Slow progress. Need advice.

[Lauren Tyler]

OK fellow artists,
I need your help.

I've been able to draw a basic circle and cut it into four quarters, and drawing the 'eye lines' as indicated in my book is getting easier. But it's getting the eyes drawn that really hurts. I always mess up with the angle of one of the lines or make one of the curves too long or too short.

Should I keep at it or try another body part and come back to the face later?

 

[Tickleslave07]

I suggest you do the easier body parts first and take a break away from the face for now if it's giving you difficulties.
By the way I really do dig your drawings man your a great artist.
TS07

 

[Lauren Tyler]

Those aren't drawings, they're 3D renderings done in Poser 4. I have yet to upload a single drawing online.

In your opinion, what are some easier body parts to work on? I can draw a circle pretty well, and getting it cut into four sections is OK, but when I try to draw the eye lines it's where I get confused. I might try working with a different book for now, though.

 

[Tickleslave07]

Sorry dude didn't mean to offend you any there my humblest of appolgies to you.

In any event dude their awsome keep it up please.
TS07

 

[Lauren Tyler]

I wasn't offended in the least bit. Trust me you're not the only one who's gotten confused by that.

I would like to know, however, if there's an easier part of the body to work on for now?

 

[subZer0]

I've always found that faces are the hardest part to draw. Eyes are one of the hardest on the face! As I'm best drawing what I see, I tend to take a lot of time copying an eye exactly. It takes longer, but ends up being quite good!

 

[Lauren Tyler]

Are there any body parts that are easier to draw?

 

[Kalamos]

Are there any body parts that are easier to draw?

Keep it up with faces.
You got the four-quadrants trick right.
Now it's time to go beyond that.

First, try and think of the head as a sphere, not just a circle.
Also, you should try and divide face into 6 horizontal zones, and 5 vertical stripes, with lines meeting up at the "north pole" point above the head.

First horizontal zone makes up for the forehead.
Second horizontal zone holds space for eyes and nose.
Third horizontal zone contains mouth and chin.

First and fifth vertical stripes are mirrored, and roughly represent sides and cheeks.
Second and fourth are like wise mirrored, and host eye sockets and boudaries for the nostrils and mouth.
Finally, third, central stripe, hosts forehead, nose and cleft of the chin.

Criss-crossing these lines you get 3 central areas for forehead, nose, mouth and chin, , 3+3 mirrored areas for brows, eyes and cheeks, and 3+3 lateral areas.

By adjusting size, you get differently shaped faces, reflecting gender, age and ethnos.

 

[Lauren Tyler]

I know about that and all, it's just the lines always get me muddled up and it gets a bit confusing for me.

 

[Kalamos]

it's just the lines always get me muddled up and it gets a bit confusing for me.

Try drawing on a larger scale and using differently coloured pencils, so you know what each line means.

 

[Lauren Tyler]

Well I suppose drawing larger than I normally do will help, but I don't have any colored pencils ATM. Nonetheless it's worth a try.

I guess my biggest problem is drawing lightly. I can do it, it's just sometimes I end up drawing heavily when I shouldn't.

 

[Kalamos]

I guess my biggest problem is drawing lightly. I can do it, it's just sometimes I end up drawing heavily when I shouldn't.

That's where differently coloured pens/pencils would come in handy.
Use a lighter colour - pros often use pink, tan or cyan - for construction lines, then a bolder pen, maybe with a wider point, for the actual drawing.

This should help a bit, so you can control your lines more effectively.
You won't need anything fancy. I found perfectly good markers for less than two bucks. They get the job done.

 

[Lauren Tyler]

As luck would have it, I found some colored pencils I forgot I had. I'll definitely work on it when I get the time, as I'm still playing personal servant to my laid up mother.