well i was going to do a portrait of my 10yr old girl on my leg, but i decided to have a practice on paper first….
its not perfect but if anybody gan give me some pointers on where im going wrong
“zartform” if ya reading this then jump in and give me some much needed advice please….
ps…. her eyes are not truly straight as she was born with inturning eyes but had correctional operation at 2 yrs old
Hi Outlaw
It is a great piece and I feel cheeky offering my advice (as you are a way better artist than myself).
The thing I had hammered (quite literally) into me was that on facial portraits apart from getting the proportions correct (which you have) the three main areas that need detailing are;
(What I was taught is above and suggestion is below)
The nostrils = Noses are hard to get shape right but many artists forget about the shadowing beneath and with the nostrils that make the nose more real. (Also has the artist remembered to include the groove from the nose to upper lip if visible.)
I would add just a tad more shading and shadow around the lower nose and make it more fleshed out.
The ears = Next to hands I personally found these the hardest things ever but I was taught that even if the ears are pinned back – does any of the shell (folds within the ear) show either full on or partly on the outside outline. Also does hair curl or bend around the ear or partially cover it.
I would possibly add slightly more shape to the ears especially if she is titling her head to one side.
Neck = Necks have channels and folds and remember to capture these and variences in skin shade or shadowing from the chin.
I would add just a little bit more shadowing to the neck area and faint lines of any natural folds in the skin.
*Ducks and runs for cover* :p
Take Care
Matthew
all valid pointers and taken on board mate… thanks for the honnesty and constructive critique, i knew it wasnt right but when you do a piece you become blind to the inperfections, its only when others comment that you start to see beyond them.
many thanks for the input mate, it all helps 😉
Hey Outlaw, the simplist way to do a face is to dissect two lines in the shape of a cross, where the lines cross over each other is the bridge of the nose, the horizontal line represents the brow. The eyes are important they provide balance. draw a vertical line dividing each side of the face equally in two, (1) you now have the centre of the pupil and the corner of the mouth. The area between the nose and top lip varys but should be balanced. The top of the ears are on the same line as the eyes and the bottom of the ear on line with the top lip. the rest is genetic its always about balance. good luck Hoani.
hey outlaw –
it looks pretty good already! a few hints i would have for you..
in your sketch, you have a very shallow value range. you should have values all the way from 1 (the lightest) to 10 (nearly black) also, with the hair.. shapes translate into portrait tattoos very well. try sketching in broad strokes and highlights (the hair on the left side of the drawing looks really good)
also, remember that for a realistic portrait, 3d proportion is super super important. determine a light source and shade appropriately.
as for the tattooing technique, try experimenting with white ink. pop those highlights in the eyes out and shade the hair highlights in with a flat 12 needle formation.
my number one hint! don’t go overboard shading the face in. remember that human skin is not white, and already makes up a large portion of the face values. over-shading looks dirty and in the case of a child, will make them look old and haggard.
check my album for a reference!
good luck m8
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