Critique My Realist Portrait Drawings

Rate My Realistic Drawings

1 (Bad)	0.0%	[ 0 ]
2	0.0%	[ 0 ]
3	25.0%	[ 3 ]
4	33.3%	[ 4 ]
5 (Good enough/Average)	25.0%	[ 3 ]
6	8.3%	[ 1 ]
7	0.0%	[ 0 ]
8	0.0%	[ 0 ]
9	0.0%	[ 0 ]
10 (Professional)	8.3%	[ 1 ]
Total Votes:			[ 12 ]

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

I originally wanted to hopefully start selling my art (on Gaia and Deviantart), but I guess that's too out of reach for me at the moment. So I want this to be a critique page where you just tell me what I need to work on concerning my realistic portrait drawings.
I'm a traditional artist (and more on the realistic side), with little experience on digital art, but I do have a few examples provided anyways. Also, if you could, try to ignore the blurriness, and just focus on the overall look that I'm trying to make it realistic.

**Don't mention the quality of the drawings. I am fully aware that the quality is blurry. I will fix that when I go home for winter break, where I will have a scanner - currently have no good camera or scanner with me at school.

---currently still working on the first one---

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

bump

[Nakuya-chan]

Well you're to a good start for realism that's for sure. I wouldn't exactly place where you are right now in that category but I think with a little more work you could find yourself well on the way there.

My biggest issue with what you've got here is the way you draw the features onto the faces. Especially the noses. Human noses do not look like that in a realistic sense. When it comes to drawing realism you'd get a better result from shading to define your features.

Shading will become your best friend when trying for that realism look. As long as you are drawing with symbols (as you do with the noses here) you'll never quite achieve that. It'll always have a slightly cartoony look to it.

A big factor in realism/realistic artwork is to make sure you are using references for the features you want. You wont always need them but it will help out in the long run.

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

Nakuya-chan

I actually haven't been drawing for the past 8 years or so, and just recently I got back into it, so I'm really just observing, and attempting to re-learn by myself all over again. So it's good to hear that I am on the right track. ^^

Thanks for pointing that out about the nose, and now that I look at my drawings, I can see what you mean. No one has pointed that out to me before, so it really makes a big difference now.
I'm sure you would've had more to say if the quality wasn't so blurry like, so I do apologize for that. I really wished they were clearer so that I could get more critiques from you. (I rarely get a response when I ask for a critique. ;/)

Ah, yes, shading. I am still working on shading. I always have a difficult time trying to figure out what needs to be shaded, and what shade it should be (darker or lighter). If anything, I will just have a small shading here and there, but it doesn't do much.

I do look at references, a lot actually.. but I guess I just have a harder time with shading than I thought because it's always been an issue with me. I tend to just draw a line, with little shading around it for the 'effect,' when really the reference shows more shading that creates the line.

Thanks for the critique, it really helped a lot. (:

[Nakuya-chan]

Yexus_Hlub

Nakuya-chan

I actually haven't been drawing for the past 8 years or so, and just recently I got back into it, so I'm really just observing, and attempting to re-learn by myself all over again. So it's good to hear that I am on the right track. ^^

Thanks for pointing that out about the nose, and now that I look at my drawings, I can see what you mean. No one has pointed that out to me before, so it really makes a big difference now.
I'm sure you would've had more to say if the quality wasn't so blurry like, so I do apologize for that. I really wished they were clearer so that I could get more critiques from you. (I rarely get a response when I ask for a critique. ;/)

Ah, yes, shading. I am still working on shading. I always have a difficult time trying to figure out what needs to be shaded, and what shade it should be (darker or lighter). If anything, I will just have a small shading here and there, but it doesn't do much.

I do look at references, a lot actually.. but I guess I just have a harder time with shading than I thought because it's always been an issue with me. I tend to just draw a line, with little shading around it for the 'effect,' when really the reference shows more shading that creates the line.

