Drawing a Face for the Absolute Beginner

        In my first post I explained how I wanted to be able to create my favorite characters. The struggles of being unable to express my appreciation for a character really frustrates me, but what is even more frustrating is not being able to draw said character in the first place. In this post I decided not to draw a specific character (in fear that it would turn out horrible, it'd be an insult to the original creator) but instead, establish how to sketch a head and facial structure by following the book Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink and adding my own details to it. 

        We learned in my previous post that sketching basic shapes is a helpful tool to begin a drawing. Hence, I started by sketching the basic shape. "Start with the basic shape egg-shape of the head. It should be five eye-widths wide by seven eye-widths high" (Willenbrink 82). The Willenbrink's then suggested to add eye, nose, and mouth lines to guide you in drawing those features (Willenbrink 82).

        

        From here, I added all the details to the face. Since the book didn't have any hair or eye tutorials, I took it upon myself to figure it out. Again, sketching basic shapes immensely did help me. 

        This here is the final product I was best able to create. I did lots of readjusting the facial structure and lines and it didn't turn out as I had hoped. Hair was the most difficult feature for me to create. I can't say I was somewhat satisfied with this outcome, but I did learn that sketching basic shapes is a reoccurring technique that should always be used and that maybe I shouldn't attempt to draw my favorites just yet. What techniques have you guys learned that seem to be a reoccurring or important aspect to always keep on hand? 

        Willenbrink, Mark, and Mary Willenbrink. Drawing for the Absolute Beginner: A Clear & Easy Guide to Successful Drawing. Cincinnati, OH: North Light, 2006. Print.

Drawing for the Absolute Beginner

Art is a hobby that I aspire to become relatively good at because I want to be able to draw my favorite characters (to not turn out rubbish) and I really admire art in general. To accomplish this goal however, I have to start with the basics. Upon reading Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink I learned that there is a difference between sketching and drawing. “A sketch is a work in progress. You may sketch to observe your subject matter or to resolve questions regarding a drawing you are working on…On the other hand, drawing is an activity that is begun with the intention of producing a finished piece of art.” (Willenbrink 14). Before reading this, I would jump right ahead to drawing rather than starting with a simple sketch.

For my first drawing I have chosen to sketch and draw a cat. I followed the first step which was to sketch out basic shapes (70).

Using this first step was a guide to the following instructions that came next. Refining, rounding, and creating details was easy because I had a sketch as a guide. I would’ve gone straight to making the eyes, face, and details right away if I hadn’t known any better.

Final Product:

From this first experience I have learned that it is very helpful to sketch basic shapes which will ultimately help guide form a feature (for example: the cat’s eyes). I also learned that it is recommended to do more sketches, and to do them before you start drawing. It serves as practice and helps you become more familiar of structures and proportions.

Question: Is art a skill that is achievable through hard work and lots of practice? Or is it a skill that some people are simply born with?

Willenbrink, Mark, and Mary Willenbrink. Drawing for the Absolute Beginner: A Clear & Easy Guide to Successful Drawing. Cincinnati, OH: North Light, 2006. Print.

Mastering Manga

Mastering Manga 2 by Mark Crilley

        First, draw a round circle, with straight vertical line dividing it in half and a horizontal line in the middle.  At the bottom half, draw three more horizontal lines and a triangle pointy shape for the jaw in light pencil (Crilley, 12).  This sets up the whole female manga profile to be exact and provides guidelines for the rest of the face.  I have tendency to draw the face features out of proportions so drawing lines in advance helps me measure where to place certain parts such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.  This step is the beginning step and therefore the most important as the rest of the drawing depends on how well rounded the face shape is and keeps the whole profile intact.  This base increases the precision of the whole picture itself and is the beginning foundation of the manga.

       “There are hundreds of ways to draw manga hair.  The upper line of the hair is drawn a fair distance above the circle.  This contributes to the youthful look of the character" (Crilley, 13).

It has very detailed instructions how to shape the face and how to match it to the character itself.  If your character has to have a certain personality, their face should reflect that and good explanation to why something was drawn that way, builds on reason.  This quote gives me a way to gauge how I want to shape my character’s personality through the face.  As I aimed for a younger girl, I needed to be careful how the hair swayed and hanged on her head in order for her to look her age.  This step definitely tested my patience, as I had a strong will to make my character perfect. The hair was definitely the hardest part for me, so this helped me focus with the visual and description of the position of the hair.  This was the step I took the most time on, as the little hooks and crannies of the hair completed my picture and was the limit of my patience.

Is the beginning part of drawing manga more important or are the details more significant?

Crilley, Mark. Mastering Manga 2: Level up with Mark Crilley. Cincinnati, OH: Impact, 2013. Print.