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Hi Christopher. I’m starting to realise that getting a likeness is about structure yes, but after that is taken care of, it also has much to do with subtleties. I agree with you that observation then becomes your best friend. With Rajiv’s portrait, the mouth needs to move up and angle up towards the right. That will leave you more room for the chin. The forehead also needs to angle back further, and revisit the angles of the jawline, ear and eye. I hope you don’t mind me saying all this, but I know you like feedback, so I hope it’s helpful 🙂.
Hi Deborah,
don’t worry it’s like you said I’m thankful for any criticism.
Day 94 & 95
The last days were pretty frustrating since I learned the hard way why I have such a hard time “putting it all together” or attempting something that is not intended as excercise. If you would call such drawings “real drawing” I have clearly not done enough of that because I again and again notice how much I lack a process to follow.
I often tend to be more intuitive while trying to draw something and therefore I’m not really applying what I learned but at least I’m still thinking about the learned while drawing.
I’m not sure at this point if that’s fine or a bad habit.
But I do know that learning many different techniques is one thing but I’m realizing it’s no wonder that I’m always clueless what to do next in a drawing intended to be more finished if I never try to actually apply and combine the techniques to see what works for me.
Now I just got so many different approaches that aim in totally different directions that I learned but never tried or even questioned how to bring them together or if they even harmonize.
This all might sound more negative than it’s intended to be but at least I understand now why my drawings are so inconsistent in quality.
Besides all this, there are only five days left and I definitely want to continue with another challenge. So I wanted to invite or better ask everyone who might have looked into here more often for suggestions for my second challenge.
I would intend to just continue with what I’m doing right now, meaning calling it “continuing building a solid foundation” and again letting the direction it goes develope naturally.
But if someone might have looked in here and thought at some point something like “he just needs that” or “he should focus on that” you are more than welcome to share your thoughts/suggestions.
I’m a bit scared to lose almost all the anatomical knowledge and everything else I learned if I would switch to a completely new topic right now. But if something else would be more helpful for improving at this point I’m the last one to say no.
Lastly for the days 94 & 95 I have done more block in practise still trying different approaches and orders of steps. Additionally I did a block in intended to try bringing it a bit further tomorrow.
But enough for now and sorry for the long read 😅
Christopher,
I think your structure is improving dramatically. I did a draw over layer over one of your constructions to show you how I would work with the structure you made. When you start to render or just develop your drawings past the construction stage you will find issues and tweak and correct as you go. This is how you check your work and learn to not repeat the same mistakes in your next construction. I’m using cross contour lines here but of course you could use tone as well. 👍
As for what you said about not applying what you are learning consistently, the goal is to be able to draw intuitively. It’s only through applying the lessons you are learning to your actual drawings (not just in some abstracted exercise mode) that the skills become natural and intuitive.
As for your next challenge I think it’s a great idea to keep up your momentum. A change of pace could be good. Do something that feels exciting to you whatever it is. You won’t lose the anatomy and the knowledge. You can still practice head drawing.
Draw plants or still lifes or animals or bones. Learn more perspective, or draw drapery. Pick something that seems like a fun new challenge and try to abstract the lessons you’ve learned enough to apply them to whatever comes next. Solid drawing works for everything. You can draw a potato or a multi figure composition. The skills are the same. 👍🏼 Keep it up! You’re so close!
Christopher, I just found your thread today and went through the whole thing, and I just wanted to say that the sheer amount of quality work you are putting in is super impressive and inspiring! This type of hardcore analytical study is VERY difficult for me, and seeing your work inspires me greatly to put more time and effort into my learning!! Congratulations on nearly completing 100 days! This is certainly an accomplishment. I think your work, and the many insightful comments here have inspired many to keep on working! 🙌🙏
I agree with Matthias. I think we should sticky or somehow link to this challenge as a great example of how to train.
Wow thanks to both of you. I never really saw my analytical approach as a strength. Since I’m using NMA I already got some comments suggesting it might even be to much to move forward and I shouldn’t grind endlessly. Before NMA I even got such comments all the time.
Because of that I was much rather questioning if that side of me should be considered as weakness and if I’m doing it right.
I don’t even see that much of an improvement rather than an development of moving from simple excercises to a more solid subject in form of the head. Most of what I have done is not even presentable even if that was never my intention.
So even if your words make me feel a bit embarrassed I thank both of you and if it’s of any kind of value for others I have nothing against using my thread as an example Joshua.
Day 96
Thank you again Joshua, it is really interesting to see someone using my “foundation” to build a house. Besides that I was planning to use my fountain pen anyway because I think using lines is better to practise seeing and following form.
I didn’t looked at your version while working on mine on purpose because I didn’t want to avoid making mistakes. Yours would have been one way to solve it and my version would definitely had ended up being a copy 😅
But comparing it afterwards was really insightful, especially because I’m still a slave of the reference while you made some changes for example to the hair that look way better in my opinion.
