Man with Glasses
"I have always loved drawing people and faces. This has ranged from realism to stylised characters for animation.
Surprisingly, I feel my knowledge of anatomy and realism improved during my Animation degree. I was first introduced to life drawing at Ulster University, and this time taught me the importance of constructing a drawing with basic 3D shapes, rather than just drawing an outline. Life drawing also allowed me to develop a real understanding of human musculature, and how to unify muscle groups, and the features of a person.
This drawing is a result of one of my portraiture classes at the Crescent Arts Centre. It was drawn in one sitting with a life model, over a 3 hour period using Prismacolour colouring pencils. I like to spend the first hour blocking out placement/outline of the features (eyes, mouth, nose, ears) with a graphite pencil; this way it's easier to erase mistakes. Once I'm happy with this stage and have checked proportions, I typically outline with a deep blue colour, then colour the rest of my drawing while avoiding black; this makes the drawing feel softer. I also really like textured brown paper for its ability to emulate textured skin, and making paler colours pop.
I find it's best to prioritise features you find most interesting or beautiful; for me, it's the eyes and their bright reflections, curly hair and/or facial hair, rosy cheeks and noses, freckles, highlights on a cupid's bow, and the contours of cheek bones and eye lids. Knowing what you like to draw helps when choosing an angle for your reference photo/life model, and the best composition to convey these features. The use of multiple point lighting is also hugely important to add depth as it makes for a more interesting drawing, makes smaller details more visible, and allows for those gorgeous reflections in the eyes that really gives your drawing a soul. Ultimately, it's fun to find what makes someone unique and emphasise it."
Surprisingly, I feel my knowledge of anatomy and realism improved during my Animation degree. I was first introduced to life drawing at Ulster University, and this time taught me the importance of constructing a drawing with basic 3D shapes, rather than just drawing an outline. Life drawing also allowed me to develop a real understanding of human musculature, and how to unify muscle groups, and the features of a person.
This drawing is a result of one of my portraiture classes at the Crescent Arts Centre. It was drawn in one sitting with a life model, over a 3 hour period using Prismacolour colouring pencils. I like to spend the first hour blocking out placement/outline of the features (eyes, mouth, nose, ears) with a graphite pencil; this way it's easier to erase mistakes. Once I'm happy with this stage and have checked proportions, I typically outline with a deep blue colour, then colour the rest of my drawing while avoiding black; this makes the drawing feel softer. I also really like textured brown paper for its ability to emulate textured skin, and making paler colours pop.
I find it's best to prioritise features you find most interesting or beautiful; for me, it's the eyes and their bright reflections, curly hair and/or facial hair, rosy cheeks and noses, freckles, highlights on a cupid's bow, and the contours of cheek bones and eye lids. Knowing what you like to draw helps when choosing an angle for your reference photo/life model, and the best composition to convey these features. The use of multiple point lighting is also hugely important to add depth as it makes for a more interesting drawing, makes smaller details more visible, and allows for those gorgeous reflections in the eyes that really gives your drawing a soul. Ultimately, it's fun to find what makes someone unique and emphasise it."