Saturation" to "Zero" which removes all color and it turns to gray-scale. I then cropped it as I did the China Girl Photo.

Here is the photo I used as my reference for the Vase Drawing:
Click to view attachment

Here is the photo I just took of the Jasmin in Vase Drawing still in my sketchbook:Click to view attachment


IN CONCLUSION: I guess I should take this as a compliment, as you all thought that my drawings were photos. lol.

Sarah, I didn't say a minute that your drawings were photos but digitally manipulated or digitally enhanced, so altered for effects as opposed to simple photograph without editing high contrast, saturation and all modifiers that change drastically a paper drawing or sketch. Now as you explained yourself it's very good that we understand the process, as particularly these two contributions are very different from the other work you have in your gallery.Thank you for taking a moment and clarifying it all.

I'm happy to clarify any questions anyone might have. I'm sorry if I misunderstood your comments... I do want to clarify again though, that my drawings in my gallery are not altered, but that only the original photograph I used as a reference was.

True, these two drawings I posted for the challenge are considerably different than some of my other works posted. However, my gallery consists of works created over a span of at least 10 years. Several of which are from when I was still in High School and trying to make some pieces to use for scholarship applications. I am also trying to read up on some of the lessons listed on this website to learn new techniques and have found several interesting things.

I do have one question.....
What are the rules on the Challenges? I would like to know for future challenges....

Thanks!

Sarah, the rules of the weekly challenge are listed in the body of the first post of this challenge, on the first page.

rules

My suggestion to you for the future art that you produce here or elsewhere else is to sign and date your work before you photograph or scan it. In this way you might avoid confusion. Even now you can sign your charcoal drawings in your sketchbook by removing the charcoal or just using white charcoal.

And let me tell you that this is an educational site. We learn drawing and using different media, we participate in challenges to improve our skills, we grow while sketching and drawing in a challenge, that's why weekly challenges are so popular.These are like workshops, people don't have to be perfect here or present high and sofisticate art. Anything goes, from 10 minutes sketch to a more elaborate 1-2 hour drawings.

Thanks. I did however sign both pieces. China Girl is signed in the light area on the bottom left hand portion of the drawing. The Vase Drawing is signed just below the vase on the right-hand side of the doily.

Thanks again.

Sarah, feel free to participate in the Charcoal forum also where you can share your experience with this medium.

This is a quick drawing of the Chinese - my pen fell off the holder and I finished it even sooner than I had intended...A film with Jeremy Irons is going on on my TV about HongKong and Chinese people there...Just a strange coincidence

Thanks! I took a look at the forum, and I looked at several different peoples charcoal drawings. Maybe the reason that you thought my drawings were ink is because you can't see any stroke marks on my drawings. I use a "blender" to smooth through the lines or strokes (whatever they are called ).

I also use that same blender to create some of the lighter shades. This could give the appearance of ink, or a wash like you referred to earlier.

Maybe, this could be the reason for some of the confusion.

Sveta, this is beautiful. Art seems so easy with you.Your ability of quick rendering of the spirit of a reference amazes me and I call this talent.

Very good! It looks just like her...no question. Enjoy watching the film!

Thank you for the kind words! Very nice of you!

Sarah, I am not the only one who had this impression, some visitor to your gallery called the Chinese girl similar to a photo negative and other members who contacted me by PM were sure you used ink.So it's not just me.
In the charcoal forum there are many artists with works that are blended and give step by step explanation of their working method. I just thought that you might be interested to post there your works and experience.

Sveta, again your lovely colors has made a beautiful pair of clogs..

i too thought the drawings resembled an inking and washing..with super high contrast..they are lovely at any rate

Hi Trish, long time no see..it is good to see you around again and good job on your clogs..

Thanks, Kay for your support.Very true that art posted online can be very deceptive and frustrating for the artist, whether is scanned or photographed since the real artpiece is never accurately rendered.

