Useful concept for drawing portraits - shadow shape and shadow pattern

There have been a few gentlepersons lately showing interest into how to draw better portraits. I tried to help out by explaining typical face abstractions, like Loomis, Reilly, Steve Huston, Asaro,.... and well, the response wasn't too enthusiastic. I still stand with my proposition, that learning at least one abstraction by heart helps to improve the skill in measuring proportions of a face, and avoiding typical beginner errors. But, to be frank, I can understand, why grinding abstractions is considered to be rather boring, and frankly, I don't do them constantly either. And if I skim thru my stacks of sketches, the best portraits I drew never really started with actively drawing an abstraction.

Now I just stumbled upon this here video:

and I feel like it highlights another side of portait drawing, that my practical experience had been organically drifting towards, without me ever being able to verbalize it well.

So, I think putting this video link here is a good idea, first of all, as bit of an exposure to whom it may concern immediately right now, but also so I can link to it easily in response to beginner portraits and related questions, without having to scour youtube for hours each time to find it again.

And I repeat, I stand with my opinion that naturalizing yourself with at least one abstraction of the face, most likely the one from Mr. Loomis is a good idea, that will help everybody avoid a lot of mistakes and frustrations over their art career. Eat your vegetables, kids, because they are good for you!

But I think shadow shapes and shadow pattern is really where the tasty meat for the broth comes from! (with an apology to all vegX)

You know, Aunt, I like this video. This is the most greatest video you've ever shared with us ever.

The reason why is not just because of the abstractions you've brought up, it's because of a thing called the shapes of the lights and shadows, but they must and can be universally applicable to any and every and some abstraction of the face and the expression. Especially, in the current context of facial recognition technology patterns. Would you like to please practice along to this video you've shared with me?

The reason why is because if you can and will completely loosen yourself up with shadow and light shape patterns, then they must have the most interesting and most expressive quality to them.

My hat's off to you!

Dear Aunt

This was a very inspiring and enlightening video.

Beside the fun I had with asaro, I really like the excercise to work with shadows and recreat that head, working with a lot of construction-lines is somethink stressfull, even though I can see the benefit in the short and long run.

This looking and creating shadow patterns from this video is really talking to me. I will aplply that more in my future practice and drawings.

Thx for sharing that source.

All the best

Pasta

• Pastabrother edited this post on May 7, 2024 4:52pm.