What paper are you using? I like the texture of it. I have been trying to get back into drawing as of late. I just find it difficult to get started. Also I have noticed I struggle to shade with my hand above the paper as I don't want to smudge what I have put down.
Do you ever get tired of drawing portraits? I used to draw a lot of portraiture also painted many too.
I tend to use gridding and freehand for proportions depending on how difficult the pose/angle is. At the moment I am just drawing surreal faces and things.
Anyway good luck with your drawing as it looks like it's getting there. Hair can be daunting I find it's just because it takes so long to do. Is this for a project or client?
I just picked up a sketchbook. Didn’t think much about the paper. I’m in Japan and I think Japanese paper is very good although the sketchbook I’m using is no different to the stuff I used in England.
I found a solution to the smudging problem is using H pencils instead of B and I actually like the hardness. When I first started drawing I hated H pencils. Totally the opposite now. I used to put a piece of paper under my drawing hand when I used B’s. Don’t need to worry to much about that now.
I don’t tire of portraits. Until I’m as good as I can possibly be I’ll keep doing them. I love faces. A bit of an aesthete when it comes to faces and the human form which might be my driving force with art.
This stuff is just for my own pleasure. I do freelance digital illustration for pay but recently got into drawing again because I wanted to make an online course as a kind of venture.
Thank you for the advice! I usually use harder pencils for outlines and very light shading. I used to paint more and have had a couple of successful sales but it's very hard to get consistant pay.
Japan must be very inspirational, is their any artists out their you look up to or are inspired by? Anyway good luck to you and wish you all the best from one artist to another. It's nice to see a fellow artist who does portraits on Steemit.
Yeah well done for selling your stuff! I look forward to seeing more of your portraits if you post some. The surreal one you’ve put up looks good.
I don’t really follow or look up to any traditional artists to be honest. I’m kind of in my own bubble when I draw because it’s timeless. No need to keep up with new trends.
I recently got a job where I had to do some portraits in the style of Stanley chow which was fun. I respect his cool graphic style. Totally different from this stuff though.