I am not alone in my frustration with head drawing

I read this today in Juliette Aristides book "Classical Drawing Atelier." It helped

Daniel Parkhurst wrote," Don't undertake the painting of a head without considering well that you are likely to have trouble, and the trouble you will have is most likely to be of a kind that you don't expect. But, having begun,keep your heart and your grit, and do the best you can. Remember that you learn by mistakes, and failures are a part of every man's work, and of every painter's experience, and not only of your own."

M. Bertin talked of Ingres' frustration "Ingres used to weep and I spent my time consoling him."

Sheep Panel

So I am paneling away. Some better than others. This is a panel from the middle of my story. I worked on it a couple of weeks ago when I was exploring drawing the sheep in Joe's class.

Camels

Working on Camels this week in Joe's class. We had a sub who basically told me I am getting too illustrative and flat and losing the structure.

These are studies from Lawrence of Arabia


These are studies from Tim's pictures at Oasis Camel Farm.

This is an ancient giraffe like camel at the Natural History Museum. It got too slight. I got a lot of criticism on lots of meaningless details and not enough structure.

Think as if you were both Bernini and Sargeant - Head Drawing - Class 9 and 10

Week 9

Glen talked about drawing the pretty girl tonight. He said in drawing the prtty girl you need to suggest construction but leave things out. Leyendecker and Cornwell stress the masculine but when you are drawing a pretty girl you can put too much in. You can't render everything if you are going to make a successful pretty girl.

I liked a book he brought in called "Faces and Features" by Fritz Willis. He also suggested the 1954 - Famous Artist Course hat has a section on drawing the pretty girl.

- Don't make too many bumps
- Design the shape tht shows off the sculpture
- Pull out a mirror and look at your drawing backwards
- Stand back and look at your drawing from a distance
- Think decorative everything is a design challenge
- Make everything in the light too light and everything in the dark too dark.
- Don't overplay it, sneak up on things you are trying t suggest,
- Push 2D shapes to suggest 3D sculpture
- Keep shadows less rendered in the interior
- Group things and then look at the secondary pattern inside
- Don't try to render each area try to design each area
- Render shapes so they are not too broken
- Look for ideal form

This is Glen's correction of my drawing of Malo.


I see here on my drawing how the bottom of the face doesn't really line up with the top of the face on the model's left face. There is some integrity missing.

Glenn liked this quick sketch a lot but I couldn't bring back what I found in this in put it in any of the other quick sketches.

Week 1o
Glen's notes:

- Organize lights and darks

- practice Loomis heads and planes of the head

- think of what the model would look like if they were carved out of stone

- Construction is first calligraphy is second

- Keep drawing inside the shadow to a minimum

- Form Shadow is not the same as Cast Shadow

- Think as if you were Bernini and Sargeant

- Ask yourself if the form is 3d enough

- Ask yourself if your calligraphy needs more attention

- Look for variety so you don't have the same line weight everywhere

This is my drawing of Kwante. Glenn said I had too many curves and not enough straights. I tried to correct it. This semester I haven't done very well in Head Drawing I feel like I need a break. I am disappointed in my lack of progress. But I guess the semester was pretty weird. I missed 2 classes early on. Glen missed 2 classes with all the illness in his family and getting better is not linear. I just have to keep working on it.


This is Glen's correction of my drawing.

Hymn of the Pearl

I started working on the panels for my epic story. These are just roughs. But I am happy I have finally started it.

Skeletons at the Page Museum

These are some skeletons I drew at the Page Museum 2 saturdays ago.



California Short Faced Bear
Dire Wolf Skull

California Sabertooth

Speed Forms

This is the speed forms assignment. This class at Art Center is good but I feel like it is going on forever. I hope it helps my drawing. I would rather be sketching mountains.