Groom -- WIP

[Bongo1]

You guys have helped me immeasurably with a pastel piece that I was doing as a wedding gift for a bride (thread entitled "Gift"). Now I'm working on the portrait of the groom. Below is the initial pencil sketch done with 4B, F and 2H pencils. It's in an 11" x 14" sketchbook. I've included the reference photo. Thoughts?

I will soon start a much larger pastel piece on Colorfix.

Thanks!

[Bongo1]

Okay, here's the beginnings of the pastel version. 20" x 30" on Colorfix paper (sanded). What are your thoughts?

[Sonni]

Stay in this block in mode for a long time --until you get the facial features correct. It's much easier to make the corrections this way. Brush out your mistakes (don't paint over them). You are getting too light too fast, so be careful there, too.

[roy-p]

This is building up to be another much appreciated wedding gift

I think the groom has a stronger jaw line than suggested by your pastel. If you consider the posterior border of the lower jaw, from the bottom of the ear down to the angle (where it turns horizontally forwards), you'll find this is longer in the reference than in your pastel preliminary. This part (the angle) is covered in shadow, but blow it up and compare and you'll see what I'm referring to.

The gentleman's ear has a distinctive characteristic which we mustn't ignore - the helix (the outer curved part), as it descends along the poster margin, is bending backwards to flatten towards the skull. This is not only making the Anti-helix (the inner curved part) prominent, when seen in this particular perspective gives the ear a pointy look - which compliments his nose, IMHO!

Another thing we mustn't ignore is his almost Monalisa-esque smile Those soft mounds of flesh at the corners of his mouth are creating natural sfumato like shadows in that region, acting as a nice contrast to his general ruggedness.

I'd also like to draw your attention to the shape of the skull above the eyebrow ridge, esp the part of the forehead along its right margin (our right).

You're on to a promising start - Good luck!

[Sonni]

Sorry about the crude lines. Maybe Prosenjit can fix them up--I have only a mouse and limited knowledge...

But, check the boxes and lines for slight adjustments. You can see where the jaw needs to be fuller as Prosenjit said. And that the the proportion of the sections are a little off. Get these right before you go on to other things. TAKE YOUR TIME.

[Bongo1]

Sonni and Prosenjith -- Thanks for your fantastic comments and guidance. Here's the latest. What do you think? I couldn't resist playing with lighter values, but I made every effort to get the proportions correct before doing so and I used a brush to remove the layers of pastel before putting a new one down (by the way, it's very hard to remove rembrandts -- ludwigs go quickly).

Thanks!

[roy-p]

Much better!

I don't know if you'd need to 'lift' the eyebrow ridge just a wee tad?? And perhaps the downwards slope (laterally) of the right eyebrow/socket outline is a little less steep (i.e. straighter) in the reference. I'm mentioning this only because this seems to be having an effect on his expression - he looks like a really nice guy in your pastel, in the reference he also looks a bit... what's the right word, formidable? And I think the shape and elevation of eyebrow ridge is responsible for this.

Are you also thinking of moderating the green around his mouth?

[Bongo1]

Thanks for the comments. Here's the latest -- what do you think?

[kevinwueste]

Bongo - it is heartening to me to see all the wise ones helping you and to see you, in return working hard to develop your work! This one is getting pretty nicely done - both here and in the soft pastel forum where you have also received some intense help!

you are at the stage where some subtle tweaks and very careful looking ( more looking than drawing/painting!!!!!) will get you there.. then - and only then - what makes it a thing of interest in an of itself ? that's the REAL hard part after you figure out all this drawing stuff ( and no, I haven't figured it out 'neither but I work on it all the time!)..

here are some comparisons with the two heads sized.. lots of small-ish items: angles ( i refer to as tilts), proportions .. all fixable.. the nose and eye perspective and angles are the biggest issues.. look at the width of his head overall.. and its tilt to the right - that seems missing ? - check it to yours .. are you there ? look VERY hard and squint! I think Sir-P ( Prosenjit) talked above about a feeling he was getting from this man - can you capture that.. that sort of powerful quality ? if you think about the soul of a thing - I believe, sometimes you are more able to capture that in the work.. good luck!