"Negative #28"
So, here it is, after about 15 hours of working on it, which, due to a hectic few weeks was scattered here and there when I could find the time. Taking a month to finish a drawing can be helpful sometimes... and sometimes not. While taking the drawing class at the Paducah School of Art, I frequently did an entire drawing, 8 or 10 hours, in a weekend, or even, on a few occasions, in one night. Procrastination can really light a fire under you! Charcoal definitely helps with the time needed. It certainly enables me to finish a drawing much more quickly than any other medium I've used before. I don't know if I could stand to go back to colored pencil, as tedious and extremely time consuming as it is. I rather enjoy getting a complete drawing done so quickly, such as a weekend or two, and though taking a month can help me be more particular in my details, it also has it's downsides. Sometimes I need to "live with" one of my drawings for a while to see if it's done or if it needs more work, and other times, living with it for too long can backfire. I get to the point where I can't see it any more, I've looked at it too much. I think maybe that has happened this time. I get the vague feeling that something isn't right about it yet, but I have no idea what it is. I keep making little adjustments, but I'm also afraid of messing it up by overdoing it. So, maybe it's finished... maybe it's not. I'll probably know in a week or so. I welcome any comments or critiques. Sometimes showing it to others can really help, even if they are not an artist. So please, if there is anyone who actually reads this, feel free to tell me what you think, good or bad! Thanks!
Excellent work, Alexis! I am amazed once again at the fine detail and how 'realistic' it looks! You said something kind of felt not quite right - when I first saw it, I thought that was an "ear" drawn on the upper left corner of the face, but thought it looked a little funny to be an ear, then clicked on the pic to see the larger version and realized it was a strand of hair! LOL So maybe if you made that one strand of hair coming down on the face a dark strand instead of a light one? Also, the clavicle bone looks a little funny to me, but maybe it's just me? By the way, you have ignited a little spark in me to take up drawing again. I used to draw all the time back when I was younger, but left it behind. You have inspired me to want to draw again! Now if I can just find the time! ;-)
ReplyDeleteFellow PAPA member, here. When I read 15 hours I felt like smacking myself in the head. I could never do one so quickly.It would be closer to 100 hours for me. Then I saw that it's in charcoal. That would help. I've never played 'much' with charcoal, liking graphite and colored pencil, but speed would be nice. This is a really nice work, very expressive and something most women can respond to. Did you finally decide it was finished?
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