next "project."

My next attempt will be with drawing this portrait below, which looks pretty simple... yet i know it'll be a bit more than simple, especially because of the fact that it has a more fine style than the portrait of the boy.

It is an adult face, meaning the shape is different than previous sketches. What makes it a bit easier is that it's straight-on view, so there's no need to factor in the lighting and angle complications. I'll probably start it, but then finish my other one at some point too :) My progress should be fairly quick since it's Christmas break and this is a way to get rid of dullness and boredom and gives me something useful to do. 

We'll see, though ;)

plans.

So, the next step in my project is to work on a more detailed, full-page project {that will probably take longer!}Yeesh.
I'll really not like the fact that it won't be done right away, but that's just how it is. I put a few pictures on my inspiration page, and am going to start with one of the child ones {since I am practicing that for this time period!} I am going to start with this one...
My reasons? Mostly because i really like the angle {it's fairly straight-on, yet it appears that the artist was looking down at the child, which is an interesting angle.} There is not much shading on the face, and I think that'd be good to start with. The lighting also seems to be coming pretty much straight on, so there's not a lot of that to work with... {not like angled lighting is bad, it just makes for a bit more dramatic-ness in the face, which equals more precise shading!}Overall, it doesn't look too complicated, but I could be taking my words back in a couple days :)

I'm going to post the progression of the picture as I go, which will be a bit different than with some of my other sketches. They'll be coming soon :) 

adjustments.

I've realized that when it comes to drawing realistic looking faces, my main holdup is that they take a lot of time. The portraits can potentially take days, and in all my practicing just the basic features, I've taken hours.... which does not work well for me. I'm the type of person who prefers to start something, and then be able to have a finished product by the time I'm done. However, with drawing portraits, this is not the case. I'll have to go back to my work and continue where I left off.

I've also had difficulty making enough time for it. We're halfway through the semester, but I just can't seem to set apart enough time to sit down and work on specific things. Which is sort of frustrating, because despite that I want to do this, I keep making excuses.

So, because of lack of other ideas, I'm making a more rigid schedule for myself. {I guess I just need that discipline.} Although I've been keeping up with my goals, I do the minimum amount, but it's just not satisfactory. So, all that being said, you should expect to see much more progress in the future due to the fact that every Tuesday, I will force myself to sit down and work... and I know that even though I am 'forcing' myself to work on a passion project, I will enjoy it once i stop putting it off :)

My lack of progress will {hopefully} also stop frustrating me with this new 'system' {for lack of a better word.}

starting slowly.

Instead of just jumping right into a project like I would typically do, I decided to do some research before I just started drawing {and became really frustrated with myself.} So, for the first passion project class, I did some reading. My Gramma had given me a book that goes through the basics of drawing portraits, and one of my friends was lovely enough to let me borrow hers that teaches a lot of different strokes to achieve texture. And that's when i realized that there is a bit more of a technique to art than I thought... There are complex and labeled diagrams of the bone structure and muscles of the face, which can help you decide where to shade and so on. Not to mention direction of light source, and all the profiles to choose from. Oh joy. And I barely am able to do front view :P

So, after last week Friday, I decided to practice some of those preliminary shading techniques or different strokes on the sides of my paper when I found myself bored {mostly during two driver's education classes...} Not only were they a wonderful way to pass time, it also prepared me to start. 

This week, I'm going to unpack the pencils and real artist paper and just work more on technique and such. As well as doing a bit more research as to the construction and elements of an effective portrait... all of which i am still wondering how i am going to pull off :)

It'll be nice to absentmindedly draw during class {listening, of course...} and not be too shamed by my lack of artistic ability. 

All in due time :)

beginnings.

Hey y'all.
I guess I should start by explaining what in the world I'm doing and why :)
For our Bible class, we have to choose something that we want to do and then work towards a product or a goal for the semester. The whole decision making process was not easy for me at all, due to the fact that this could be absolutely anything. I wanted to choose something that I would enjoy, yet it was difficult to think of how that would be workable in class time.
When I was younger, I really enjoyed art. My grandma would come to our house and teach us about art styles, give us projects, and other stuff like that. My favorite part of this "class" was drawing. I'd try landscapes, architecture, and {my favorite,} people. It was fun to see how different strokes and shading could create something that actually resembled something. {Which, unfortunately, was rare and difficult for me to do.} So, I tried to get better, but eventually I stopped practicing.
Being the type of person that is a perfectionist, I hated the eternity that it took to achieve something that looked real. {Like my sister, or even a building.}
I still really want to be able to have a {sort of!} artistic ability, and am hoping to explore the art of how to be a better freehand artist, as well as drawing something that is a copy of another thing. {For lack of a better way to explain things.} I'll be using those typical art pencils and a few erasers. And a lot of my patience.

But by the end, I want to be a more confident artist, {a better artists,} and have some items that I'm proud of in my portfolio. I'll working on different "projects" each month, and have specific goals. I'll also be sure to post lots of pictures, even though I cannot promise greatness {or even semi-goodness!}