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Thread: first self portrait

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    first self portrait

    Hi. I am a beginner. I've always enjoyed sketching and doodling but have had no formal instruction. I used a mirror and sketched myself using airbrush, pencil, and sticker spray. Any ideas about how to improve my technique and get a more 3 dimensional image? There are so many talented artists here. I would be grateful for any hints, tips or suggestions to improve my work. Steph
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    Last edited by [email protected]; 02-14-2016 at 05:59 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Italy
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    Leave it as it is. More 3 dimensional would make you look even more beautiful and that would heavily distract me from my painting projects! 😉

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Rome (Italy)
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    24,186
    You started with what is possibly among the most difficult genre for a beginner, portraits.
    Anyway, with a frontal self-portrait like this it may be slightly simpler to start with.
    First of all just consider that a head is an ovoid, as a general shape, therefore, if You can give the right tones in the right ranges of a ball (higlight, various midtones, shadow line etc. (ball drawing excercise) just consider where the light comes from and think of a face like a distorted ball into ovoid for tonal scheme.
    Obviously there are quite a few parts on a face and the most tonally meaningful are shadows possibly casted on eyes by the front, the nose, a sort of pyramidal form plugged on the ovoid and the ovals containing eyes and mouth or the round surfaces of cheeks superimposed on the ovoid as well.
    Since You don't ask for a manual but how to increase 3D impression, these indications should suggest where elaborate on tones and how to increase the tone range in case.
    remember also that our face isn't too much symmetrical (to improve likeness) and that hair should be started as larger volumes with their relevant tonal scheme and only later suggesting hair by drawing enough of them (not them all or too many) according to how they may show the impinging light or shadows.
    Your outcome is a very good base for "daring" more and work according to the above ...
    Panta rei (everything flows)!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    3
    You are very kind. Thank you for the smile. Steph
    Quote Originally Posted by Fabrizio1958 View Post
    Leave it as it is. More 3 dimensional would make you look even more beautiful and that would heavily distract me from my painting projects! ��

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    3
    Quote Originally Posted by Caesar View Post
    You started with what is possibly among the most difficult genre for a beginner, portraits.
    Anyway, with a frontal self-portrait like this it may be slightly simpler to start with.
    First of all just consider that a head is an ovoid, as a general shape, therefore, if You can give the right tones in the right ranges of a ball (higlight, various midtones, shadow line etc. (ball drawing excercise) just consider where the light comes from and think of a face like a distorted ball into ovoid for tonal scheme.
    Obviously there are quite a few parts on a face and the most tonally meaningful are shadows possibly casted on eyes by the front, the nose, a sort of pyramidal form plugged on the ovoid and the ovals containing eyes and mouth or the round surfaces of cheeks superimposed on the ovoid as well.
    Since You don't ask for a manual but how to increase 3D impression, these indications should suggest where elaborate on tones and how to increase the tone range in case.
    remember also that our face isn't too much symmetrical (to improve likeness) and that hair should be started as larger volumes with their relevant tonal scheme and only later suggesting hair by drawing enough of them (not them all or too many) according to how they may show the impinging light or shadows.
    Your outcome is a very good base for "daring" more and work according to the above ...
    Thank you for your time and help Caesar. I took the hint about looking into a manual for some basic theory and practice. I am also in the process of editing my draft into something more daring and interesting. I used the symmetry tool on the draft and even though it made it easier to get consistent results, I understand now that the results are artificially perfect and ergo uninteresting. Peace and blessings, Steph

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