[img]http://www.sumea.com.au/simages2/349_portrait1L.jpg[/img]
im posting this one up because id like some feedback along the lines of how to iprove, what i did right and wrong etc. I figure my 3d skills could still use a bit of improving (i have to wait a week or 2 before my life drawing classes come back), all of these were drawn with a similar reference from pics i found in the paper (by similar i mean head at same angle and same expression but i changed the person/character entirely).
I agree with Leviron, good to draw lots of heads. concertrate on the basics - getting the proportions and angles right. once they are in place the rest will be much easier.
edit: I'll make some proper constructive crit on the weekend... or at least I will if I remember too... send me an email if I forget :)
First off. Nice pics. Unfortunately all of them do look like slightly different people :)
A lot of people don't like drawing from photos, as there can be some lens distortion. Drawing from a mirror wont have that.
One thing we had to do in Life Drawing class helped a lot.
1. Get a mirror.
2. Look at it straight on and have a ruler ready.
3. Make sure you hold the ruler out at the same distance from your face all the time. Nose distance is best.
4. Look at the ruler and take the measurements in between all your facial features.
5. Place the ruler on your page and place the measurements down.
6. Draw in the details to fit.
The trick is making sure you have a big enough sketch pad, and trying not to look too serious through it :)
...or don't use the sunnies and watch the tables around yours empty out (yes, I talk from experience).
Drawing from life is quite a different mental process than drawing from a 2D reference. Generally you will get a better understanding of the subject if you study it in life(3d) rather than a 2d image. This has to do with understanding the 'hows & whys' of representing 3d objects in 2d space...and they are the skills that will make you a better draftsman :)
That said I do see merit from drawing from photo reference and even from other artist work. Doing this releases you from the duties of the draftsman (ie the 2d interpretation is already there) and allows you to concerntrate on other aspects of the illustration process - techniques, style, media, colour etc.
**BUT to be a good artist/illustrator, draftsmanship is the key (in my opinion) and drawing from life is a very good way to improve these skills.
--comments on the portraits: I think they are a good start. the general proportions aren't wayout, features more or less line up, the mouths and eyes make parallelish lines, all good things for a beginner. You could work on refining these features, as they have all be described quite briefly. Spend and hour per eye and really closely observe your model/reference. The other approach I think you could take is to practice the basic forms of the head. The above samples don't suggest that you have a firm grasp of how the face and features curve. Leviron's links have some expamles of how you could go about this, many books on the topic too. You could also benefit from some excersises on light/shadow. Rather than using line to depict your model use tone. Get a blunt stick of charcoal (can't do fine detail with it), strongly light you subject and just block in the shadow areas. This will help with understanding forms.
Everything that I have mentioned is in many books, so library time for you if you want more details.
We expect 20 'basic construction' heads, 3 eye,nose and mouth studies and 2 shadow studies (one must be lit from below to make your model look like a zombie) by next week [;)]
i do take life drawing classes, these were just done one weekend when i was bored :P
Aven: yeah i know that technique, i use that and similar sometimes at classes
JohnN: thanks for all the critique :) yeah all of the features on my characters are more or less simple. Im sorta slowly working on putting the real life detail into them (i didnt use to draw pupils of any sort in eyes). On the shadow thing, i used to have a paper stump but i think ive lost it :( I find if i use things like charcoal i get results like the one on the bottom right, the shadows look dirty and blocky, but i could work on it.. :D
oh and forget about that deadline, school starts tomorrow and ill be stuffed for a while :P
oh i got another tip for u .. thanks to john for explaining my last one for me.. the secret of the human form is in the ear .. the ear contains all the shapes of the human body so masery the ear and master thae body ... if u dont beleve me take a look at nay old masters work ,eg Raphael hand have a look at the ears there perfet.. this is an ancient technique past from master to aprentice so dontn think im talking crap.. this is the real shit u wont get this knowlage in OZ mutch.. i have more of this stuff but u have to gain more skill befor I'll let u in on the rest of it ..so work hard ane the greeat secret will be yours some day .. or go study in china or under this guy like i did http://www.users.bigpond.com/SCHIP/gallery.htm
These are just guidelines and are in no way absolute.
http://www.fineart.sk/photos/loomis_heads/017.JPG
http://www.fineart.sk/photos/loomis_heads/022.JPG
http://www.fineart.sk/photos/loomis_heads/039.JPG
http://www.fineart.sk/photos/loomis_heads/040.JPG
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14119
I think you need to establish some proportions. At first you should just get the general shape right...like the placement of features and then add the details of those features. It is a waste of time to decorate something that is the wrong place.
Its good to just draw lots of heads, don't bother erasing because its good to see how and why you've improved.