Constructed Skull VS. Real Skull

[HunterKiller_]

Here's a page from my sketchbook.
http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=58226&stc=1&d=1165221503

I have a constructed a skull here using the proportional technique i learned from Riven Pheonix's videos.
I then looked at a real skull and noticed suggnificant differences.
Why is this? Is the skull constructed from the technique suppose to be the proportions of a 'perfect' skull? Am i just constructing my skull badly?

Here's a link to the video i'm talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWZjSriLu0I

[Seedling]

There's no such thing as a set of instructions that will leave you with a perfect form of any sort. This will especially be true of a shape as complex as the human body or a skull. Such instructions are merely a jumping-off point. If you do not also have a mental database of knowlege of skulls from direct observation, then the instructions will do you little good.

[foggle]

Exactly what Seedling said. Riven Phoenix does veru good lessons, and teach you very well the general anatomy and a rules for construction, but in the end its no compromise for actually doing the studies yourself and getting a feel for how everything fits together. Also, Ive noticed that some of the heads he does, at least from the front look a bit unnatural. This doesnt really matter, seeing as it gets covered up with flesh later on - its just a base to work on. But if you're looking to get a perfect skull then theres other ways of getting it.

His lessons are excellent in getting a solid grounding on the human anatomy, and the techniques he uses for remebering everything and linking it all up have been used to great effect for centuries (just look at Da Vinci) but in the end you should try and do it youself

[DavePalumbo]

A good lesson in thinking and observing for yourself. This is why I don't like people giving general purpose formulas for skin tones and such. You have to use your own judgement.

[Christian223]

I have been watching his great video lessons too and the thing that most impressed me is that he is actually teaching a way of learning, not anatomy in istelf, i mean, he encourages you to discover your own way of building anatomy, you just have to experiment to find your own way, just like leonardo da vinci did.

[Dizon]

When you're drawing from life/nature you can't rely on preconceived methods, you must use your own observation. This applies to everything, especially the human figure.

[causelessdemon]

I bought a replica skeleton on ebay just for the express purpose of drawing and sculpture reference. You really do have to sit down and study the human skull... they're full of form and shapes. The bottom of the skull, especially, is packed with detail.


This is a drawing I did sitting looking at the skull from my skeleton:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v69/CauselessDemon/Skulldrawing.jpg

[HunterKiller_]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, but nobody has actually answered my question. I suppose i should have been more precise.

What i intended to ask was that which skull is really the more proportionally accurate of the two versions i.e. contructed and real. Personally, i find the real skull (the one i made a sketch of) more pleasing to look at. The constructed version looks somewhat too round and wide.

No, there is no such thing as the 'perfect human body' but there are some that are closer than others.
An Andrew Loomis figure is alot more proportionately perfect than say... heck, i dunno, some stubby fat woman?

[k4pka]

Wait, you are genuinely asking which is closer to being accurate? The invented one or the real one?? Really?

[causelessdemon]

Well, the constructed one isn't finished, and it doesn't really look all that accurate. The lower part of the cheekbones don't arc so high toward the eye sockets... it looks weird. And what everyone is saying is that you can't pinpoint accuracy on a skull's proportions. Different races of people have differently shaped skulls, children's skulls are different than an adults, an so on.

The only way to really guage the proportion is asking, does the skull match proportion to itself... such as eye sockets lining up, where the nasal cavity is in relation to whatever, etc.

[Seedling]

What i intended to ask was that which skull is really the more proportionally accurate of the two versions i.e. contructed and real.

The real one, by far. That's what we've been trying to tell you.

[HunterKiller_]

The real one, by far.

Thanks. I thought so.