Man… I think that the most difficult part of learning to draw your own self-portrait is to look at your creation afterwards.. This guy just seems to be suffering..
I think that maybe if i redid the mouth in this one, it wouldn’t be so bad.. For for once, I’d like to walk normally down to the train. And for the sake of process, lets just let it sit there.
analogrevolutionart gave me some suggestions when i did my last self-portrait, and although i DID listen, I didn’t really carry it out.. She suggested that i draw from real life rather than a photo, that i turn my head and that i drop the smile for a while, to get something that’s easier to handle.. I think that those are good suggestions, and i ought to do all that.. But for now, I’ll stick with this photo.. I want to master it.
Drawing from life is a good idea. It might also be worth your while to get some books on anatomy for those who draw. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t draw what you see, but rather it might help you see a little more deeply. Keep up the good work!
Thanks! Maybe a mirror is the way to go!
Hahaha, well above ALL you should follow your instincts. Have you attempted gridding it? This process is deplorable to my chaotic creative mind as it involves math BUT it does work. Grid your photo and then simply enlarge to your paper. Google proper instructions as I’m pretty sure those were lacking. What it does, is allow you to break up the image into the squares of a grid. Then you will master this portrait and move on, lol…..
Just kidding, I truly admire your perseverance. Keep up the work, I look forward to seeing your progress 🙂
Here’s some more advice that you might or might not carry out-
1. Try charcoal. It’s more forgiving. You can literally erase with the pinky finger of your drawing hand while your draw!! Wow! Seriously, it’s cool
2. have you played around with drawing w the eraser? You have a perfect opportunity to do so in this image. The left ear is bathed in strong light with a dark background so scribble black and then draw the ear and well half your head with it. Last advice!
I think that the advice to work from a mirror image gives you the 3D experience that helps so much in realism and portraiture. The photo flattens and simplifies + it focuses on some things that aren’t important. It is natural to focus on an area [like the mouth] that concerns you. When reassessing the drawing it is OK to reduce the intensity with a kneaded eraser pressed to the pencil – because it isn’t the parts but the whole that are what we should see 1st. ~ hope that makes sense.
I was trained to work intensely [crisp strong blacks and whites] from the closest areas to the areas farthest away with less intensity [less defined and softer – no strong blacks or whites].
Thanks for your advice. I think that i will give in and try with a mirror. And see what that gives!