Thanks for the critique, it really helped a lot. (:

Ohh not a problem.
Something that can help you with shading is to just take blank pages and do dark to light shading. One thing I suggest when you do shade is to never push /hard/ on your pencil. Keep it light and layer it on. This is where using the different types of pencils really comes in handy. using a 2H pencil isn't going to give you the best results for the deeper shadows, you want to start moving into the softer leads when it comes time for that. But yes, always always keep it light and layer the shading up. That'll help you out a great deal.

If you ever need references for shadow work just take full colour images and convert them into black and white/greyscale. It'll give you a better idea of how the values work.
(here's a few links to look at) 1 this one is really good for shading practice

Another thing you could do is experiment with the shading styles. Use dots, crosshatch and other different shading styles that you think might look cool, you're not limited to just using a soft gradient shade, and crosshatching especially is a super easy way to suggest darker areas.

And if you ever need someone to critique something or help you along feel free to message me. I might not be so readily available in the next coming days but I will reply smile

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

Nakuya-chan

The only tools I have with me is a mechanical pencil, and a regular pencil. Though, I do have a .5 lead, and a .7 lead mechanical pencil, will that make any difference with shading?

That's a good idea. I may just do that. I don't know why that never came across my mind, to take a picture and turn it into black and white..
Those 2 links were helpful, thanks, I saved them in bookmark. You can really see how much shading does to a picture/drawing.

I totally forgot about those different styles. I haven't done those styles since I stopped drawing. I will probably experiment with those again sometime.

Thanks, I'll keep in mind to message you when I need help. Much appreciated. ^^
I'll actually be pretty busy myself this upcoming week, it's finals week before our winter break, so I won't be drawing until that's over with. It's not that I have much studying to do, but it's just that most of my finals are having to write something: answer 3 essay questions in 2-3 paragraphs, and another is a 4-5 page paper.. I don't like writing papers. ;/

[Nakuya-chan]

the mechanical pencils will make it a little more tough. I don't imagine the thickness of the lead makes them any softer or harder so no I don't believe it'd be the same as using drawing pencils. It could though.

[buggsie blue]

I think everyone here has covered most of it. I think most of them are a little stiff. They don't really look like people, they look very 2D.
I think if you do some people watching and look at how fluid and soft many facial features are, it will help you. Most features can't really be expressed by line without looking odd.

Also, work on noses a little more. They're all different for people. Some people have Greek noses, some people have a large protruding nose bridge, some people have huge, wide nostrils.

[xShubox]

Nice 9.7 / 10

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

buggsie blue

Yeah, I agree they do look 2D. Just like I was talking to Nakuya-chan about, I need to work on shading and hopefully that will improve my drawings to start looking more 3D.
I will look more into noses, and practice it with shading. Thanks for the advise. (:

[paramecium99]

I think to improve the level of realism you need to shade it a lot more than that. You need highlights and shadows to get realistic art and you should also think about the lighting.

You have got talent and with practice you will improve so try to not get disheartened when having your work critiqued as I know for many artists (especially young artists) it is easy to feel disheartened when your work is critiqued.

[BlackWhiteCanvas]

silverstez

Yeah, shading is the main thing I'm still working on, and I have gotten that pointed out a lot. I never got along too well with shading when it came to doing it on my drawings, but I will continue to practice.
Thanks for saying that, "You have got talent," it really does make me feel better about my drawings even though they're not quite perfected yet. ^^
And no worries, I would rather much prefer a critique than no one not telling me what I'm doing wrong or what I need practice on. Certain things may get to me sometimes, but I like to look on the bright side that it's only for me to improve, so even if I get a harsh critique, I try to see it as a good thing. But then again, sometimes I do feel that it's kind of hard to take in because each and every one of us, as artists, has a different style or view point on certain things, so it may look out of place for other artists.
Thanks for the critique.

[TheGreatThePowerfulPhynix]

As an artist I can honestly say you have the idea but this is not the easiest realism is VERY VERY HARD!!! So keep with it.