V

[Kris Coolens]

Hello All,

As a practice I made this drawing of V

[Steven Sweeney]

An accomplished rendering, Kris, of a difficult exercise in perspective.

Just a couple of notes. Double-check the width of the neck (it seems very wide here) and the structure of the ear (perhaps it's right, but it looks unusual).

The cast shadow on the neck is very dark, perhaps the result of information you're getting from the photograph. Photos are notorious for exaggerating darks and for eliminating interesting, form-defining variations in their value. And the edge of the shadow, running from the ear down the jawline to the chin, is uniformly sudden and hard, and exhibits little of the variation in direction and quality that would help define the form. Perhaps that thin strip of dark value running up from the back of the jaw, in front of the ear, should be raised in value enough to almost disappear.

[Lon Haverly]

Very nice drawing, Kris. The shading is sensitive, and the form is strong.

I would add to Steven's comments the following. Background is a very subjective thing, and sometimes is done as an afterthought. Why do we draw backgrounds? Usually for contrast, too much negative space, artistic flourish, habit, or sometimes, no reason at all. The background here, my guess, is to offset the heavy drawing on the sweater. I try to avoid backgrounds on portraits unless they are necessary to the composition, or add to the composition a desirable flourish. This background is not bad, but the question is, would this drawing have been better without it? The abundance of lines in the background can draw the eye away from the face. Perhaps a washy background, so easy in charcoal, executed before the drawing is detailed, and which would allow for a lost edge here and there, would have worked better. Given the lack of lines in the rest of the drawing (not a bad thing), the use of lines in the background is a little strong.

I was once criticized for using background to cover my messes. Since then I have been very careful with my backgrounds.

[Kris Coolens]

Thank you for the useful input, Steven and Lon.

Steven, you're right about the neck. Someone else told me before; it's too wide. I didn't notice the ear. Fortunately, she has a normal ear in real life I used a picture as a reference indeed. I will keep your comments in mind for next time.

Lon, I applied the background here to give more contrast to the face. But I guess I didn't spend a lot of attention to it. You're right, we shouldn't be too lavish of backgrounds. I think backgrounds are so influential to the drawing, that i experience more difficulties on backgrounds than the subject itself.

Anyway, thank you both. I learned something today.

Kris