Click to see larger version.
I have been trying to do portraits of these close to me lately and it isn't always easy. For one thing, almost no one wants me to do them. They seem to like the finished artwork and you might think after a couple of them get good response my other friends would be more open to it. Nope! So asked my good friend Toby who is an artist in New Mexico to pose, but wasn't sure how I could get to see him to take reference photos. He offered to take them himself and while I'm not usually good with that, he has done enough self portraits and I was able to look at what he did and request changes. A good photo often does not make a good drawing for some reason so there was some back and forth and I finally settled on what I wanted to do.
Another advantage is he is a better artist than I will ever be and gave really solid feedback as I worked on it. He is the first and likely the last to request "more wrinkles please". The portrait looks better the more you enlarge it, I think. The stipple work gets lost on smaller screen images.
I went further with shading than I have wanted to at Toby's suggestion and it does work. It's mostly stipple and line with some solid greys and white pencil for the beard and hair. Drawn in Sketchbook Pro this time.
2 comments:
I really like it and I hope he did, too. I had to take reference yesterday and didn't have a great set up. So I just surreptitiously videoed the friend while he was talking normally a couple times at dinner. I told him later I'd done it, just so I'd see if he'd be mad (he wasn't). I hope I get something good from that. Remember when I did the same thing with you? Don't ask, just film and make. Then they won't have the chance to say no!
I do remember and revenge will mine! mwah ha ha!
I am really picky about my references but I have been taking less formal photos when I am with friends with using one or two as a reference so while not as tricky as you yet, I am learning! Toby liked the image but he is a better artist than I will ever be and did what he always does, pushed me hard to make the image better and better. Some thing I appreciate but it can use things to places I don't want them to go sometimes.
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