I guess it was just to see what I'm capable of currently.
Terrified to add anything else on the page, for fear that I'll mess up and totally ruin the rest of the studies xD
So for now, I give you an eye, and a pair of lips.
Sorry for the quality on the lips. I think I should draw faces on plain white paper, instead of the off-white/cream paper I'm using currently. I think it'd help with highlights and whatnot...
Feedback and critique is always welcomed (:
I'm here to learn!
These are great! The lips are especially nice - I always have trouble with making lips look three-dimensional, but you've captured that quite well.
ReplyDeleteWith the eye, it looks like you are just drawing the shapes instead of thinking about what is underneath and what is causing those shapes. I would suggest doing some studies of eyeballs - sans skin and muscles. Then try to work forward from there (eyeball studies > eye muscle studie >, eyelid studies > eyelash studies). Always keep in mind that what we see is a result of things /wrapping/ around the forms we don't see (like muscles, bones, cartilegde, fat, etc). Pay attention to the waterline (it looks like you attempted to show this, but I don't think it's reading clearly). The waterline catches light like anything else, and tends to cast a little shadow where it meets the sclera. Focusing on the shape and shadows of the waterline can help bring it forward so that it appears to be sitting on top of the eyeball, instead of being flush with it. Also, eyelashes tend to grow towards the eye (so the top eyelashes grow down, bottom lashes grow up), then outwards, and then away from the eye. In your sketch, it looks like they're just growing away from the eye, which makes them appear a little flat.
If you're concerned about losing contrast, you could always try working with darker grade pencils (like 5B or something). Or you could also try working in highlights with a white pencil crayon and using the cream coloured paper as a base tone in your drawings.
I have so much trouble with eyes. They're just so complicated, but I really like them. Eyelashes seem to be the worst for me.
ReplyDeleteThe eyeball studies sound like a really good idea. I need to do that with the body itself as well.
This was just seeing what I was capable of doing right now, and getting some suggestions on where to go from here (:
Also, my first drawing, no matter what it is, always seems to be lacking in quality compared to any I draw after it. I drew the eye first, then drew the lips when I was more warmed up. That's something I need to work on as well...
And thank you for the compliment on the lips. I'm rather proud with how they came out haha
Would a white charcoal pencil work for highlights? I've never really used charcoal, but I was given a set of the pencils a few years ago... There's a chinese white pencil in with them.
Thank you very much for your help! ^_^
You're quite welcome. And white charcoal should be fine - anything that's white and similar to graphite in texture would work.
ReplyDeleteThe human body is incredibly intricate so it would definitely be best to work from the core outwards. It's good that you've done some studies before taking a look beneath the skin though, because now when you decide to focus on the skeleton and the musclulature, you will be able to compare and see how much that knowledge truly helps you.
Why don't you try doing quick, timed gesture drawings for 30 minutes or so before you start your studies? You may want to begin with 5 minute gestures for a while, and once you feel more comfortable, move down to 2 minutes. This should help loosen you up so that you can provide consistent quality throughout your studies. Think of it like warming up and doing stretches before going for a run; it'll make your run much easier and much more enjoyable.
I think I'll try the gestures to warm up.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I had my tablet right now for this, so I don't have to use up so much paper ):
I'll have to go get a sketchbook just for gestures/warm ups I think. I'd like to keep my studies strictly in one book, for sanity's sake.