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Pencil portrait of Eleanor (free-hand drawing)

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Bari Marsh

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Posted
Works for me Sylvia ..my granddaughter as girl with the pearl earring..
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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That’s rather good Bari and gave me a smile. Re starting a portrait.....I often start with the angle of the eyes which leads me to the angle of the nose etc and in turn, the angle of the head. I also “ cut in” to the edge of the face. It works for me. I constantly readjust as I go, measuring with my eye. I don’t use a “ formula” , I may have tried in the past to divide up the face but not now, that can produce a rigid effect. And ,as with any other sketch or painting, I work on the whole, rather than completing one bit before I go on to the next. This is what I feel comfortable with.

Edited
by Marjorie Firth

Sylvia Evans

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Angela, you are getting conflicting advice poor you.    Do what you are comfortable with ,the more you do the more you find your own responses.  To really stretch yourself sit in front of a live model , look, think, look .eventually draw.  .  If no one will sit for you,  sit in front  a mirror and look at yourself. .  I’m afraid I’m not a fan of grids or other peoples  photographs . Baris portrait of his g daughter is a bit of fun , I have a small dog with big eyes and I have a blue scarf I keep threatening myself to do a similar painting.   Artwork is about enjoyment. 

Alan Bickley

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I’m not a fan of working from photos either, and in particular the constant procession of pop idols, and so called celebs and the like that we see on the gallery.  What’s the point? If you want portrait drawing practice sit in front of a mirror as Sylvia has said.  Grids are fine for transferring and enlarging smaller sketches onto say a larger canvas, but for portraits, a grid means you having to work from a photo.

Anthony Knight

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Posted
I used to use the classic oval with lines across for eye and mouth and down for nose. I’ve also used a grid as a guide and - shame on me - traced (I still do). I suppose what I’m saying, Angela, is that you’ll find your way in time - do it the way that works for you, take advice if you want to and build on it. Don’t discount a method that suits you because ‘it’s not the right way to do it.’ 👍

Sylvia Evans

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Posted
Good reply Ant .
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