:)

Some tips for posting for a critique
 

Hi Julie,

I tried to critique your work but there are a few things that are discouraging. I tried to look at the face but it's hard to comment on that. The source-photograph shows the face very, very little on my computer screen, without enough detail to compare it to your drawings. If you want a critique it's good to consider what exactly you want critiqued. In this case, when you post a close-up of the face, also show a large photograph of the face on the source photograph. If you want the hands or arms critiqued show us those details on the source-photograph in a larger image and the hands you have drawn.

Seeing the second drawing I would advice to work on the accuracy of the placing of the different parts of the face. Get a really accurate line-drawing. Using a mirror to see the mistakes can be helpful. You also seem to be reluctant to put in shadows, the face is very light. The second drawing looks unfinished.

Thanks
 

Thanks for your comments, and I AM ashamed for that one post. I know you who post are going above and beyond the call of duty.

About the drawing - part of the shading was obliterated during the jpeg transition, but I was purposefully keeping it light, because the photo translated everything dark. I'll try to post a blowup of the face.

Steve, I like just the face too, but the mom is set on having the expensive dress she bought her daughter be completely in the picture. I'll try to see if I can help out the composition by adding something toward the bottom. Maybe a few flowers, like setting her in a garden? Or a pot of flowers off to her right? I'd move her over more to the left.

The drawing again
 

Here it is again so it can be compared easily to the photo. The hair is lighter because it is actually a medium golden brown. Photo issues again. I'm learning a lot on that score too. One day I hope to get a digital camera (sigh).

Let me be the first
 

Let me be the first to critique my own work :)

It's all distorted. The head is narrower than I drew, and the features are not properly placed, as mentioned.

The only thing I can tell myself, besides the obvious (practice, practice, practice!) is that I was laying on the couch with a blinding headache while I did it. But the result is what counts, not excuses. So, that said, "excuse me" while I go try again.

Julie,

Just out the door for the day, but your comment about distortion reminded me of something else I wanted to mention, regarding your earlier reference to having projected the image onto paper to begin. On the face of it, I don

Last note for now . . .

You mentioned moving her a bit to the left. I considered that at first blush, and while some movement might be okay, I wouldn

Dear Julie:

A few things I do that help with a drawing by trying to find different ways of seeing the subject:

Make a black and white copy of the face from the reference photo. This way you can better understand the value relationships. In your drawing of the head, I noticed you're giving equal tone to the core shadow and the shadow under her lighted cheek. This is not the case. Getting rid of the color will help you better read those kinds of tonal relationships.

Hang a mirror behind you and constantly check your work in the mirror while you are working. A reverse image has this way of making drawing mistakes more noticable.

Turn your photo upside down and work from it that way. It tricks your brain and you'll see relationships better. Looking at an oil portrait upside down helps you better see the local flesh color and the form of the head as well. If the overall flesh tone is too pale, you'll see it upside down.

Take a digital photo of your drawing and bring it up on the computer. It's also a way of seeing things differently.

Projecting the image to trace on your ground is okay as long as it doesn't become a crutch. As Steven suggests, use it to indicate where everything should go but keep in mind the drawing process continues until the very end.

My final piece of advice is not to get discouraged with drawing, painting, or the Forum -- only clients who don't pay you on time. I consider painting at a high level to be as difficult as playing a musical instrument well or writing a good book. It requires maybe 10% talent and 90% percent hard work, years of hard work -- a lifetime of hard work. But if you love doing it, then it's not really work. You know you love it when five hours go by and you hardly notice the passage of time. (I'm really full of it tonight.)

By the way, the first sketch you made was quite nice. It looks like you have a good plan for the overall light and dark pattern of the painting.

A new one
 

Thanks Scott and Steven.

Yeah, the tracing is only temporary. Believe me, I want to get my rusty drawing skills back. Anyway, here's another one. Very tight, but that's because I feel unsure of myself.

By the way, what is meant by the core shadow? Is it the one farthest from the light?

Dear Julie:

A brief explanation of terms thanks to Mr. J. Sheppard: When a light source (a) strikes a sphere or cylinder a number of things can be observed. The primary core which I mentioned regarding your drawing, is the darkest shadow (d). It