But, let's move on and enjoy this wonderful challenge which engaged so far so many young talents and, you know what, it's only Tuesday.

so, I did some drawing but im not satisfied at all...

Why my dear, It is so nice and convincing.A bit sad but the in the reference is not smiling either.

i think it's not very similaur to original model... ;( im trying to get likeness but i cant get it...

p.s.
sorry for my english... it's not my native language... i hope you understood what I try to said..

Well, likeness is a matter of opinion. I guess you captured the spirit of the girl and what you can do is to try to get the values right, like light for the cheeks and skin, medium for the lips and dark for the hair and eyes.Likeness like photorealism is a skill that requires hours of work some 40-60 hours. More practice you have more likness you get.But don't worry. This is not a contest and you just exercise your skills on a weekly basis. Even 10 minutes sketches add to the practice experience.
I think you did a very good job and to me looks Chinese which is very important too.
By the way, your English is fine.

i think you did an excellent job on this young girl barfuss..you should be quite happy with your work

hi, this is my first time here on the challenges,
this is "my version" of the "medusa head",
it's a bit different (hope that's not important),
and also it's on very small piece of paper,
and because of that, um... can you give me
some advice on how to shade it?
and what do you think of my drawing?

(hope the attachment worked, if not
i'll upload again or you can view it on my gallery)

Welcome to the challenge, Oscar(I read this name in your profile)Correct me if I am wrong.
I guess that a drawing so small makes it difficult indeed to shade but you can try by using different tones to give dark, medium and light values to it. Follow the grayscale image i posted in the challenge and you will get a clue to where you find dark values, medium or light.
You can also play with it and print the scan or picture of your drawing on a full page and try working from that printed image.It's the best i can think of right now.

I think that your drawing is great! Never mind that yours is different....So are mine, usually. (I like to be different!) You are on the right track for sure! Outlining the basic shapes is the hardest part sometimes....I found a lesson here on this site that is a good place to start on shading....It might be very helpful for you:
Shading Lesson

There is also a short lesson on how to create a Value Scale. This would be very helpful too, I think:
Shading Value Scale

I hope this is not too much information, and I really hope that it helps.

Here is my First Medusa Head. This was more for "training" purposes than anything for me. I photographed each stage in the drawing to help show the different steps in shading. I was focusing mainly on that, and forgot about the proportions and ratio's...
oh well, it could be worse! lol

Click to view attachment

Sarah, looks good so far.Can't wait to see the rest.This is a Greek art piece that you should keep among your best works because is famous.
I see that you did a good job in getting the three values right.

About this stone-carved head of Medusa at the Temple of Apollo, at Dydima or Didyma, today's Didim in Turkey, it belongs to Classical Greek art from the 5c BCE.You can find more on Medusa as legend, symbol, motif in art from wikipedia, even if the article is incomplete and does not mention the work photographed here from its site in Turkey.
Medusa

I also want to emphasize that the stone-carved head of Medusa at Didyma Temple of Apollo is NOT a statue, but part of a frieze, here an element of Greek architecture.

Hey Sara. That looks pretty good! I've yet to tackle that one!

I think this is absolutely stunning! I love the free style you have with the pen! Wonderfull! I wonder if Jeremy Irons would have an effect on my drawings...?

medusa head pt II
why, it don't look like stone at all...
I've done something wrong, but what?

o, also yes my name is oscar,
and i don't have a scanner or
a printer, i know i could have
print it at a stationery or whatever.
But it's just no fun doing something
without taking risks.

Hola, Oscar. Muy bueno tu monstruo.
Very good monster head, because as we know Medusa was one of the three Gorgons(no Gorgonzola cheese is Italian ) and a female monster, whose head was severed by Perseus. I like this interpretation of the reference, shows imagination and has a mythological touch.

Oscar, I think that this is GREAT! You did such a great job! Did you check out the lessons I mentioned? I noticed several different techniques that you applied to your picture. You did a really good job. i am impressed!

