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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 9:51:18 GMT 10
G'day all. Anyone, and I mean anyone who has the motor skills to write, can do great portraits in charcoal. You do not need drawing skills all you need to do is ...... ( I will explain) Cheating is Good
The top artists who win major prizes cheat one way or another, they have to or they will not win. So what is CheatingCheating is - Mapping faces by tracing with a pencil on paper over a computer screen image
- Projecting images onto paper or canvas for sketching in with a pencil
- Measuring and comparing ratios i.e length of nose = one eye width
- Using 2 cameras one with slide film
Every artist has done at least one of those.
- Mapping the face (getting the features in their respective places ) using a cheat method is therefore the smart way to go.
- The easiest one these days is to put art paper over the computer screen and turn room the light off. The image should shine through bright enough so that you can lightly mark the main features with a soft pencil (6B is the best).
- Once you have mapped the face (got the features marked in) you can give the face detail by comparing it with the computer reference photo.
What has to be learned is attention to detail and where to exaggerate so it does not look flat. Charcoal is easy because there are no colour variants to hassle over.
Getting the Likeness
Sometimes getting a likeness is easy and sometimes they will not look right - but photos are like that too, so it is best to start with a photo that has a likeness.
Ok I will see what I can do about getting something on video to get you started. If you are experienced then please add your two bobs worth.
BTW I have not done a lot of charcoal portraits because I like to do Chinese ink portraits (but Chinese ink is difficult and the failure rate is high).
Charcoal will cost you $10 to $15 for your first charcoal portrait then the next 20 will be free, you will get entertainment for less than $1 per hour.
You will want to frame your first one so a4 size is good and a cheap document frame with glass looks good. If you start doing a lot then A4 size will fit in pockets in a binder.
They make great personal gifts - so charcoal portraits with a bit of cheating with the mapping is a win/win.
I will try to find a charcoal of mine and attach it. As I said I am not a charcoal specialist, the specialists would do something like mine then spend hours making minor changes and of course that is the bit the enjoy the most.
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 10:20:19 GMT 10
Here are some charcoal drawings from Paintings I love where you will find my gallery, some are mine but the really good ones are by other artists.
These are all I can find of my charcoal portraits as I said I mostly do Chinese ink and coffee out of a cup for skin tones.
I will not tell you yet which are mine.
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 10:23:13 GMT 10
Here are some charcoal drawings from Paintings I love where you will find my gallery, some are mine but the really good ones are by other artists. These are all I can find of my charcoal portraits as I said I mostly do Chinese ink and coffee out of a cup for skin tones. I will not tell you yet which are mine. Jamie Farr aka Klinger out of Mash and a 1940s lady   |
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 10:29:02 GMT 10
Here are some charcoal drawings from Paintings I love where you will find my gallery, some are mine but the really good ones are by other artists. These are all I can find of my charcoal portraits as I said I mostly do Chinese ink and coffee out of a cup for skin tones. I will not tell you yet which are mine.   |
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 10:30:26 GMT 10
Here are some charcoal drawings from Paintings I love where you will find my gallery, some are mine but the really good ones are by other artists. These are all I can find of my charcoal portraits as I said I mostly do Chinese ink and coffee out of a cup for skin tones. I will not tell you yet which are mine.  |
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 10:47:33 GMT 10
 The one above is obviously mine she is the actress Tia Carrera and I have added some water colour pencil for colour I did her again with Chinese Ink and coffee But Charcoal with a tiny bit of water color-pencil is easy and looks great. |
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Post by Sediba on May 22, 2016 12:53:08 GMT 10
I don't know that I have the skills for this Col. Every one of those look out of my league. I'm not really good on facial recognition even in real life. Portraits are mysterys to me
Greg
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 16:21:09 GMT 10
I don't know that I have the skills for this Col. Every one of those look out of my league. I'm not really good on facial recognition even in real life. Portraits are mysterys to me Greg You can do it Greg, you don't do a face you just check all the bits are right and then you have a face. The parts make the total. Anyway here is the vid I made today with Turtle's mug shot. |
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Post by cster on May 22, 2016 19:24:09 GMT 10
I like white T-shirts, once upon a time you could get a pic on them that was line drawn, only the pitch seemed to define the shade or shape. I thought they were great, don't see em these days though.
