Pencil Portrait

(C) 2016 Dale DiMauro

Recently, I found this wonderful art book at our local used bookstore. It is titled How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy, by Louise Gordon. Ironically, many years ago I signed it out as an interlibrary loan. Most of the illustrations in the book of the human head are depicted in pencil and they are beautifully drawn.

I made this drawing from an illustration in the book that inspired me as our national media election coverage was dragging on late tuesday evening. This was a twenty minute drawing. I like the little streak of light along the women's right jaw line.

Self-portraits

(C) 2015 Dale DiMauro

Earlier this week, on numerous occasions in the evening, I was sore from building a deck, so I decided to draw in front of the television instead of paint. The subject of my drawing has been my self-portrait, twice from two different photographs. Over time, I have drawn or sketched my share of people from life or photographs. Some turn out well, others are okay and occasionally they are a dud. The one above is a bit of a dud, and that is why I am blogging about it.

I find drawing myself with an objective view to be quite challenging. To draw a face with glasses, which is more common than not, adds an increased degree of difficulty. Often when you draw an individual with glasses, the eyewear dominates the portrait, and there can be glare. I prefer a three-quarter view over a frontal take because it can display more depth of expression and depict more of the topography of the face, but the photos I had on hand were frontal views. 

In the above drawing, the left side of my face was obscured as it was in shadow alongside my wife's in the photograph. My nose as depicted appears larger than it is due to a lack of definition and because the glasses in reality come further down my face. I believe the proportions of the face (i.e. eyes, nose, mouth and ears) are relatively correct. However, from this perspective the subtle modulations are lacking in definition.

Many people have commented that my facial studies and drawings reveal character. Some people have told me that I should exhibit them in a bigger venue, and others have said I need to draw these faces on a grander scale. This self-portrait is not ready for that. In my drawings I try to express individual personality in addition to some inner thought or mood. Perhaps with more practice, my self-portraits will reach a higher level too. Feedback anyone?