|
Post by Martina on Aug 14, 2007 17:27:07 GMT -5
Oh yes, I know what you mean! You mean the toothpaste-smile, the smile that mostly don't reach the eyes. The smile where people look like they want to show us their dental filling of their very back backtooth. And here I agree totally. Better a silent smile in the eyes than showing more teeth as one have. ;D <- see! You have a beautiful wife, Graham, and this portrait really shows her smile.
|
|
|
Post by SweetSilverBird on Aug 14, 2007 18:50:08 GMT -5
You have such a lovely personal style to your work. I'm really enjoying your drawings. (And your wife is very beautiful!)
|
|
|
Post by Joanie on Aug 15, 2007 14:17:58 GMT -5
You have a beautiful wife, Graham. What a nice portrait. I agree about the big smiles- a more natural look is not smiling. Do you only draw in graphite? do you paint? I'd love to see more of your work.....its great!
|
|
|
Post by Christy on Aug 15, 2007 15:19:14 GMT -5
I agree with the others. This is a very beautiful portrait! You did wonderful on the hair.
When I view the masters portraits like Rembrandt, Renior, etc, I usually don't see a big ear to ear smile with teeth showing. Sometimes you'll see a smirk (like the Mona Lisa). I am not saying that people shouldn't draw portraits with big smiles, It's just not my preference. When I see a portrait of someone that appears to be laughing, or showing emotion other just normal content, I think to myself that the portrait was done from a photograph rather than from life.
That's a very good point and I hadn't thought of that before. I totally agree with what you said. I will keep it in mind with my own portrait drawings now that you brought awareness to this . Thank you!
Christi
|
|
|
Post by grampybone on Aug 15, 2007 21:36:45 GMT -5
You have a beautiful wife, Graham. What a nice portrait. I agree about the big smiles- a more natural look is not smiling. Do you only draw in graphite? do you paint? I'd love to see more of your work.....its great! Thank you. I do paint with oil and do some pastels, but I'm new to it and not very comfortable with color yet.
|
|
|
Post by Joanie on Aug 15, 2007 23:12:53 GMT -5
I agree with the others. This is a very beautiful portrait! You did wonderful on the hair. When I view the masters portraits like Rembrandt, Renior, etc, I usually don't see a big ear to ear smile with teeth showing. Sometimes you'll see a smirk (like the Mona Lisa). I am not saying that people shouldn't draw portraits with big smiles, It's just not my preference. When I see a portrait of someone that appears to be laughing, or showing emotion other just normal content, I think to myself that the portrait was done from a photograph rather than from life. That's a very good point and I hadn't thought of that before. I totally agree with what you said. I will keep it in mind with my own portrait drawings now that you brought awareness to this . Thank you! Christi Even though we agree that a portrait without a huge smiling face is more natural looking, I don't believe you can truly say that the Great Masters didn't paint their portraits with smiling faces for that reason. Perhaps some of them did but most of them did it because of poor dental hygiene. Most of the people during those olden times had very rotten teeth and would not have their portraits show them that way. Another reason would possibly be that a person could not pose in a smiling position for very long without their jaws getting really tired!!! LOL Just my 2 cents worth.
|
|
|
Post by papillon on Aug 23, 2007 5:26:52 GMT -5
Grampy I am thoroughly impressed!!
I can sketch objects from life and do a fairly good job of it but sketching people from life I have never mastered.... and as for self-portraits - forget it!
You not only have the portraits perfectly in proportion but you also give them a soul - that is truly remarkable!
Maybe you would care to share your technique with us - give us a few insights. That would really be wonderful.
|
|
|
Post by Miranda on Sept 13, 2007 9:26:48 GMT -5
I did this leaf last night from an old one i found out side . It done with color pencil 3 / 5 inch paper took about 1 1/2 hours to do
|
|
|
Post by sunset on Sept 13, 2007 12:41:49 GMT -5
Leafs are not easy to draw, but this is wonderful.
|
|
|
Post by Joanie on Sept 13, 2007 13:27:41 GMT -5
Very nice, Miranda - you are getting better and better with those colored pencils
|
|
|
Post by grampybone on Sept 13, 2007 14:45:03 GMT -5
Grampy I am thoroughly impressed!! I can sketch objects from life and do a fairly good job of it but sketching people from life I have never mastered.... and as for self-portraits - forget it! You not only have the portraits perfectly in proportion but you also give them a soul - that is truly remarkable! Maybe you would care to share your technique with us - give us a few insights. That would really be wonderful. Papillon, I have seen your work and I'm sure you can draw a portrait from life. Its actually easier than most think, as there are a few measuring tricks on how to get the proportions right. I'd be happy to share them. Joanie, Your post about the dental hygene was hilarious and true. I bet a full set of teeth was rare back then. The Rembrandt self portrait I saw at the IMA museum was an open mouth portrait which showed his bottom teeth. They were all there, but he could have filled in the empty spots. Miranda, Nice leaf!
|
|
|
Post by papillon on Sept 14, 2007 1:53:58 GMT -5
Miranda - that is lovely! So good to see you stretching yourself. Keep it up!
Gramphy - Believe me I have tried to do a self portrait and my attempts were really not good at all. The fact that I am long sighted and need different lenses for different distances doesn't help of course.
But it would be great if you could write something for us about your own technique. You could post it in the Classroom. I'm sure everyone would be very grateful.
|
|
|
Post by fito on Sept 14, 2007 7:20:18 GMT -5
This reflección means that the eyes at heart reflect but sincerity that one smile sometimes pretended?
|
|
|
Post by Joanie on Sept 14, 2007 9:41:57 GMT -5
Very true, Fito, very true.
|
|
|
Post by papillon on Jan 11, 2008 16:27:57 GMT -5
I'd like to revive this thread once we're in the mood for quick sketches.
Drawing or painting from life is always a very good exercise. It doesn't have to be fast but lighting a simple subject could be fun and rendering it without the aid of photography very good exercise in impromptu self expression.
|
|
lasi
Full Member
Posts: 180
|
Post by lasi on Jan 12, 2008 23:15:41 GMT -5
These are all very good. I don't know if I will do this challenge or not. I am not too good at drawing. I'll have to see how tomorrow goes.
|
|