Drawing

 Hi Everyone!

I started this post this AM. However, it got too long and too much info about my art life. I really just wanted to talk about drawing.

But first I do have to tell you that I am very dyslexic. My Nan always said draw what your see. Well, what I see is always moving. So over my life whenever I had to draw something it stressed me out. I had to be alone so I could concentrate, it's still that way. Fast forward 50 years or so LOL Lupus made it impossible for me to create what actually paid my bills. Long ago a friend encouraged me to join Paint Party Friday blog challenge.  Some of you remember how fun that was. I always created faces in my art so I started to draw. Believe me, they were pretty awful. And I knew they were awful. I remember my Nan (for those of you who don't know was a famous artist) always said "Anyone who can write there name, (cursive) can draw." Also, "Draw what you see, and draw a face every day for 100 days." Somewhere in there I did that and boy did my faces improve. I love showing this example.

I can't believe I showed this on PPF. 

These drawings are a year apart. 

Now back to the question of how I create a face. I am always looking at faces. Where ever I go I'm staring at people. I must look at hundreds of faces on line all week long too. I will find a face that I like and in my mind section it off.  I draw one line at a time moving all over the paper. I do the same for features until I get a rough sketch. This may seem difficult but for me it works, and may work for you.

I also look at how other people draw, on images and videos. There are so many ways to get started. My Nan always started with an egg shape, then 1/2 way down from the top of the head made the eys, 1/3 down the nose, 1/3 down the mouth. I don't remember her putting in circles and lines but this is a good guide. Oh I just realized it's in Spanish. LOL

This is the beginning of a commission piece I made. It looked all crooked so I put in the guide lines and fixed it. There is no set way on how to create. Mix it up.

I also look at features and the human face in medical books. It's important to know how the bone structure is. I guess that's why I draw skulls too. Ahh nooo I just like creepy art. LOL

It does help though.

 

I look at things like this to help me. If you remember that lips are not flat you can do it. Lips also wrap around the teeth.

Eyes can be tricky because they aren't flat either. Also the eye is not just the lids, and the eye ball that we see. It's a big socket under skin.

 

I actually love drawing ears. They are all so different, even though they all have the same structure.

 

I found this many years ago and I still go by it.  Every ear has a 9 a Y and a hook. The Y is what I look for in an ear. It might be small, large, thick, off to the side but there is always a Y in an ear. Also it's about shading. 
 

 

Then there is the nose. Again the same but different. Some are long, short, wide, thin, meaty, bony. Nose holes are the same as above. 

 

It is also important where it sits above the mouth. Some noses are close to the lips some way high. Start looking at faces.

 

Here is a guide for head direction.

 

Now don't get overwhelmed. Remember to draw one thing at a time. Or a little here and little there. 

Once you get your features in the fun really begins. Shading.

 All of this comes with practice.

OMG how bad is this? Early days. 

 

I did this one in 2017 and hangs on the wall in my living room. It's not perfect but it's way better than the first one. 

Practice, practice, practice. 

And challenge yourself. 

 

Ohhh yeah, the absolute most important thing to drawing, is to have fun doing it!

Looking forward to your faces next FFO. 

 Nicole