Classroom session #2.2
© 2024 Spencerm
Done as part of a 1 hour class.
My current goal is: Improve my rendering of faces
I took feedback from my first session about keeping hair pretty simple and tried to apply it here
Aunt Herbert
With hair I would not just go for simplifying, but for looking for shadow shapes and the shapes of highlights, and with comparatively stronger contrast than with skin, to depict the shiny surface of hair.
Spencerm
Do you have an example of this thaat I could reference?
Aunt Herbert
Pheeew... maybe this picture shows a bit what I am talking about:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b7/d1/4b/b7d14b6eafd780f161f58b9a3dfaf975.jpg
Notice, that the artist doesn't try to draw individual hairs, but rather just picks out the shape of the highlight.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b7/d1/4b/b7d14b6eafd780f161f58b9a3dfaf975.jpg
Notice, that the artist doesn't try to draw individual hairs, but rather just picks out the shape of the highlight.
Spencerm
Okay I think I understand now, the highlights are what help to describe the individual hairs and bring depth to the overall shape
Aunt Herbert
Yes, and it kinda works the same way with shadow areas on brighter hair. I see a lot of people drawing hairs as long lines, because they know, that hairs ARE long lines.
But generally, you rarely actually SEE individual hairs, but strands, quiffs, wisps... and because healthy hair is glossy, shiny, reflective, the contrasts in darkness values are stronger than for example on skin. Fewer midtones, more abrupt boundaries which show their distinct shapes.
On the upside, you have a bit more freedom with hair, because if you deviate from the reference, usually no one will see, that the actual hairstyle was different than you drew it. So you can go quite abstract with shadow shapes or the shapes of highlights, without breaking the illusion of a naturalistic depiction.
But generally, you rarely actually SEE individual hairs, but strands, quiffs, wisps... and because healthy hair is glossy, shiny, reflective, the contrasts in darkness values are stronger than for example on skin. Fewer midtones, more abrupt boundaries which show their distinct shapes.
On the upside, you have a bit more freedom with hair, because if you deviate from the reference, usually no one will see, that the actual hairstyle was different than you drew it. So you can go quite abstract with shadow shapes or the shapes of highlights, without breaking the illusion of a naturalistic depiction.
Spencerm
Understood, I will keep that in mind moving forward, thank you for the help!
I Want Food (unregistered visitor)
in the first one maybe try to put focus he most important features first before adding certain details to improve likenesses of a portrait I think you did a beautiful job of establishing values
in the second one I think the proportions look good but try to figure out where your shadows are before shading
in the second one I think the proportions look good but try to figure out where your shadows are before shading
Spencerm
Would you be able to elaborate more on your second point? I'm not sure I understand.
If I was to pinpoint one constructive nitpick or two, it would be two things: One, the facial forms are too stiffer, and two, the flow and organic fluidities are still not coming off yet in your heads and faces. Would you care to do our interactive drawing tutorial on our website?(even if it's for figures??)
The logical progress behind this interactivity is consequently, first, you start off with the warmups, then you speed up your lines of looseness gradually, but later, you can and will basically take more time constructing the basic shapes and lines. So for further information and details, please look into the Cartooning book for the 8-minute drawing exercise, which has that one thing I consistently crab about.
Good luck to you and your terrific marches of progress.