Thread: First Critique
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Old 04-07-2002, 04:19 AM   #3
Lon Haverly Lon Haverly is offline
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Hi Susan!

Tough subject, an active child! I understand that. Drawing is an art of its own, which I believe deserves to be the end product, as well as sometimes the way towards another medium.

As I look at your drawing, I see a portrait which has form, but which has weak lines. My philosophy: if your lines are weak, the drawing will be weak. If your lines are good, your drawing will be good, and the form will come along.

I see two things about your form: the head looks to be turning down a bit. Therefore, the ears have to be higher in relationship to the eyebrows. Also, the head seems to be a bit elongated. Even though the cranium of a child is larger in relation to the face, it appears to be too long, although I have no reference picture, so I may be wrong. I have done shrunk the head in heighth by 1/6 in Corel, and raised the ears a bit. It may not be correct, but does it help?

Can I make one other suggestion? Try taking your 4B pencil and sanding the tip on a piece of sandpaper just as if you were going to draw. Then make some lines on your pad making the widest and richest lines you can make. Experiment - make parallel lines side by side and just overlapping, and then at different pressures. Strive for control and beauty. Beautiful lines will give you a more beautiful technique. The line is everything. Beautiful line, beautiful drawing.
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