I can't wait to see what you can do on a regular size piece of paper! lol

c'mon quit it, i'm getting too much praise here methinks.
and yes actually the lessons did help me, thx again.

and i know what's missing, the highlights!
that's why it looks better when i invert the colors,
any suggestions on how to make the highlights?
of course if it's not the highlights please tell me
what is it.

Oye Oscar, ya lo se que falta.
What is missing?It lacks the crack in the stone that comes from an accident as this piece fell from the frieze. But this crack is not relevant to the actual drawing. Only that underlines the time patina.

I do agree that the highlights would add a little more definition to the drawing.

• One good way achieve highlights on a drawing that has a lot of color (or shading) is to go back to your drawing after you think you've done it all, and use a good eraser to remove any shading that shouldn't be there.

• Also, it looks like you kept all your outlines from your original submission....which is good, but sometimes the absence of a line, or outline, will give the effect of a highlight.

One piece of advise that my teacher gave me in grade school, and I would love to pass on is:

"DRAW WHAT YOU SEE,
NOT WHAT YOU THINK IS THERE..."

this advise has been so valuable to me. It makes me look a little harder at whatever it is that I'm drawing.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you have any more questions!

My medusa head in graphite pencils on sketchbook pad 9x12in. One hour.

This sketch was done in April 2008, after one month of value drawing,

Click to view attachment


today i added the darks and the olive tree.

Click to view attachment

Hello everyone, fantastic drawings here

Elena great challenge and great photos as usual
here is my fast contribution

HB, B3 and B5 in A4 printing paper
about 20 minutes
Click to view attachment

Clara prezada, you are a sweetheart like always, Thanks for joining in.What lovely clogs! In 20 minutes , you are fast and they do have detail I will see you in the cafe

And this is my charcoal version of the girl.One hour 20 minutes.



you can find more pictures and details about this work here.

Hi, Elena.

Here my contribution to the challenge, if possible I would like to receive their advice to improve my practice of drawing.

Thank you for participating.

Greetings

Hi Antonio, I am really sorry for taking so much time but my Pc had a crash and I waited for 2 hours to recover its functions.
Here is the answer to your request.
First the drawing is beautiful and shows your artistic sensitivity in rendering beauty. Now is well shaded and well proportioned: what it needs still is a touch up.

In this demonstration below you have your original drawing and my scan of your drawing + the touch up for values, especially dark. Dark is very important in a drawing whenever it exists needs to be correctly rendered. In our case the darkest part of the face are the eyes and next the hair which is actually medium dark.
I emphasized that in my demo and I hope you have a clue to how you can work from here. Just bring your darkest pencil, I used a General's #555 but any dark graphite pencil will do for the eyes and medium dark for the hair. Note that in her dress the fur is dark too.
So now you have a balanced drawing with all values in place.

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Thanks for taking the time to participate this week in the challenge.

Embarrassed at times tried the Medusa
sketched in pencil and painted with ink and pen on A4

Click to view attachment

I just found out about the challenge and I was so excited that I made the sketch in 15 minutes !!! I hope you like it!!Click to view attachment

wonderful Raidor! as I have trouble with any ink I admire your drawing

Garyfallia...such a sweet soft drawing

Welcome, Raidor and Garyfallia to the challenge.
Raidor there is no need to be embarrassed. Your drawing is beautiful.

Garyfallia, poli oreia koritzi.Very nice girl.In 15 minutes only an artist can draw so beautifully.

Many Thanks , Elena - vielen Dank

I currently am sick of flu, so I have a little time to draw

First step by drawing the China Girl on A4 with Pencil and Charcoal

Click to view attachment

sehr gut, Raidor. She looks Chinese all right.As I understand this is the beginning of your drawing, next pay attention to the dark values of the eyes and hair, they should be like the fur in her dress, black.

Thank you very much Elena, I still think about whether I use ink or graphite should be further characterized, the hair is in any case is still true black

Raidor, If you used already charcoal, I don't know how it blends with ink. Maybe a different drawing.