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+--- Thread: Portraits and Likeness. (/thread-770.html)
Portraits and Likeness. - Vimes - 04-07-2012
Hey, just found the forum the other day and some great sketchbooks and posts on here, so will be sure to stick around. Now this thread is Kind of a general question on drawing but more specifically on portraits.
I always have trouble getting the likeness in a portrait and I try to be as accurate as I can with my measurements but often they are always off slightly and then the whole portrait will look off because things are not in correct relation to each other. Thing is though I see some people who aren't really artists but just draw occasionally and their portraits look kind of weird and out of proportion etc yet the likeness is there, so I wonder what is the most important part of capturing likenesses, because it doesn't seem to be just about correct proportions.
Also when measuring a portrait or trying to improve your measuring skills what is the best way to go about it? is it a good idea to start using grids, will that help improve your eyeballing skills in the long run or is it only going to make you reliant on a grid? Just general tips on how to go about improving accuracy and measurements would be great. Specifically on the actual technique of measuring, do you use the pencil at arms length method, even when working digitally? Cheers :).
RE: Portraits and Likeness. - Osiris0721 - 04-14-2012
the drawing area where utensil is applied MUST be at the horizon line of your eyes. One of my early portraits was in the mirror and after finishing, I learned the proportions looked fine if the portrait was laid flat like it was on the countertop. When I showed it to people I was sad because they would put it upright, and notice the off proportions glance straight on.