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Message
Posted
Hi I'm Oke, I've been painting for about ten years now. I love art and trying to make a living from it in some capacity. I would love to get advice on how to improve and generally share ideas with likeminded artists. I like to paint/study portraits and Urban Landscapes. I've included an example of these main interests.Whatever feedback is much appreciated.
Posted
Welcome. You'll find plenty of advice here, it's probably best to ask specific questions if you want to get helpful answers. Looking at these two examples of your work suggests that you're making a good start (ten years is no time! I've been at it for 50 years and still get things wrong and have questions); and the way to improve is to use a sketch-book, draw, paint, and then draw and paint some more.
Posted
I hadn’t heard of the Reilly method, but it looks like some of the checks and balances that I use when drawing portraits. I have never used the circle though. In my experience ears are somewhat unpredictable and so the circle to find the edge of the ears would not be useful. Ears are large and small, some stick out and others are flat. Noses are the same, big and small. All in all I think it is better to first look at the model and check to what extent the standard proportions (hair line to eyebrow, to bottom of nose, to chin are the same length). Then you can draw out the accurate proportions on your support. Similarly are the eyes, half way up the head? A likeness can only be achieved by accurate placement of the features. We are not all the same, so standard proportions are bound to be wrong quite a lot of the time.
Posted
I'm not familiar with the Reilly method, at least by that name. I will investigate!
In general though, I agree with Linda Wilson - there's no such thing as standard proportions when it comes down to drawing individuals: they may help you to draw an impression of someone - just not the specific person you're trying to draw.