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Steven Sweeney · 01-16-2003, 07:19 PM

Jean,

Just briefly, I think you're overmodeling in the face, and it's giving his flesh a looser look than I see in the photo. In particular, the dark shadows and accents need some relief -- right under the chin line, on the lips, the tear duct in the eye to our right, most of the creases in the flesh of the face and neck, throughout the ear. Raising the value of those darks a bit may take care of things, but you may also have to additionally do some combination of lightening some of the midtones and darkening a few lights here and there. To the latter, I'm looking at that white patch of value on our far left on the forehead, above the glasses. The form should be receding in that area (and is, in the photo), rather than advancing to catch the light. Same with the edge of the chin, on our left, and the edge of the cheekbone, same side (inside the lens frame).

The one area that is most affecting likeness is the quite marked difference in the mouth, between photo and drawing. Put the two images side by side and quickly look back and forth at that feature in each. The differences are quite apparent. I mentioned already that the edges of the lips are probably too dark and hard. But the whole mouth (lips, teeth, all of it) is also at some oblique angle to the vertical axis of the face, whereas in the photo it's essentially perpendicular in form. With that tilt of the head, the mouth simply has to be rising faster as it rolls around to the far side.

A last thing I noticed in the same area -- the light shape below and adjacent to the nostril is too light.

Bring some midtones into the "shadow" side(s) of the form of the hair, to round it out, shape it. On the very distance "part" in the hair (on the back of the head), let the "part" show, rather than filling it in with thick hair. That "fill" is tending to reshape the back of the skull, pulling it out, making it seem larger than it is and contributing to a slightly oblong look to the head overall, chin to crown. (In fact, to the same effect, there's just a little too much hair "volume" below the part, on our right side of the head.)

Picky, picky, but there you go.

01-16-2003, 07:19 PM	#3
Steven Sweeney Juried Member PT 5+ years Joined: Nov 2001 Location: Stillwater, MN Posts: 1,801	Jean, Just briefly, I think you're overmodeling in the face, and it's giving his flesh a looser look than I see in the photo. In particular, the dark shadows and accents need some relief -- right under the chin line, on the lips, the tear duct in the eye to our right, most of the creases in the flesh of the face and neck, throughout the ear. Raising the value of those darks a bit may take care of things, but you may also have to additionally do some combination of lightening some of the midtones and darkening a few lights here and there. To the latter, I'm looking at that white patch of value on our far left on the forehead, above the glasses. The form should be receding in that area (and is, in the photo), rather than advancing to catch the light. Same with the edge of the chin, on our left, and the edge of the cheekbone, same side (inside the lens frame). The one area that is most affecting likeness is the quite marked difference in the mouth, between photo and drawing. Put the two images side by side and quickly look back and forth at that feature in each. The differences are quite apparent. I mentioned already that the edges of the lips are probably too dark and hard. But the whole mouth (lips, teeth, all of it) is also at some oblique angle to the vertical axis of the face, whereas in the photo it's essentially perpendicular in form. With that tilt of the head, the mouth simply has to be rising faster as it rolls around to the far side. A last thing I noticed in the same area -- the light shape below and adjacent to the nostril is too light. Bring some midtones into the "shadow" side(s) of the form of the hair, to round it out, shape it. On the very distance "part" in the hair (on the back of the head), let the "part" show, rather than filling it in with thick hair. That "fill" is tending to reshape the back of the skull, pulling it out, making it seem larger than it is and contributing to a slightly oblong look to the head overall, chin to crown. (In fact, to the same effect, there's just a little too much hair "volume" below the part, on our right side of the head.) Picky, picky, but there you go. __________________ Steven Sweeney [email protected] "You must be present to win."