Teen in charcoal

April Phillips · 06-06-2007, 07:15 PM

Everyone's comments to my past work have been so helpful. I can't let a peice go out now without running it by the Forum.

This is an 8x10 charcoal drawing on light cream paper of Alex who is 13. I took extra care in measuring so the proportions should be very close. Still working on form. Would love to get constructive critique.

Dan Landrie · 06-06-2007, 08:04 PM

I'll let the experts advice you on this one. Just wanted to say I love it and have added it to my collection of favorite drawings.

Steven Sweeney · 06-06-2007, 08:38 PM

With the eyes being the windows to the soul, I'd look there first. The pupils seem a bit small and high, and the irises are a bit too light. The contrast between pupil and iris isn't that pronounced in the photo (nor in life, usually).

The image file seems highly compressed, and I think your gray and darker values are probably smoother than I'm seeing them through a notoriously bad AOL representation.

The drawing looks great, very accurate. I very much like the lost edge on the cheek's contour on the lighted side (our left). In the upper lip, the light just to our left of center is a little high. That surface is not that reflective. The light across the bottom lip, to our right of center, isn't quite that bright, either. Tip of the Day: Squint at your reference. That will simplify the essential value design, and you shouldn't mess with that too much by introducing subtle enhancements.

I don't know (or recall) if this is your son, but if so, keep doing these no less often than annually. I have sketches of my son that no one would deny are accurate -- we see them and we say, yep, that's him at that age -- but he's changed so much that nobody really remembers that he looked quite like "that," "then."

Grethe Angen · 06-07-2007, 07:38 AM

Hello April,
lovely portrait. I agree to whats said about the eyes, have him look straight at the viewer.

Mischa Milosevic · 06-07-2007, 03:13 PM

April, a lovely subject and you have done wonderfully with the drawing thus far. In my opinion you need not change a thing but I do suggest a few fine touches here and there.

First, being that the shadow and light are evenly balanced there are few considerations. I would not go into why and why not when a balance is in question being I am limited on time. I would concentrate on making a even tone in the shadow keeping in mind the lite areas. So, if you need to take the tone a grade darker to pop the reflected lights. Remember the reflected lights in the shadows can be close to the dark area in the lights but the dark area in the lights can be brought lighter. It is the camera that captures the darks darker than what they really are. Shadows again, in the shadows there should be a definite indication of the darkest area and then it gets lighter as it reseeds into the reflected light. Being that the reflected light is strangest from below then the shadow grades to darker as it climbs to the forehead.

The little blotches of dark or light should not be there unless these are actually there on the boys face and I doubt that they are. You have dark blotches on the side of the nose on the light and on the shadow side. These should not be there.

The hair, you can get away with the light side being that there is indication of form but the form is not defined on the shadow side. I can see flat dark spots that need not be there.

The shirt coaler and separation from the skin is not defined as it should be. One more thing the neck is to thick i think the neck line in the shadow side can be adjusted.

I hope you do not take my words as harsh or the points of suggestion overwhelming rather as they are constructive critique. While I was at the academy we would get one critique per day per project and only three things were pointed out. It was my responsibility to notice the other things that needed slight adjusting.

All the best and truly fine work

April Phillips · 06-07-2007, 04:16 PM

Thank you all for the thoughtful comments and suggestions. It's funny how one can be blind to problem areas , but when they are pointed out they become so glaring. I appreciate the help so much.

One more question. Two of you mentioned a blotchiness in the shadow area. I don't know how to get get it smooth. I used a medium charcoal pencil on it's side. Should I erase and use the tip of a sharper harder charcoal pencil??

Mischa Milosevic · 06-07-2007, 04:33 PM

If an are is to dark lifting off a value is what one does. If a area is to light in a dark area one uses the point of a charcoal to darken the light area without disturbing the already dark area that is at correct value.

Steven Sweeney · 06-07-2007, 04:51 PM

Yes, April, a sharpened charcoal stick would be a solution. If you're using a wood-cased charcoal pencil, cut the wood off 2 or 3 inches so you can get a long sharp taper on the charcoal. (Easier, actually, to use an uncased charcoal stick.) Get a piece of sandpaper to do this sharpening, pulling (not pushing) the charcoal across it and turning the stick at the same time. You may need to use a harder charcoal to be able to do this sharpening without breaking it. Or, if you're using a softer stick, then use very fine-grit sandpaper.

Now you'll have a point that you can use to get into the troughs of the paper's tooth. It will be somewhat painstaking work, but the smoothing effect will be worth it.

The crests of the paper's tooth may have picked up a bit too much charcoal (getting too dark). The solution for that is similar, but you use a kneaded eraser. Again, a relatively sharp point is what you want for precision and control. Just knead the eraser into a point (roughly the shape of a toy spinning top), and dab at those dark areas, lifting out the excess. If you go too far, just restore it with your charcoal point.

Whether one goes to this trouble in a particular drawing depends on the subject and the desired effect. In an elderly male subject's face, the rougher appearance would perhaps be acceptable, even desirable. In a child's delicate features, the smoother look is worth going after.

Use of a mahl stick to support your drawing/erasing hand is very useful. You don't want to rest your fingers or hand on the paper very long for support, as the oils in your skin will transfer and either mar the paper or make the charcoal in that area difficult to work (that is, the oil acts as a kind of fixative.)

April Phillips · 06-08-2007, 12:59 PM

Thank you again for your time and suggestions. I was able to make most of the changes and smooth out the shadow areas. I am much happier with the result. I wasn't able to lift enough charcoal in the shadow section of the hair, so it still looks like a big hole. I'll know for next time.

Mischa Milosevic · 06-08-2007, 02:20 PM

Nice work! I do think the reflected light on the side of the nose in shadow need not be there. One other small observation if you do not mind. The shadow side of the face is out of proportion, it can go in just a little bringing the ear in as well.

Nice face, front page quality. Is it your boy?