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At six fifteen this evening, after three hours with my 6B Berol, I finally saw through repeated photographs that the kid's chin was too short. I pounced on the drawing with my knead. He's looking a little less spastic and bucktoothed than he did fifteen minutes ago. I would have preferred to have gone swimming, but the temperature is 93 F and the dock is in full sun. I stuck with scrutinizing. I like the dark background I laid in this morning. Now to refine his jaw area and move on. There's still something with his upper lip I'm uncomfortable with? But there's tomorrow. I think I'd like a glass of wine right now. I really put this kid through hell and me too, but learned a few things and had an excellent session studying values.
I don't know, but every version of him has looked great to me. Enjoy your wine.
ReplyDeleteNo ,no no, He's looking spastic, but Thank you Dan. Wine does make everything look better--and sometimes even illuminates what's bugging you. After dinner I'll take another look.
DeleteI agree with Dan; it looks very good to me. You deserve a wine or two... cheers!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alexia, but not there yet says the eye of the boy's nana, who is both client and artist.Clients can really be tough on artists don't you think? LOL
DeleteI am not sure if you're too hard on yourself or a perfectionist. Looking good either way.
ReplyDeleteI do push myself. I want on the paper what my eyes see in the reference photo. The difficulty is working only from one photo. Lot's of head shots in different positions would be a help, but some actual sittings. The sittings aren't going to happen, so photos it is.
DeleteI followed all your versions and they all look great!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy, but I'm not satisfied. With portraiture, I think you have to be a stickler for the details, the twists, the shadows cast my the facial forms. I'm not satisfied yet.
DeleteAlthough I love the pictures, I feel his neck might be too thick (wide) compared to the photograph.
ReplyDeleteThe values are beginning to work really well aren't they? I know you're having a battle, but you're producing such high class stuff that you seem to becoming the expert! I'm looking forward to the next episode!
90 degrees + ??!!...we are surrounded by flooding ...tropical downpours and are stuck at 70 F max ...........that's show biz!
Don't soften your critique with an accolade John. Another set of discerning eyes telling me what they see is a great help. I'm pretty sure that this is a nice drawing of a boy, just not my boy yet. The next pass with be the last. My page runneth over with graphite too thick to lift and correct, time to turn a new leaf. But this might do. It's as good as my drawing of my granddaughter whose eyes, I notice every evening, are too close together.
DeleteYou're right about the neck--sort of. I looked at other photographs of JD, he does have the Roth thick neck. My boys had to have their dress shirts altered. They had size 16 1/2 inch necks and the thirty two inch waists of swimmers.
LW...Your drawing skills are so good. I can relate to all the things you've written about "oh, I noticed this and then that"..it's how trying to achieve a great likeness goes and you tackled a real challenge with him leaning backwards like that, creating the subtle foreshortening. Excellent work! I like the artist you introduced us to and how you used some of his techniques. Graphite...! So basic but so beautiful! I'll be tuned in to see what you do next. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Celeste. He is in a tough position. As a beginning "portraiturist," I did have a hell of a lot of nerve. But why not?
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