Work in progress...

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande.jpg

Jack:

How are you doing this... Using a photo as a reference and freehanding the result? Using Photoshop? Painter?

Where do you start (hair? outline of face?)? This is completely new ground for me.

~Danny~

Right now, I'm trying to learn the basics so I have been using several drawings and books and just "fred-handing" it. I attempted to use a picture of my wife as a reference for doing the face in terms of placement and general shape though she says it looks nothing like her!:tongue:

I'm really not doing things in the right order...I'm trying to learn to draw eyes so that's typically where I start and then I plop them onto a canvas with a copy and paste and start drawing around them. However, that's probably not the best way to start.

I've also been using several of Lee Hammond's drawing books as reference for learning to draw the facial features...

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande.jpg

Jack,

Your technique is coming along nicely. The eyes look really good, and I see you are working on shading now. The shading on the face added a lot more depth to your image. Well done.

~T

Thanks T..

You know that you have been an inspiration to me.

:-)

Jack,

I don't think I have been an inspiration before...cool. I am looking forward to seeing your next stage of development on the portrait. You are developing your technique and skills nicely and that should be your true inspiration.

~T

Thanks for the encouragement T!

Latest version at:

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande2.jpg

Looking good Jack. I like the nose in the previous one better though. The shading is great in this one; I just don't think you would see the nostrils that you are showing unless the nose has a severe upturn. The warm tones look great and I like the hair in this portrait. It is a lot softer and more natural now. The next step is to work on the eyebrows and make them look a bit more natural, perhaps by adding subtle shades of color. Keep up the great work!

~T

Took your suggestions to heart...Didn't get to the eyebrows though. Those gray blobs are just placeholders...

Here's the latest.

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande3.jpg

Jack,

The nose looks a lot better. Now you need try the eyebrows. So what brush/technique did you use to paint the skin and create such a smooth blending?

~T

Originally posted by T Paul
Jack,

The nose looks a lot better. Now you need try the eyebrows. So what brush/technique did you use to paint the skin and create such a smooth blending?

~T

Thanks. I patterned it after a guy's nose I saw in glamour magazine. In photoshop, I've been using the airbrush set at a very low flow rate and a combination of the blur tool and the smudge tool.

In Painter, I use the airbrush at low opacity, the liquid->Just Add Water brush at 0 resat for blend or 25%-50% to blend and color.

Regarding the next step...I need to re-do the lips/teeth, re-restructure the lower jaw/chin, then onto the brows... I would really like to get better at blending...I've been searching google for digital airbrush techniques...

Not sure what tool I prefer yet (painter vs photoshop)...

I just did this hair in painter 7...

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande4.jpg

The part looks unnatural, but I really like the hair. She looks great as a red head!

~T

Thanks T,

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande5.jpg

I see you are trying ears now.

~T

Originally posted by T Paul
I see you are trying ears now.

~T

Haha - Yep. My first ears. Unfortunately, it took me a 1/2 hour to draw the ears. Thank goodness for Jack Hamm's book. I'm still struggling with the tools tool. I'm on the verge of switching back to photoshop for everything...Painter's just been too quirky.

Patience...you are doing very well. Just think baby steps....(I'm learning too).

~T

http://www.jackzucker.com/images/sande6.jpg