Elvis portrait!

Hi, everyone.

I'm new here. I just wanted to get some critiques on my new drawing of Elvis in its current status. You can see more of my work in my website recently made. This drawing is done on a Bristol 300 series paper (vellum finishing 17 x 14). His unique hairstyle is posing me a challenge, which hopefully I'll tackle. I'm also posting the reference.

My drawing:

This is the reference photo I'm using.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

What a beautiful drawing! The only thing that bothers me is that you left the hairline unfinished. I would gradually go towards very light, rather than leaving the stark white of the paper in the upper corners. Otherwise it's a great image!

Thank you, Enzie, for the comments. I still have to do the hair part and would do probably as you suggested (darker parts towards highlights). This is my first drawing in which I have achieved some kind of rough texture of skin. I used to render baby skins for adult portraits too. More comments are always welcome.

[Steven Sweeney]

Seenu,

At this stage of the drawing and with your reference close at hand, you might enjoy practicing some of the techniques discussed elsewhere in the Forum for getting a likeness. (Click on those words to be taken to that discussion.) Using some of those techniques, I'll point out a few areas that you might take another look at. The King's countenance is perhaps one of the most recognizable in the world (until he became unrecognizable later in life), so you'll want to get a hold on every characterizing angle and proportion.

I don't mention these areas just to be hyper fussy but because further attention to them will enhance likeness:

1- The chin in the drawing is rounder and smaller than in the reference.

2- The bottom edge of the lower lip should be flatter for a longer time as it goes to our left. Pay careful attention to the shape of the shadow under that lip, as it describes not only the lip but the shape of the upper chin.

3- The corners of the mouth turn up slightly in the drawing. They turn down in the photo. The upper lip also has a fleshiness as it approaches the outside corners, so that the top edge dips down before it gets to the corners, then rises slightly again before dropping to the corners. That variation is missing in the drawing. This describes a very characterizing feature in the mouth of this particular subject.

4- The shadow shape under the nose needs to be very carefully drawn, in order to describe the "bulb" of the nose. Note especially how it should rise on our right for that purpose. Also the "wing" on the right side is too short (vertically), which is making the nose appear crooked (partly because the base of the wing on the other side is slightly high).

5- In the edge on our left, between the cheekbone and the eyebrow, there is a convex shape that should actually be concave. Note in the photo how the eyebrow seems to extend beyond the edge. In the drawing the flesh extends beyond the eyebrow. There's a bit of challenge in this area in the photo, because I think we're seeing a bit of the ear. Try to think about the shape of the skull in that area, particularly the depression alongside the eye socket.

Well, you get the idea. Hope that gets you thinking about close attention to those kinds of uniquely descriptive details.

Cheers

Hello, Steven.

Thanks for the keen observation and rigorous analysis. I'll try to adjust those things in my portrait. My drawing is several times larger than the reference so it was a bit difficult for me to "SEE" those details.

Hi everyone,

After 4 months of busy semester, I'm able to be back to the Forum with my finished Elvis portrait. Any critiques are most welcome.

Best regards,
Seenu

[Karin Wells]

I noticed that your original "Elvis" resource picture has a 1993 copyright. Your artwork may be in violation of that copyright since you meant your work to be that particular recognizable image.

I think that you need to educate yourself as to whether any copyright issues are involved.

Other than this...I think you have done a nice job. Did you ever meet him in person?

[Chris Saper]

In general, here is the SOG/Forum policy regarding copying:

Members should avoid posting copyrighted materials for any purposes not permitted under copyright law.

We recognize the issues involved and wish to operate in compliance with the applicable law.

We also recognize that copying is a traditional and time-honored instructional practice but that, whenever the source material is or appears to be copyrighted, the copier would be well advised to seek legal advice before attempting to sell or make other commercial use of their derivative artwork.