Besides all this I, as usual 😅, think that I kind of ruined the nice block in but as already mentioned I hope it’s at least one drawing ,of alot of bad drawings, closer to a good one.
Regarding my second challenge,
It’s hard to say what would excite me since I’m interested in so many things like fine art, illustration, character design, telling a story, subject wise it’s the same: portraits, figure drawing, land/cityscapes, animals ….. the list goes on and on but I don’t see myself being even close to be able to do such things 😅
I agree in that I could also see myself benefiting of stepping back and doing something more forgiving like still lifes but I’m not sure how much sense it would make if I would work almost exclusively from photo references since I just don’t have a good lighting set up or equipment.
I now that I’m working only from photos right now too but I don’t know if that’s missing a point if it’s about still lifes.
The thing about changing the pace sounds also interesting but I’m not sure if I got it right. I assume you ment slowing down and doing more “longer” or time consumable drawings or in general less quick studies.
I think pen and ink drawing is a great way to learn.
One of the ways I learned to draw is doing pen and ink studies of pillows, drapery, cushions and learning how to describe any form I saw using lines. That’s the same skill set I use every time I draw today.
Regarding light: If you have a window you can do still life using natural light.
Our beginners course cover lighting options including some budget ones. 👍🏼
I’d just like to also say, Joshua I highly appreciate all your very insightful and helpful advice! Your knowledge and level of pure draftsmenship is just awesome. Your comments have been so insightful and beneficial for all! Much thanks
Day 97
Because of what Joshua said about applying the learned to find a process I can follow intuitively I started thinking about which approaches from the different sources here on NMA I liked most and what I like about them. After I answered that for myself I tried to think of ways to combine them or how to use them together instead of just mindlessly starting a drawing and then not knowing what to do because of thinking of to many possible ways/solutions to do it at once.
So for the next drawings I will try to follow that process and see how that works out instead of trying a new mixture of steps after every “failure”.
Basically since I really enjoy the simplified design focused and shape driven approach of Steve Huston and Chris Legaspi, the precise structural way of Ilya Mirochnik and everything learned so far from Mark Westermoe about the Reilly Method I thought of a way how to combine these.
So I started today’s portrait with a basic characteristic 2d shape for the head and then used the measuring technique to check it’s accuracy before moving forward (until now most of the time I measured first and then tried to fit in the shape). Then I placed the features again as general shapes and again checked the placement with the measuring techniques. The structural and anatomical knowledge and the Reilly method were what lead my thinking while doing these steps.
I can’t say that I’m happy with the result or if this is a good or bad process but I will at least give it a chance for some time.
Day 98
Since I chose a process I thought it could be helpful to throw in some simple excercises again but this time focusing on what’s useful for my process. So first I thought the excercise I did a while back where I thought of boxes but drew only their 2d shape could be fitting for what I’m doing now. Additionally I tried the same approach to simplify individual features, in this case noses, mouths and ears.
Then I did two quick heads as just rough lay ins again but this time not focusing on likeness but on the overall process I created for myself.
Lastly one “full” portait again. I have to admit that I don’t feel like being “close” to anything and that I’m not really happy with how these last three fountain pen portraits look but I hope that’s just the lack of experience if it’s about attempting to draw something with the intention of “finish”. (oh and yes I got a bit of impatient at the end, so the hair ended up looking flat 😅)
Hi Christopher,
You’re so close! Excited? Pleased? You should be 🙂. You’re doing a fantastic job, studying, trying new things and really thinking through what you’re doing and why. As you keep searching for solutions in your practice, your brain will keep putting things together. Your analytical approach is definitely a strength!
Whatever you choose for your second challenge, you will do well. My thought is to make it specific enough to give you a sense of direction but broad enough that it gives you wriggle room if you want to pivot. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do 🙂👍🏻!
Thank you really much for your regular comments Deborah they were and are much appreciated. Especially because I often feel guilty not answering in the same frequency in your thread 😅 But I definitely look at your stuff daily and your in some ways pretty similar but in other areas quite different approach has been a big inspiration to me 🙏
Day 99
Besides having a bit less time today I noticed my hand issues coming back so I’m pretty sure now that it has something to do with the “writing grip” since I worked so much with my fountain pen the last days.
I hope if I’m carefully going on and off with this type of work that my hand will get at least a bit more resistant to these movements because I do like Inking and wouldn’t want to miss it.
Besides that today there is sadly no “full” portrait but I again did two quicker lay ins.
I haven’t measured even once and I already can see some proportions being off but today’s focus was once again on the part of my process where it’s about establishing the shape. One thing I did differently and that I think worked out pretty well is that I tried to exaggerate the seen head shape almost like a caricature. I think it really pushes the likeness despite it’s proportional errors.
I imagine this could work out really good with regular measurements and corrections in between if it’s about the likeness. Like first crossing the line on purpose and then trying to tame it a little bit.
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