I've been asked how to get the detail in my protraits, so I will tell you the secret. Its takes a great many years to train your eye to see all the detail that is there. That may sound strange since your eyes may be better than mine. If there is nothing wrong with them why can't anyone see it right away? It's because your eyes do not register all the detail in front of it because the brain can't deal with that much info. It doesn't need to the way it works, it wants to create a very cartoon like image of the things it sees. That's because it categories and labels everything for easy reference. Test this by drawing something from memory, if you haven't drawn it many times before it will be very cartoonish. When you start drawing it over and over again looking at it your brain will start taking in more and more info about it. After a while you will experience one of the most magical things I've ever witnessed. One day all the sudden you will see a lot more detail then you have ever seen before. It's like a magic door opens and suddenly your in a new dimension as far as seeing detail around you. You still don't see it all though so it gives you a little at a time. This experience has happened over and over again after the years. I have no control over it and can't tell when they are coming but I've become addicted to the experience so it drives me to see how far I can take it. I don't think there is an end to it but I don't know. I do know I haven't reached the end because there are a couple of other artists I've seen that see more. I can tell because they are better than me.
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Took a class using a book titled 'Drawing with the right Side of the Brain". Lots of great exercises and at the end of the class you are seeing more detail, in all areas of your life.
silverotter11
Level 9
June 19, 2018
3
Speaking the truth. Only real drawing class I ever really took... teacher gave us a bust to draw. We were very happy mostly with results and bragging about it. Next class she gave us the same bust... this time upside down having the lighting and everything the same... the result image was not what we expected. Our brain, our eyes and our hand are three different unique entities not always in agreement during the same task. Most humbling experience.
GipsyOfNewSpain
Level 9
June 19, 2018
3
When people ask me how they can draw better, I pass along this exercise taught to me. Pick something stationary to draw. Never take your eyes off of whatever you are drawing. Don't look at the paper. Don't lift your hand. Just let your hand follow your eye. Yeah..it's gonna be crappy...but keep on practicing. In time you will see a marked improvement as you train your hand to follow your eyes.
I used to be really caught up in realism. I'm not now. @think twice had it, there is that special something when you actually capture the personality of your subject. Doesn't matter if it's photo-like or more impressionistic. I've done 2 portraits where I 'got' it. The rest are souless! Lol.
Freespirit64
Level 8
June 19, 2018
3
I don't really like to do the realistic portraits, when I paint I'm not nearly as concerned with being perfect in every regard. We have cameras now so it's not really worth trying to compete. I do portraits because it's the best subject to train yourself with. I do these to train my eye to be able to draw what I see accurately. They are tedious and time consuming but there really is no other way to train your eye like these do. It's important to have the skill even if it's not always used to that extent. Many artist run away from portraits because they are hard but that's really because everyone is such an expert in the human form. I practice many by making a single line on paper and try to hit that line every time, if it gets thicker you are off, it should only get darker. I do this because one side of the pencil lead is all it takes to be off on a likeness.
Thanks for sharing your process...to capture a realistic likeness in a portrait is something that can be learned and trained by doing...but, the artist is one who knows which details speak to others on an emotional level...often, it is the eyes or a well placed facial expression, a wrinkle...melding skill with heart is what brings your art alive...you say you are addicted...art is all consuming for you...a passion...something that you can't live without...there is no end...follow it
thinktwice
Level 8
June 19, 2018
5
nice explanation....a drawing teacher i had long ago said, "draw what you see, not what you think you see." i bet i heard that a 1000 times. But what looked like details before, became a whole world of stuff. great post @JesseBoren
hankster
Level 9
June 19, 2018
7
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