Pencil Portrait of Amina 9×12

[Jan]

I’m trying to use the concepts I’m learning in the Russian Academic Drawing Course to build structure and not just copy the reference photo. I tried paying attention to the highlights as Iliya instructed to find the major changes of plane, but I think I may be softening the planes too much in trying to achieve a likeness. He also talked about pulling the skull structure closer to the surface when drawing portraits, but I’m not sure I was able to do that very well. It was much easier just drawing skulls! I’m only partially through the series, though, so hopefully by the end I’ll have made more visible progress.

[Joshua Jacobo]

I think this is a very sensitive drawing. Here’s my critique. The pink lines represent a cross contour line based on how your forms are reading to me. The green line is structurally what I would expect to see.

[Jan]

Thank you, Joshua. I really appreciate your critique! I’ve been trying to draw like I’m running my finger over the form, but I get lost sometimes when I’m trying to also develop the value gradient. I definitely see how your cross contour line communicates the actual form more accurately.

[Alex]

WOW! great progress, amazing how much ground you have covered in just a few months

[Author]

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