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 19:39:33 GMT 10
I like white T-shirts, once upon a time you could get a pic on them that was line drawn, only the pitch seemed to define the shade or shape. I thought they were great, don't see em these days though. Thanks CSTER The bog standard art acrylic paint is supposed to be OK on Tee shirts. After the paint dries they iron it to stabilizes it or something like that. I have never tried it myself. |
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Post by cster on May 22, 2016 19:45:55 GMT 10
Hmm, I might have to have a go then.
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 19:54:05 GMT 10
Hmm, I might have to have a go then. I am not sure what you mean but I will put in my acrylics when I go to the Buyas If you like, I can try to iron some art on cotton material before the big weekend. |
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Post by cster on May 22, 2016 20:15:09 GMT 10
Art I wont be there mate, too much on here with the missus the way she is.
I'd sketch up a drawing that I want on a T and then have a go later.
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Post by madametarot on May 22, 2016 20:27:54 GMT 10
Art I wont be there mate, too much on here with the missus the way she is. I'd sketch up a drawing that I want on a T and then have a go later. Thanks cster I am happy to test some paint -it will save you buying paint you might not use. |
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Post by carrpin on May 23, 2016 8:59:45 GMT 10
Checking in but will be sticking to oils.. at least until I have some skill in that!
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Post by madametarot on May 23, 2016 13:53:33 GMT 10
Checking in but will be sticking to oils.. at least until I have some skill in that! Welcome carrpin Yep oils are easier, but I have gotten used to acrylics and I do not miss the messy oil cleanup and the smell. At least oils do not change colour as they dry - acrylics change colour and thin layers of whites and yellows sometimes disappear altogether. Weird eh! |
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Post by cster on May 23, 2016 18:44:44 GMT 10
Art I wont be there mate, too much on here with the missus the way she is. I'd sketch up a drawing that I want on a T and then have a go later. Thanks cster I am happy to test some paint -it will save you buying paint you might not use. Ahha of course, It would make much better sense for you who knos paint to check it out then I who know nothing. |
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Post by madametarot on May 23, 2016 20:39:03 GMT 10
Thanks cster I am happy to test some paint -it will save you buying paint you might not use. Ahha of course, It would make much better sense for you who knos paint to check it out then I who know nothing. I was going to try "dry brush" painting so it does not get too scratchy on the inside. The folk art dabbing technique might work check out folk art on the net, they do a lot of dabbing with the sides of bushes with more than one colour on the brush at the same time. I will see if I can find some vids. www.bing.com/videos/search?q=folk+art+dry+brush&FORM=HDRSC3 |
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Post by carrpin on Jun 3, 2016 12:51:52 GMT 10
My 4th attempt at painting with oils. As with the 3earlier.. more detail required to finish it off
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Post by madametarot on Jun 5, 2016 14:44:14 GMT 10
My 4th attempt at painting with oils. As with the 3 earlier.. more detail required to finish it off Thanks Carrpin, It is looking good a definite keeper, congratz. The reflected light on the water is particularly good. What are you going to detail? |
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Post by carrpin on Jun 7, 2016 9:17:41 GMT 10
The trees on the RH side are too clumsy and I was thinking to add a distant city skyline.
Just read the thread title. Sorry its not a portrait.
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Post by madametarot on Jun 7, 2016 13:34:51 GMT 10
The trees on the RH side are too clumsy and I was thinking to add a distant city skyline. Just read the thread title. Sorry its not a portrait. Thanks carrpin. We do not worry too much about thread titles. The distance is fine. If the painting was mine I would be putting some dark under the trees and defining the rocks better by using a palette knife emphasising hi-lights and shadows among the rocks. The knife edge can delineate each rock. (or something like that) These water pictures, I was taught, look better if the water does not look like it might run out the bottom onto the floor - but that is the type of rule that needs to be broken sometimes. I would be well satisfied without anything in the distance and sharpen up the rocks and deepen the closer shadows. It is a keeper, congratz well done. This art thread is fine for any art. |
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Post by carrpin on Jun 14, 2016 11:02:51 GMT 10
I get sudden rushes to the brain and out come the oils and I can "knock" something out in a couple of 1 hour sessions. Its really quite a buzz when the pic starts to "come to life".
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