Experimenting with charcoal

[talmir]

Sorry about the bad quality.. my scanner messes up my shades sometimes.. anyhow, here's a piece I made to experiment with highlights and how to achieve them using charcoal.. I think I have a pretty good way now to achieve all levels I want.

I know the image is simple, I was basically aiming for showing a face in a dream.. all hazy and obscure :D

http://www5.domaindlx.com/talmir/finished/Charcoal/CCoal_lonesome1.jpg

comments appreciated.

[J.Mac]

talmir - i know you were going fo simple and hazy with this one... and you have accomplished what you set for your personal goals on this one. which is great! but if you don't mind i want to give you some constructive crticism.

1. darker darks and lighter lights - even though you wanted to keep it simple you could of made it more darker all around, that is what charcoal is good for "imo"

2. outlines - typically you want to try and stay away from those really thick outlines like what you have. they are fine but you don't want to flatten out the image with them.

3. form and structore (sp?) - i know the head was from a dream and all but if you studied the head and how it works, it would help develope your drawing more.

4. shoulders - when ever you do a portrait or a head drawing try to put the shoulders in it helps keep the head looking like it is a floaty head, unless that is what you are going for.

i hope i made a little sense! just trying to give you some food for thought. keep drawing and push yourself. never be satisfied.

-Jesse

[Signature]

Very good reply IMO.

Try to make it work without lines (just hardly visible construction lines)
When it works you can add lines for more definition.
(Only if that is what you want ... I think the lines kill the hazy and obscure feel)

[talmir]

J.mac : Thank you, thank you, thank you :D I always love in depth comments. I will take what you said and keep it in mind for my next pieces. btw, I will add a shoulder to him and maybe some hairdo when I get home from work.. might post him if it works out ok.

Signiature : I agree with the thick lines killin the image. But mainly my goal was to practice highlighting and such with charcoal (this is my first attempt at that). I´m a big fan of your work btw.

so :chug: