- OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!

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ALEXEI ANTONOV PAINTINGS

Subject: "OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

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Study and Teach Fine Art Techniques Charcoal and Pencil Drawings - Techniques by J.D. Hillberry Topic #262

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WarHorseLover

Member since Aug-26-02
185 posts, 4 feedbacks,

Dec-17-02, 02:41 AM ()

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"OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

I have started what is sapposed to be a Christmas gift to my sister and brother in law and as always Cheyenne is looking more like a Chuckie doll than a little girl. Part of my problem is I though I would do this one on some smooth Clay Board. It's like drawing on glass and things such as a Chamie just don't work. All it does is pull the graphite off. I'm posting the reference photo and the start (about 2 hours into it) Do I give up or keep going? I thought about quiting and starting over on my bristol board.
HELP, HELP, HELP!
Steph
www.warhorselover.com

Glenn

Member since Nov-14-02
52 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-17-02, 09:01 AM ()

1. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

I don't think that you should give up, We all learn from trying different techiques, I suppose that seeing it is for a Christmas present you could go back to bristol board, and try again with this one in the new year.
Hope this helps

I think it is looking good, but possibly the mouth is to small, but I am no expert.

Glenn

Experience is that marvellous thing that enables you recognise a mistake
when you make it again

http://www.pencilworks.co.uk

Bella

Member since Sep-13-02
347 posts, 4 feedbacks,

Dec-17-02, 02:23 PM ()

2. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

Hey Steph,
I think that the drawing is coming along ok,.....but, if you arent really that happy with it after drawing on it 2hrs or so...maybe, you should put it aside and start on another one and go back to it later like glen said.......I haven't used clay board before so I don't really have any good advice to give you.

He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.
St Fancis of Assisi

verdaccio

Member since Dec-15-02
122 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 01:22 AM ()

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3. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

this doesnt need as much help as you think. everything is in the right spot. the problems are all value. the nostrils and mouth are way too dark, and the hard edges of the mouth give her a very dour, even a cruel appearance. with children, always keep the contrasts very low. only put in as much info as you absolutely have to, except for the eyes, which should be soulful (as yours are here)

i would take a rubber eraser to the mouth like silly putty, just make it flat and pull away some tone a couple times, then start over, using no lines. start out making the darkest dark of the mouth as light as you can, and build it up very very slowly. the mouth is the thing in this one. its make or break.

dont be afraid to indicate slightly more the upper and lower orbit shadows. they should be as dark as the form shadow(not the cast one) of the nose.
good luck.
smk

jai guru deva om

verdaccio

Member since Dec-15-02
122 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 01:26 AM ()

4. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

o, of course, the entire face should get 2 tones darker as the hat is putting it into shadow, in the photo, look how much brighter the hat is. that will also help with the values i talked about before.

jai guru deva om

WarHorseLover

Member since Aug-26-02
185 posts, 4 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 03:10 AM ()

5. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

I have been messing around with this off and on all day. I hate the idea of giving up... never been one for that.
Anyway here is the post from yesterday and the example from today. I'm still working on the tones.

Steph
www.warhorselover.com

WarHorseLover

Member since Aug-26-02
185 posts, 4 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 03:13 AM ()

6. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

Oh yeah,
I realized tonight when I was whinning and my daughter asked why I have such a hard time drawing Cha Cha (her nick name) and it hit me, one thing is that her eyes are so dark brown that they look almost black. Being that I have only really practiced on my kids it's a big difference from chrystal blue eyes and blonde hair as apposed to black hair and almost black eyes.

Steph
www.warhorselover.com

verdaccio

Member since Dec-15-02
122 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 05:23 PM ()

7. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

it is better, but the face is overall too light. you have to take it darker. keep the hat lighter. also, since it is in shadow, the areas that typically would be light are dark, the under nose, etc. there is more light on the undersides beccause of reflected light from below.

jai guru deva om

verdaccio

Member since Dec-15-02
122 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 05:26 PM ()

8. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

even the lightest part of the face is as dark as the 2nd to darkest shadow areas of the hat. getting these value relationships right is the absolute key to this drawing. i scrupulously avoid full shadow portraits because they create issues which defy typical light/shade rules. still, theres no better exercise for drawing what you see, rather than what you think you see, than the occasional unconventional lighting drawing.

jai guru deva om

absolute

Member since Aug-24-02
895 posts, 12 feedbacks,

Dec-18-02, 09:43 PM ()

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9. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

stephanie this drawing is cute as a button,that likeness is right on the money,......im glad you posted the photo along with this because it brings up a question i have,,,about areas in photo's that are totally washed out..like this hat....i never know if i should shade that area as light as possible...or just draw the space around it?.....im curious what other people think about that question.

www.geocities.com/woodart211

verdaccio

Member since Dec-15-02
122 posts, 1 feedbacks,

Dec-19-02, 00:49 AM ()

10. "RE: OH BROTHER...I NEED HELP!!!!!"

i think you have to leave it white. its the lightests area of the photo, so it has to stay white, or else everything has to get darker by the same tone as the shade of the washed out area of the hat. with a kid, thats dangerous, particularly since the face is already in full shadow. you can wind up with a rather swarthy toddler very quickly with huge circles under the eyes.

i think the area around the hat, the sky, should be lightly shaded. that will help make the contrast between the hat and face seem more natural and apporpriate, suggesting full shadow rather than dark complexion.

smk

jai guru deva om

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