Old Man ink/gouache/pencil
 

After having read several of the critques online I am at awe at the depth of observation by those who answer with their insight and hope that I might receive some honest to goodness tips as well. Thanks.

It's pretty hard to give "tips" to someone working at such an extraordinary level of draftsmanship. You could change nothing on this and it would still be right on top of the game.

Perhaps rather than tips, a suggestion about how you might push this fine drawing just that tiny bit more. This would be in the area of contrast between value areas, and the effect that increasing or decreasing contrast has in creating depth and form.

The two areas I'm looking at:

1-- Darkening the value of the neck (the loose skin or "wattle") a little will push it back underneath the beard (or conversely, bring the bearded chin forward a bit).

2-- Progressively darkening the value of the fur collar as it goes up over the shoulders, and even largely losing the top edge of that collar against the background, will help define the roundness of the form and suggest the recession of the shoulder tops.

In combination, these modifications will, I think, bring just that little bit extra focus to bear on the face, and bring the head slightly forward in the kind of hunch that I would expect to see in this figure.

Very nice work.

Cheers

Hi Steven!

Thank you for your compliments. Now that you have pointed it out I can see how those adjustments would make the old man come forward more. I will work on it. By the way this was done on scratchboard or otherwise known as clayboard. What a wonderful surface to work on!

Thanks again!

I haven't worked on that surface before, but if the "scratches" are irreversible, so that you can't reclaim the darker tones, don't worry about it. As I said, the modifications would just get that last 2% out of it, and 98% is a pretty good score.

Hi, Steven.

Sorry I didn't get back right away. I was going cross-eyed at 11PM our time - had a long day!

Actually the beauty about scratch board is that you can erase with fine steel wool and start all over again. I even do my oil portraits on that surface, because they get a beautiful enamel sheen. This surface is so forgiving, it is amazing!

Enzie,

I recently attended a show of wildlife artists and saw some fantastic art on scratchboard. It is an intriguing surface.

This is of course a wonderful drawing, [scratching] how did you come by the image of this man?

Hi Mike!

I have a friend, Mr. Al Sadrpour, who is a photo journalist. He travels to all those areas I wish I could go to and takes beautiful photos of the people he encounters. Sometimes I get to a supply of black and whites, that I can paint/draw from. If you go to my moonfruit site under favorite links you can go to his site.

Hi, Enzie.

I really like your work, the detail. And was happy to see some clay board work. I bought some at Art Methods in Califronia a couple of years ago and I've never used it. Now I feel a need to scratch.

Thanks,
Tammy

Hi, Tammy!

I am happy to see I have inspired you to dig out your board and use it. I am sure you will love it.

I would love to hear in what medium you work and what your thoughts are, once you have worked with it.