11-07-2013, 02:18 AM
WELCOM ON CRIMSON DAGGERS ! Yeah, painting from life is way harder and more complicated than photo, but you'll learn so much ! Anyway, the quick and loose feeling of some portrait paintings comes mainly from the understanding of edges ! The use of soft and hard edges in an appealing way can make some painting gorgeous ! Hope it helps ! Concerning your selfportrait, you really should learn to simplify, because in an odd way, it'll make your portrait more realistic ! no need to render all thos hair, but simplifying the volume of hair and only drawing the ones that bring something more to the painting are useful( usually the ones of the silhouette of the hair, and the wild hair on the forehead !) keep it up !