AuthorTopic: [wip] robin williams portrait  (Read 5893 times)

Offline 1up

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[wip] robin williams portrait

on: August 12, 2014, 04:53:19 pm
havent really posted anything here in awhile


started on this yesterday, i'm a bit out of my element when it comes to larger pieces like this so i figured it would be worth it to get some critique on it as i go.

my biggest issue right now is the ear - i'm having an oddly difficult time actually conveying depth with it without bringing it out of style w/ the rest of this



e:
here are the refs i'm using
http://www.craveonline.com/images/stories/2011/Gaming/Articles/robin_williams_beard_zelda.jpg
http://toptenfilmz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/large-good-will-hunting2.jpg
http://www.danablankenhorn.com/images/2007/10/21/robin_williams.jpg (beardless, mostly just to get a clearer look at his ear)
« Last Edit: August 12, 2014, 05:13:19 pm by 1up »

Offline Mathias

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #1 on: August 12, 2014, 04:57:12 pm
(I cannot believe he's gone . . .)


Have you tried just darkening the ear, applying more shadow, to push it further back?
You sure it doesn't need to come up a little bit? Seems a tad too low on his head.

Might as well post your ref.

Looking good so far. I hope you finish it.

Offline PsylentKnight

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #2 on: August 12, 2014, 05:03:39 pm
Looks really good. Its a great likeness of him. I feel like the beard is out of perspective
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Offline 1up

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #3 on: August 12, 2014, 05:12:18 pm
ah, my bad on the lack of refs

im using a few
http://www.craveonline.com/images/stories/2011/Gaming/Articles/robin_williams_beard_zelda.jpg
http://toptenfilmz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/large-good-will-hunting2.jpg
http://www.danablankenhorn.com/images/2007/10/21/robin_williams.jpg (beardless, mostly just to get a clearer look at his ear)

also, raised the ear up a bit and messed around w/ the beard a little. brought up the front and  brought the back down/out

Offline PsylentKnight

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #4 on: August 12, 2014, 05:47:10 pm
That looks a lot better, but I was referring to the fact that less of the beard on the right side of his face should be visible since that side of his face is turned away.
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Offline 1up

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #5 on: August 12, 2014, 10:18:32 pm
ahhh gotcha gotcha
i'll be sure to fix that a bunch more when i actually get to work cleaning that up. the beard in general is lookin kinda weird and scribbly atm, in the meantime all i'm really doing it sliding around some blocks of color


did a tiny bit more with the hair today and removed the yellow color used in the tie, so it's down to 15 colors. lets me use another on the jacket i guess

got started on the far eye and then immediately got caught in another "why doesnt this look right" situation. something about them feels off and it's keeping me from feeling like i actually have the likeness down. too small? should they look a little more sunken in? do they look uneven? i've been staring at this too long

Offline EvilEye

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #6 on: August 13, 2014, 03:18:55 am
This is a pretty good likeness. But I think you're using the wrong process. I can tell by looking at it that you started with lines and then started shading. I don't recommend doing stuff like this that way. I find it better to start by laying down the base tone / basic shadows / basic highlights first, in large blocks. Then slowly refining it into the final details. With the bigger stuff it's better to start with blocks of color. It will also look more convincing later.

Quick example of what I mean ( yes I know it doesn't look like Robin Williams yet ):





It also helps to know the structure of the human face inside and out, because photos can be misleading and following that you can end up with situations like you have on the nose, where the placement of the shadows form a really strange shape. I guarantee his nose isn't shaped like that but following the vague detail on the photos, because of poor lighting on certain areas, you might be mislead into thinking so. So if you're going to do this often study that facial anatomy.

Offline 1up

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #7 on: August 13, 2014, 11:40:43 am
while i definitely agree that i should be weighing the references against what an """""""""actual face" looks like (this is a weird sentence but the point is there hopefully) i dont at all agree with the sentiment of 'your process is wrong because i wouldn't do it this way.'

that's... such a strange belief to hold.

Offline Crow

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #8 on: August 13, 2014, 12:27:47 pm
while i definitely agree that i should be weighing the references against what an """""""""actual face" looks like (this is a weird sentence but the point is there hopefully) i dont at all agree with the sentiment of 'your process is wrong because i wouldn't do it this way.'

that's... such a strange belief to hold.

I'd have to agree with you here. Can a process really be wrong at all? If it works for someone, and the output is good (which it is).. what exactly is wrong?
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Offline Cyangmou

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Re: [wip] robin williams portrait

Reply #9 on: August 13, 2014, 05:10:00 pm
I'd have to agree with you here. Can a process really be wrong at all? If it works for someone, and the output is good (which it is).. what exactly is wrong?

Process doesn't matter, there is no right or wrong.
There are effective but sloppy processes and complex but really accurate processes around. After all a process just saves or costs time at the cost of benefits or disadvantages. So I guess the process which leads quicker to the result you want to have is the right one (has to be decided on a case by case basis)

 if it comes down to proportion issues the eyes are slightly to small (in the width) and to far apart. stretching them to the base of the nose should do the job.
the base of the nose is to thick
the nostrils are to wide and too pronounced (lighting of ref 2 comes from below, while lighting on ref 1 comes from the left - ( I guess this caused your accidental inconsistencies through copying)
The nose also should be a tad pointier (angle at the ball) and a bit thinner (has to be counterbalanced once you corrected the base I guess)

Biggest planar/perspectivical problem currently lies at the visible right plane of the head, the hair there should be more foreshortened to underline the depth - that should also help the ear to come out more as it's the case with real ears.

neck and shoulders need imo a complete redraw (perspective and proportion wise) - compared to the face which has quite realistic proportions there are currently by far the biggest deviations from a realistic point of view. But that's really rough, so I don't know if it's just meant as a placeholder.
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