Brandon, USCG

[Patricia Joyce]

Thank You Jimmie,
Wow, that helps me so much. I have a digital camera and have not had a moment to spend on learning PhotoShop though I know I need too. These pics were taken in a restaurant under very weird lighting. They were not taken for reference for a drawing, but I liked this shot so thought it would be a good exercise. Your adjustments make it easier to see the tonal range.

Yes, I purposefully changed the direction of his eyes, thinking it would make him look more pensive. Me? heavyhanded?!! Guilty as charged! Also guilty of not keeping my pencil sharp. I know I have to work on that.

I do have a confession, Jimmie! When I started the drawing of Brandon I had printed out your drawings of your last portrait (Keri?) as inspiration!!! I would like to train myself to be as meticulous as you are. Looking at your drawings are like looking at a daVinci

Will post progression in a couple of days. Don't see where I will have more time to work on this before the weekend. So frustrating when all I want to do is work on drawing!!

[Matthew Severson]

He looks very bored in the ref pic, like you're asking him too many questions. Your drawing, especially the cropped closeup, makes him look like he's thinking or regretting something.

I believe it all has to do with his eyes. In the reference photo he is looking toward the upper right- making him look as if hes examining the texture of the ceiling. In the drawing his eyes are looking forward, giving him a pondering look. I prefer the drawing to the reference.

Matthew

[Patricia Joyce]

Thank you for the compliment, Matthew! That was my intention in changing the direction of his gaze, to make him look pensive. I finished the drawing late last night/early this morning and have posted it in Unveilings. After reading Jimmie's suggestion yesterday I was inspired and took off the whole side of his face in shadow and started over! I was much more meticulous and using Jimmie's reference photo (improvement) was able to be a bit more subtle with the tonal range, I think. Overall, I am pretty happy with this one!

I also tried to take better photographs. This is not reading as dark as it is in person. Guess I need to attach PhotoShop this weekend and start using it.