First serious pixel attempt, CC please :)

[Shred]

Had to do a self portrait for college and this what I came up with, bear in mind I will probably be printing the final piece off at 600% zoom or something, I don't think my lecturer would appreciate a submission she can fit in her pocket...

Any help greatly appreciated!

[Draco9898]

You sure she is going to want a super-pixelized piece of art?

Anyways, there is no contrast, no light source, not enough colors. It's also frankly really creepy as it's some disembodied head floating against some bad-contrasting background color.

you have work to do.

Also please stop dithering at such low-rez. No need and it actually hurts alot more than helps.

Look at the contrast on this puppy, now you don't have to go this extreme with the lighting, but he's an idea.
Contrast- We're going from almost 100% white to 100% black on a piece

[Shred]

Thank you very much for the cc.

Just got rid of the dithering, added a neck and shoulders and changed the background colour. I tried to add more contrast to the colours but it didn't turn out so well, I'll have another go tomorrow.

[Jad]

Please do add contrast, the piece needs it badly! If it looks wonky with more contrast, it's not the colours that don't work, it's the sculpting of the face. Don't hide that by keeping the low contrast, but bring it out so we can help you make it better! (:

[Willows]

Honestly, I think you'd learn more starting with a far less restricting medium, as it frees you to explore things without worrying about antialiasing or resolution or what it will look like printed. I'd say paint if you've got 'em, otherwise use charcoal or graphite or whatever you can lay down a fair range of tones with.

That being said, what you want to do -is- entirely possible, and whatever you choose to do, I think the following advice is pertinent:

Define the face in PLANES. The face seems like a ridiculously complex object, and that everything is so dang smooooth, but in reality the face can be broken down into simple flat surfaces first, and then "smoothed out" from there. Definitely check out the entire thread below to see what I'm talking about. Start reading from the beginning, and watch how skurwy progresses through building the face first in hard edges and flat faces, but slowly rounding everything out and making it a wonderfully finished female face in the end.

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=6327.0

For even simpler reference (but every bit as valuable) check out Indigo's avatar
http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?action=profile;u=18

or this


I'd also suggest drawing/painting a couple faces with very boring, very generic lighting, most likely with a single light straight above the face exactly like the above image. This will help you understand the shape of the face as a whole and understanding the shape of the object you're trying to shade when you introduce dynamic lighting into the mix makes your life WAAAY easier.

[yosh64]

hey

I think you need to darken the shadows, or add another darker shade todo so. I was also thinking that you might wanna make the lighting more direct also. edit: Well I see the light as coming from the top left of the image down to the right, but there is no shadow on the shirt and neck to indicate this.

Umm, if your gonna blow it up so big then you will have to be really careful with your proportions, because any slight mistakes at this size could blow up to be fairly major ones.

edit
I wasn't gonna mention this cause I thought you would already know, but you should also properly light the shirt and neck.

another edit

Here is a non human stylised edit I quickly done, dunno if it would be of any help or not, hehe.

and another

After seeing Helm's comment I thought I better quickly try make my edit more human and less stylised and what not. It probably wasn't a good idea for me todo such an edit, especially since you are doing a portrait. But yea, I'm certainly no expert, far far from it, and there are likey flaws in this edit also, maybe I even added more from my previous, so be cautious. I'd listen to those in the know.

cyas

[Helm]

sorry to say yosh64, but you bring a while different set of problems with that edit, which are your own. I know you mean well and I'm sure the original poster will filter the critique he gets prudently, but I have to be wary of 'inherited problems' in the process of critique.

The critique I echo from your points and those made by others is that this need more dynamic range, more contrast, better sculpting and definition. Less symbolic facial features and more factual planar-based distinctions. Go ahead and do this in pixels if you so like but you've got a lot of underlying foundational work you need to do before you can realistically draw faces which is probably best done in with paper and pencil or perhaps charcoal or whatnot.

[Shred]

Thank you for your replies and comments, I know what I'm attempting probably should only be done after studying anatomy in detail and using more flexible mediums but I only have until tuesday to do this, and I'm certainly not giving up now 

Really struggling to shade the neck, hair and shirt, if anyone could give some pointers on those that would be great, but I'll make an attempt asap.

[balls01]

black shirt..

doesnt really need shading or what ever..

neck just cyllinder it but dont make it a gradient BIG no no circle it off at the chin and shoulders leading in to the shirt

[Shred]

Really only posting this so I don't have to email it to myself, leaving college now. Had a go at the neck but I'm not too pleased with it, also I'm not sure what to do about the eyes!