Linda

[Jeff Fuchs]

[Jeff Fuchs]

After seeing it on the web page I must point out that the shading is more subtle than what you see. The pencil work looks too harsh on the screen. I'll see if I can adjust the scan and make it look more like the original.

[Jeff Fuchs]

Jeff,

A few things -

- I absolutely love the idealized way you treat hair. Absolutely love it. This is a very big whup in your drawing and it makes such an impact.

- You really captured a tone and mood. Her intense expression, combined with your precise line work make another strong statement. Compared with your rendering of the features, which I can only describe as "sincere," these two facets make a really striking image. I wish I had another word besides "sincere" but I can't think of one. Maybe it will come to me.

- I wonder if the lid on the far eye should be so light. It seems that it should be more in shadow.

- I also wonder if there should be more tone variation in the skin, just a smidge. The hair is such a mass, I feel like there should be a cast shadow here and there with a similarly dark value to balance it out. Besides the moles. Maybe near the nose, and under her ear, but this may be lacking just from the scan.

Will there be a background?

Love it! Love it!

[Jeff Fuchs]

Thanks a lot, Lisa.

I made a few minor changes. I softened the furrowed brow and changed the shape of her mouth so she doesn't look so squinty. It really helped.

I also worked on my darker values, and sharpened up some of the edges that were too weak.

I'd post the results, but I'm having too much trouble getting a good image with my cheap digital camera. If it's sunny tomorrow, I'll try it again. Sooner or later I'll need to invest in a good camera. I suppose I'll have to start charging for portraits to justify the cost

[John Zeissig]

Hi Jeff,

This is a really good effort. I wanted to strongly second Lisa's enthusiasm about the treatment of the hair. It's a real signature style as well.

I'm glad you posted the digital camera shot as it gives a view of the placement on the paper, which looks good.

I'm predicting that this is going to exceed Linda's wildest expectations and result in a bunch of requests from others. You must begin charging for your work. I charge $35 for buddy/co-worker drawings, assuming I can do the job in an hour or less, but you have to sound out whatever the traffic will bear.

Oh yeah, don't forget to sign it! Let us know how it goes.

John

[Linda Brandon]

Jeff, you are getting better with every drawing that you post. It's really exciting to see. Are you working with Tony Ryder's book? This drawing has echoes of his technique. (I was wondering if you've tried sketching using his "envelope block-in".)

[Michele Rushworth]

Hi Jeff,

You might want to soften the shapes around her nose and nasal-labial fold area. The reference probably shows her squinting a lot, and that drastically distorts the shape of the nose and creates a harsh shape outside the nose wing. It was probably like that in the reference, but you might want to consider reducing the contrast and sharpness of those shapes. (As it is, it looks like she has smelled something unpleasant!)

Also, the moles on her cheek seem to be the focal point of the drawing. They are rendered in high contrast against the light on her cheek, with fairly sharp edges. Unless she is particularly proud of these moles you might want to subdue them somewhat.

And, yes, you should definitely start charging for your drawings. Not just a nominal amount either.

I was reading recently that Whistler and Sargent would do free portraits early in their careers only if the subjects sat for them from life. They would do one or two sittings of two or three hours each for a painting, considerably less time for a drawing. That gave the artists great life practice and then the sitter got the painting. Might be worth a try.

[Michele Rushworth]

I hope you don't mind Photoshop suggestions but I have shown what you might want to do in the areas I mentioned above.

In this example I also straightened the line of her upper lip. When that shape is convex like in your drawing, it contributes to that squint/sneer expression.

There are muscles that lead from the upper edges of the lip up to just outside the nose wings. (I don't remember the name of those muscles, though Peggy Baumgaertner with her medical illustration background could tell us). When someone squints, not only do the eyes change, but those muscles contract. They cause that sneering effect that you see in the widening of the nose wings, the deepening of the upper part of the nasal-labial fold, and the convex shape of the upper lip.

When you change those areas just a little, the expression immediately relaxes and becomes more pleasant, without losing the likeness.

[Jeff Fuchs]