Self Portraits join in the fun!

[euge]

Hello dustonpaper, your number 3 in the second set of drawings is lovely. Very very nice.

[dustonpaper]

Daniel ... thank you that you like the drawings. Yes indeed, almost all the artists I admire worked from models. I myself just want to create something, someday, when I'm better ... where people see it and say "oh, thats beautiful" and have a good time watching it. To create something new or express something meaningful in my work will be beyond my creative capabilities.

Crafor ... I think the hair is done very nicely in your painting and I'm sure there is a likeness. What I want to suggest to you and I mean it well, if classic realism is where you want to go (?): draw more. I personally just recently, like last week or so got hooked on drawing, never did much before except the group I go to (once a week 2 hours, no teaching, just a room and a model). One really can learn a lot. Colour is just the icing on the cake I begin to realize. I thought I can reach my goals just with oil paint and the drawing part will take care for itself, but for me it wont work. But of course all that depends on where you want to go to.

euge ... thank you ! It was done with an ink pencil. Never tried it before, but it will be nice to master it. Good for quick sketches and it doesn't smudge like most other drawing mediums.

[crafor]

Originally Posted by euge

Hello, crafor, I like the design features, the only thing I can not understand is the dark shadow in the right back jaw of the face (from the point of view of the face, the left as spectators), I would reverse the values on the side jaws. I am not a expert, so, you may want to wait for better opinions, I like the hair and red lips thin.
euge

euge, thanks! You're right. The shadows on the side planes are too dark, AND on the wrong sides. LOTS of reasons for that: I reversed the drawing AND the light source. Solutions, use a light box, and set up a constant light sourse. The other reason is my present ability level. Your opinion? Heck no, you pointed out some basic problems. YOUR opinion is very helpull to me seeing problems. I appreciate it, and thank you. I also like that you said what you do like. That is really important to someone who is just learning, as I am. Knowing where I am on the right track is necessary.
Crafor

[crafor]

[quote=dustonpaper] I myself just want to create something... where people see it and say "oh, thats beautiful" and have a good time watching it. To create something new or express something meaningful in my work will be beyond my creative capabilities.[/unquote]
Wonderful goal--mine too.

dustonpaper]I think the hair is done very nicely in your painting and I'm sure there is a likeness. What I want to suggest to you and I mean it well, if classic realism is where you want to go (?): draw more. I personally just recently, like last week or so got hooked on drawing, never did much before except the group I go to (once a week 2 hours, no teaching, just a room and a model). One really can learn a lot. Colour is just the icing on the cake I begin to realize. I thought I can reach my goals just with oil paint and the drawing part will take care for itself, but for me it wont work. But of course all that depends on where you want to go to.

Thanks for your comment. It is realism I'm working toward. Your suggestion to draw more is correct. I struggle with hair--along with everything else, so it's nice to know when a part turns out well. I think there is a good enough likeness that it could be used to pick me out of a group of people with the exception that I think the face is a bit too long.
When I got back into this 7 short months ago, I realized that drawing was only one of the abilities that I was lacking in, and have been working on it. Not enough yet, but what I am doing has made a big difference already. Thanks for that little nudge to do more. You're right, more drawing will help me improve. Two of the other subjects that I did not learn years ago were perspective and color, so I am working on them, too. Most of what I have learned has been here, through the members of this website, and I am so very grateful. People like you and euge help so much. Your comments, especially to one starting out are invaluable. Thanks.

Originally Posted by dustonpaper

It was done with an ink pencil. ...Good for quick sketches and it doesn't smudge like most other drawing mediums.

Thanks for the tip to use ink rather than pencils

[lisaastrup]

Hi all.

Here is my first and only self portrait, its 24 x 30 cm on Fabriano water color paper, the backside used. As you can see its all graphite.



I think I missed a few wrinkles becurse the reference photo was taken with blitz,
but I don't miss them

[crafor]

Hi, Lisa,
Nicely done, but I'll suggest again that you add more dark: especially in the hair and shirt. Check the curve of your right upper eyelid, and consider an adjustment to your recent drawing.
Crafor (a rank beginner herself)

[lokeforrest]

Originally Posted by JEFrantz

Just an up-date on my SP... have to admit I'm really liking it so far... with the dark paper, it seems to have kind of a 3D effect!

I'm liking this very much too.

[crafor]

3x3" oil on water color paper. My recent (yesterday) sp. X-posted in OILS forum, CRAFOR'S 100. Used my smallest brush for most of this. C&C welcome
Crafor

[crafor]

7 x 8.5" graphite on (scrap paper). After yesterday's disaster, I decided to try another sp, and here it is. I think it's the best one I've done so far, and see several areas to improve. It was done with many interruptions over the morning, probably took a little more than 2 hours. The "dark side" (viewer's right) is not dark enough. It should be closer to the dark of the other eye. And the dark hair is definately not dark enough. I just got tired.
C&C welcome
Crafor

[ajparke]

Hi, great to see all these self portraits up here. I use a very exacting technique, and I find a photo reference works well for me, but everyone has there own path. In truth, I admire those who choose to paint from life.




http://www.anthonyparke.com/

[crafor]

If that photo is an example, it's wonderful. When will you share your technique with us?
Crafor

[dustonpaper]

Good job with the drawing Crafor ! If you do a few more of these and then go back to painting I'm sure it will help very good. You really took your time with that drawing and have a good result. I also like that you analyse it yourself with the darks and so ...

___

Anthony, great self-portrait . I personally see nothing wrong with working from photos. If it works for you it works, and this one looks great. If I ever would take on portrait commissions in the future, it will probably be from photo reference, people do not have the time anymore to sit for a painting . I enjoy work from life more, being able to chat with a model etc.
In a Scott Burdick video I watched he said "I practice painting from life so that I can work well from photos" ... he said for the experienced painter, working from life is easier than from photo (I was quite astonished as he said that, but he must be right, he is one of the best painters that live today), because from life you have all the information ... in photos, usually a lot is lacking, like the shadows going all black and stuff like that. Since he does subjects probably only possible to work from photos (like this example: http://scottburdick.com/Pages/2009Scott2.htm ... he paints a lot from photos he makes during travelling), he says he needs much experience working from life so he can work around the optical mistakes even the best cameras make.

[crafor]

Thanks, Dustonpaper. Your support means a lot to me. One thing I learned with that is a little more of the structure of my skull, and what some of the bumps and ridges are caused by . I learned a little more about how various points "line up".
I was torn between continuing with graphite for the darks and switching to charcoal. Obviously, I didn't do either. I took a nap instead!
C&C welcome.
Crafor

[earmenow]

This is my first self-portrait and I thought I would share because it turned out better than I thought it would .

[bethanyt]

Welcome, earmenow. This is a very well-handled painting- I'm guessing oils?
Good to see you dressed up for the occasion!