Sept 10th: Graphite Portrait

Babies.  They're soft, squishy and pretty much all look the same when you're drawing them.  I'm not complaining!  It just makes it that much easier to crank out a drawing!

I think that I'm going to be able to finish this one in 3 days.  Maybe 2.  It all depends on how distracted I get.  I'll be really surprised if I don't finish it on Tuesday.  There's not much complication to it.  The hat is knitted which in the past would scare me, but since I've developed a technique with tortillons for knitted hats, I'm not intimidated anymore.  There's also a large flower on the hat, but if I don't over-obsess with detail and just draw, I should be ok.  That's the trick though. 

I think that the lighting in the photo is slightly garish and the drawing actually gives a more peaceful feel to the kid.  Also, after working on all those older kids, it's messing with my sense of proportion.  I mean, if you tried to draw irises on an older person as big as they are for this baby, they'd look like an alien!  But babies have weird proportions all their own and that's helpful to remember. 

Sept 7th: Finished Graphite Portrait

I'm posting this later in the week because my phone's been glitchy and refusing to post my blogs!  Stupid technology.  

I'm done with the 3 kids and on time!  It's a new record for me and I can only hope that my improvement continues.

The few bits that were a challenge at the end were the ribbon in the girl's hair and her necklace.   The ribbon because it's crinkled and hard to draw.  But nothing a kneaded eraser and tortillon can't handle.  It does kind of look like she has Bacon in her hair though ... haha.  The only reason I had any problem with the necklace was because I couldn't tell from the picture whether it was a heart or oval or what.  So I kind of made it in between somewhere ...

The hand of the first boy was completely fudged and I must say it's impressive fudging.   I need a picture to draw anything that's not crap.  But I just kept drawing until it looked good.  I'm proud of that hand lol.  It sounds like a stupid thing to be excited about, but I really am.

This is the best drawing I've done to date.  I'm sad I won't be there to see the reaction of whoever this is for.

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Sept 6th: Portrait in Graphite and Cartooning in Pen

Motivation level zero today.  I actually teamed up with a friend and his business and he wants me to do examples of my cartoons for him.  So I did some of that.  These goofy cartoons are the very few things I can do on my own without a picture reference.   I've been drawing them since I was 12 or so.

Anywho.  On my portrait I worked on her hair.  I love drawing female hair.  It's shiny and usually has highlights and things for me to add.  Highlights on hair much like highlights on anything are done with erasers.  Unless the highlights are on a very dark surface.  Then erasers aren't the best.  In that case, separate out the highlights before making everything dark around them.  You can only erase so much before compromising your paper. 

100% confidant that this drawing will be done Friday ;)

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Sept 5th: Portrait in Graphite

Today I began work on the third and final kid.  I've found during this drawing that it was extremely helpful to keep a copy on my phone.  This way I was able to zoom when I needed and have both black and white and color copies.  In the past, I've only used photos that I've digitally made black and white to better see contrast.  But this only works if you're using a really high quality photo.  The ones that I'm using turned out looking grainy after I printed them out.  It was pretty hard to see details.  So it makes it a lot easier to have a copy on my phone that I can reference to see things more clearly.  Just random knowledge I guess.

So right away I noticed that my outline of the girls face is off.  Too narrow.  I had to widen her cheeks and change her hairline.  Usually what I do is measure everything from the eyes on.  So I have to make absolutely sure that the eyes are in the right place and the right size.  If they're off, then the rest of the face will be off.  It's kind of a wierd way to draw.  Most people just draw the shape of the face first.  Maybe that's my problem.  I think I may be going about drawing the face all backwards. 

Whatever works. 

So, once more I began with defining the major areas of her face and where the lightest and darkest areas are.  Right now, she just looks goofy because I don't have really any middle tones going on and all you can see is that crooked smile haha.  Tomorrow I'll  pretty much finish her face.  She's got a simple, straight on face like her brother (at least I think it's her brother... they have very similiar facial features) and shouldn't take long at all.  The only detail about her portrait will be from the ribbon in her hair.  Otherwise, I shouldn't have too many problems.  I plan on being completely done with this drawing on Friday! 

Sept 4th: Graphite Portrait

Finished the second kid today!  Well all minus the arm on his shoulder and the hand.

All my problems today came from freaking logos and brand names. I started the day with the hat, noticing that there's some kind of design I couldn't make out in the middle.  So I drew it as close as I could, but didn't draw it too dark.  Barely visible on the picture was a "fox" brand.  So I used my kneaded eraser and made sure I didn't make it too bright.   Just enough so you can see it.  I darkened his shirt and attempted to free hand the AERO lettering.   Yeah, that was a mistake.   I ended up erasing a huge chunk of the shirt and using my projector to make the letters far less embarrassing.   I still don't like them, I don't know what I'll do about them yet.

Tomorrow I'll fix little things with kid #2.  Finish the arm.  Then I'll move on to the girl. 

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Sept 3rd: Graphite Portrait

Ok blog.  I lied.  I did a little drawing today before we left.  All I was able to accomplish was some work on the hat.  My proudest part is the stitching.  I didn't draw dashes for stitching like I would have in the past.  I took a stub and made elliptical smudges where the hem is and added highlights where the sun was hitting.   I like the effect and I'm happy that I'm getting better at drawing different textures.   It's not always easy. 

Tomorrow I'll have free time again and can get back to drawing in earnest.

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Sept 1st: Graphite Portrait

Late last night I finished the wrinkles and lighting on the 1st kids shirt so that I could begin the kid in the middle today.  I realize early on that this face will be easier.   There's a lot less shadow.  Since he's looking at the camera straight on, it makes everything symmetrical and that much easier.  

Darkened the shadows.  Formed the eyes.  Drawing tip:  don't smudge anything with your finger.  Unless you literally just washed them.  Everyone has oils on their skin.  Oil+pencil=smudgy mess. 

The next couple of days I'm going to have to take off.  We're helping a friend move.  See you Tuesday blog!

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