Inktense Portrait female

[Hawkmoth]

My latest Inktense pencil portrait (another family member). I really do find younger women difficult. This one has turned out OK as a painting (compared with some of my others!) but it's not a good likeness. Inktense pencil and block on cold pressed watercolour paper, A4 size. I'd appreciate honest comments and suggestions / advice.

 

[Artyczar]

This is excellent in my opinion. Gosh, I wouldn't have very good advice on this since I think it's stellar as it sits. All the light/highlights are really good. Even the hair, which is hard. You did a wonderful job and there's a lot of character captured in the face and eyes, as a very nice person sits before me. I can tell.

 

[Hawkmoth]

Thanks Artyczar! She is indeed a lovely person.

 

[Balaji]

Only you would know about the likeness, and usually the artist tends to be hyper critical of his/her work. I think that it is a lovely portrait.

 

[Enyaw]

Wow. That is nice. I don't stretch to realistic things in the camera sense so it's hard to judge but to me the pupils could be rounder. Seems they are straight on the viewer right sides.

 

[Donna T]

I think this is excellent too, exact likeness or not! The way you lost the edges of the hair at her forehead is really skillful. A hard line there would have ruined the illusion.

 

[Perry]

No suggestions here. I find portraits very difficult....everything has to be just right.
You did a wonderful job!

 

[Hawkmoth]

Thank you so much for your comments. I don't have any arty friends to discuss with in my 'real life' circle, so the feedback here is quite valuable to me (and encouraging).

Wayne, I agree, the pupils aren't quite right, are they? I was pleased with it overall though, so I didn't want to risk ruining it by fiddling any more! (I've done that so many times!)

 

[ColorEnthusiast]

The portrait looks good to me.
Just an idea from me, the younger a person is the smoother the transitions should be and at least I tend to choose warmer colors in the shadows, because the skin is thinner, which means the red blood underneath shines through. That is especially the case with children.
And I think warm colors and smooth transitions helps to get the impression of being young.

 

[KreativeK]

Claudia, to me this is exquisite! I find faces hard to do. Her personality appears to shine through her eyes.

 

[Hawkmoth]

The portrait looks good to me.
Just an idea from me, the younger a person is the smoother the transitions should be and at least I tend to choose warmer colors in the shadows, because the skin is thinner, which means the red blood underneath shines through. That is especially the case with children.
And I think warm colors and smooth transitions helps to get the impression of being young.

Thanks Esther. Great advice, it's so helpful for me to discuss these things. I find it difficult to find a balance. I don't like a very smooth effect (I want brush marks to show, that's the style I like) but you are right, it doesn't work well for smooth-skinned people. I think the balance is OK with this one (this lady is over 40, so I guess not really young) but maybe I will have to paint more smoothly sometimes, depending on the person (definitely for children).

I paint these portraits using just 1 colour, so I can't achieve any warm or cool tones. When I started portraits, colour just seemed too difficult, so I decided to just focus on light/shade. But now maybe it's time for me to try painting in colours. It's the next step, but it still seems very difficult - I don't know where to start!

Claudia, to me this is exquisite! I find faces hard to do. Her personality appears to shine through her eyes.

Thanks Kay, I always appreciate your feedback. Faces are indeed so hard - I don't even attempt to draw the outline freehand. I'm very reliant on tracing to get the eyes/nostrils/mouth in place, and it's still really difficult, even in just 1 colour!

 

[ams]

I think it's beautifully done. Faces are difficult for me too, but I still give it a try every so often.

The single tone you used here, which looks like a dark brown on my screen, works well for a portrait.

 

[Hawkmoth]

I think it's beautifully done. Faces are difficult for me too, but I still give it a try every so often.

The single tone you used here, which looks like a dark brown on my screen, works well for a portrait.

Thanks ams, much appreciated. The colour (called 'bark') seems to be unique to Inktense, I've never seen another paint or pencil which is similar, and my scanner/printer is completely confused by it! It's got a lot of brown but also a definite hint of aubergine (egg plant).

 

[P. Barrie]

Really fine drawing! Great range of value and edges, proportions are spot on, turn of the head is nailed, expression captured wonderfully. Having trouble saying enough.

 

[OleKobe]

Lovely expression. I think the shading and blending is excellent - very natural.

 

[Scamall]

This is lovely and I am impressed. I do think there is a slight difference in the size of the pupils, but your proportion overall is excellent. The shading is superb and I’m taking notes for my own work, so thanks!