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In this video I want to show you
four ways to transfer the drawing of a portrait
on the canvas, but before I start I want to say something about portrait painting
based on photography.
People sometimes disapprove this way
working. You are cheating, you have to work exclusively from life model! they say.
I can tell you this: it is important that you learn to work from observation
that's clear,
and of course good drawing skills a very important I know.
But there is no argument against another approach.
Take a look at the Internet and hear what David Hockney says
in his BBC documentary: The secret knowledge.
Alright I will show you four ways.
First that tracing method,
then using a projector.
Third the grid drawing,
and finally by observation. Here we go.
This is picture of my model.
Suppose you have no possibility to make large copy yourself.
The easiest way is to go to your local copy shop and ask for an enlargement.
There is a chance that the picture does not fit on one sheet.
So order two copies: one of the top side,
and one of the bottom and join them carefully.
On top of this image you place across a piece of transparent paper.
And stick it to the copy.
Trace the outlines of the portrait. Not with too many details.
Only the main shapes and lines.
Checks thoroughly that everything is on it.
I forgot one eye here.
I pay attention to what is the front
and what is the backside. On the backside
I cover the pencil lines with charcoal.
I turn over the sheet and place it on the canvas.
Now the charcoal is on the back.
I stick the paper
onto the canvas.
But before I continue I make four cross marks.
First on the canvas,
and then trace them on the paper
If needed I can lay back the sheet just
at the same place.
Now I copy the pencil drawing by retracing it with pressure.
The charcoal will mark this drawing on my canvas.
The framed linen...
might bounce and that can be difficult to draw on.
Place a book under the canvas to avoid this springback.
The lines appear thinly on the canvas.
Now I take a red pencil,
and redraw the portrait carefully. Red pencil just because the black graphite
will later shine through the layers of the oil paint and thats pretty dangerous.
Passing the drawing I pay attention to the original photograph.
And correct where necessary. The drawing is on canvas,
and now I can make the underpainting,
which I usually paint in acrylics. Check out my other videos on my blog
how I do this.
There is a variety of projectors available in the market.
From opaque enlargers to digital projectors.
The basic problem is the projection method.
it is of outmost importance that the projected image
appears on the canvas without distortion.
This can be checked by drawing a perfect square on the canvas,
and then project to square from the project across it.
Move the projector until the two squares fit exactly,
One over another. Another way is this. Here you see my
digital photograph of the model. The size of my canvas
is 60 centimetres wide and 73 high
in this case. In Photoshop I cropped the image
to the same ratio. On a separate layer
I divide both sides in four equal parts.
I make the same distribution on the canvas.
in red crayon, never just black pencil.
Projecting this image I make sure the guidelines in the picture
correspond exactly with the red lines on the canvas.
now I can copy photograph on the canvas.
I'll if you can´t use,or don't want to use a projector then the grid method
is a good solution. An easy way to make a grid is by
using tracing paper on top of the picture.
But I will show you how I do this in Photoshop.
as you see I have a spanish Photoshop version.
But I will say the names in English.
Go to view - show - grid.
Now you see the grid over the image.
to change the size of the squares go to preferences - guides - grids.
Set the size of the squares in such a way that it suits yo.
Create is separate layer.
Select the pencil from the menu and make the line as thin
as possible in the settings. Place the cursor
on the first grid line. Press the Shift key
and now draw the line. Hold down the Shift key to make a
straight horizontal line. I think you can see it very well but
if you hide the grid you see the drawn lines.
Now complete the whole image.
Where the face is I make some diagonal lines,
to have more support later. Place the cursor in one corner of the square
and click on it. n Now go to the other corner,
press the Shift key and then click. In this way the two points will connect.
The image I print out and attach it next to canvas on my easel.
now I take over the picture carefully.
The problem with this method is that you
quite quickly can go astray with all the squares. And I'd must admit
I'm not so good at this method.
I use charcoal for the main lines and surfaces.
Sn some areas where I need more exactness
I make the drawing in red crayon.
Drawing from observation.
This is the classical method.
and I would recommend you all to work directly from observations much as possible.
A good exercise for the perception
and for your drawing skills. I start with the contours of the face,
and make sure that the portrait will come on the right place
on the canvas. Here I see that I must start
more to the left.
I determine the full width of the portrait.
Now I measure how this width relates to the height.
I see that the width is equal
to the face up to the hear line. It is very important that you always measure
with you stretch arm.
Other wise the information is not reliable.
Now I have the height and the width
I can subdivide the face.
I give you two essential books: Bridgeman´s
Drawing from life, and drawing the Human head
by Burne Hogarth.
This demonstration is too short to explain in detail
all about drawing from observation. I hope you'll understand.
That comes later maybe. It is important to measure as much as possible
and to compare the relation of lines forms and values.
It is good to know that you there a number of standard facial measurements but
for a person's characteristic facial proportions
the secondary forms, small as the are,
have the greatest visual impact.
Therefore, compare as long as possible and see to it
that you are more and more coming around good likeness
I'll I do this drawing in charcoal,
my favorite material. Together with some brushes
this technique gives me the opportunity to correct during the process
as much as needed.
1
0 mom
mine
0
mmm
it
0
yo
you 0
mmm
0 0
0
me
mom
0
0
0
me
well
0
me
done
mine
0 low
yo
I'll meaning
mmm
mom
done
0
0
me
them
0
hmm
the mmm
mmm
me 0
0
I can start now in oils but before I do that
I have to fix my drawing on the canvas within
exited