life drawing: woman face

[getata]

This is a half finish verison of my wife's face drawing, I want you guys to give me some advise if u find any mistake. C & C are always welcome :) thank you

http://prod.bsis.bellsouth.net/coDataImages/p/Groups/95/95656/folders/60478/448035lucygood.jpg

[Fozzybar]

The space between her eyes looks a little bit to large...usually it's as long as one eye...but of course there are often differences...

[Artin]

nice pencil work!
the neck seems unrealisticly thin though and her eyes and lips could be a bit more moistorous, but the proportions of the face are alright otherwise. I agree about the eye thing.
Her left collar-bone looks a bit long too...

[getata]

thx for the advise =)

Fozzybar: when i look at the picture again it really seems like the space between the eyes is a bit wider, do u think if I add more value on the nose will help ?

Artin: The fact that my wife's neck is actually thinner then usual, I think it's her characteristic :) I think i will use rubber to add some highlights on the lips and eyes when i finish all the shading. And errr about the left collar-bone, i think i may just leave it like that coz i don't really like to erase part of the picture and start it over hehe.

[Fozzybar]

sorry getata i am no portrait-painter/drawer, so i don't want to give you an answer...i think there are artist here which are more qualified to give you good hints to you the eye-problem...Android?

[dilation]

i think the eyes look good... the space between my eyes is bigger than one eye length.
neck looks good to me too ....
great rendering, very convincing, its little things like the eyes and the thinness of the neck that really show that you are looking just as much as you draw and not going by preconcieved notions of what something is supposed to look like. it adds to the realism which i think is what you were going for.

[Leviron]

I think the shading on the face is strange. It makes her face look punched in...missing bone structure.

[Big-Dave]

I think I see what's happened. At some point your wife has turned her head slightly, meaning the position of the nose and the shape of the face are in 3/4 view, but the end of the nose, the mouth and one of the eyes are not. This would explain why one eye is out and not the other adn why the nose seems to slant right then straighten out. it also explains why the chin is rounded off on one side but has an indentation on the other like a 3/4 view pic would be. Hope this helps.

[Dom]

From my point of view on the picture the right eye is to far off to the right. The neck is a bit thin. The drawing looks like not done. Try putting deeper shadows/darker tones in the shadow area. Define the volume of the face a bit more. The hair needs deeper shadows as well and a bit more thickness.

Love the reflection in the eyes.

Cheers

Dom

[poly_cube]

i'm just curious what happen to her ear. she has a little bang- and backhair - thus we should see a little bit of the ear. esp since the hair is huging the face as if she just came out of the shower.

[MindCandyMan]

I think what happened with the shading on the face was that the direction of the strokes were not consistent with the volume of what you were drawing. If you look at the cheek underneath the eye on the left you will see the strokes actually making a "U" type of shape when in reality...because that is a bulbous space...cheek bone and all...they should be making an "upside down U" type of shape to be consistent with the volume. Did that make sense to anyone?

[michael see]

hmm..the shading is alittle weired on the right cheek. should be more contrast as there were just the mid tones and highlights..some darkest tone or shadow apply to it would be better:)

nice pencil work overall

[redehlert]

It would be swell to see a photo to use as a comparison for accuracy. Perhaps a repost with the drawing and the photo side-by-side?
A quick run through:
positives:
•The reflection in the eyes are indeed smashing-good.
•Love the hair texture and want you to continue pushing the depth of the hair. I'm guessing that her hair is jet black based on the almond shaped eyes, but then again - no photo to compare to.
•I like the pose and the penetrating gaze of this piece...very nice.
• I also like the softness of the hair at the head's crown...seemingly out of focus - a nice approach.

constructives:
• Yes, adding more detail of the bridge of the nose is a good idea, unless this is actually how her nose is and that the lighting layout is set in such a way to obscure those fine details. If the latter, then the overall tones should deepen to convey a strong light source ala chiaroscurro (pardon my mispelling if I have done so).
• Midline through the torso suggests one side of the body is wider than its counterpart - adjust this for symmetry unless your wife is standing at a slightly 3/4 front view.
• Right cheek needs to convey the maxilla and zygomatic arch in the same way the lighted left cheek is doing. At present, it appears as though there is no bony structure to fill out the right cheek and as a result, I wouldn't be surprised if the right eye spilled out one day.
• Unless you wish to maintain your textured lines (personal choice of course!), I would suggest softening them to match the quality of the character you are conveying. Think of flower petals or the softness of your wife's skin and translate that texture into your drawing. You have a great approach to seeing form, I feel it needs to be less defined.
• By doing this, you avoid some outlines that are coming across (e.g. chin, lip lines, etc.) Keep it soft, elegant, like drawing with carbon dust.
• One eye does indeed look more narrow than the other, but then again, we aren't symmetrical. Maybe just a touch wider on the right eye.
• Push that soft tone of the hair at the crown of the head into the softness of the hair cascading over the shoulders.....that out of focus bit in should carry all around since the face does indeed jut foreward.

Okay...I've said my stuff....I like it....I think it's a great study and hope to see your work again!

Cheers,
Dave