Having trouble with portraits

[Andy Tran]

 Well, I decided to use a photo of TM Revolution to have as a reference for portrait practice. Here's what it came out.

 

[2dgamers]

Did you trace the original photo you are referencing? It doesn't look too bad, just a bit "box" looking. Notice the shadow on the left side has no light on your rendition, the original has some. The eye on the left looks like you took it out. The eyebrow is missing. The cheek on the right is too flat, same with the chin. The nose and the lips are missing so much detail, it really changes the person you are drawing.

[Andy Tran]

 Thanks. I did this by taking the original photo and convert it to 16 colors 4 bit in paint. Then did the tweaking. I knew my piece won't end up looking like TMR's, so I changed the details of the face more. Does the pixel portrait you're trying to do need to have shading similiar to the reference pic?

[Filax_666]

Similar shading? Only if you want it. But if you're practising portrait-making, but you don't want your image to look like the one you're copying then it won't be a great practice, since the the whole point of making a portrait is depict someone as close to her real look, right? (this also applies to changing the details on the face and nose.

From my experience, the really important thing when making portraits is to be able of distiguishing the features that diferenciate that particular person from all others. The shape of the nose, opening of the eyes, size of the lips, etc...these and all other features are diferent in every person. All you've got to do, and, unfortunately, it's not that easy, is to find what features, among each and everyone, make that epole special.

Anyway, I did an edit for you. It is not yet rendered, but if you wish you may do that yourself. It's mor to show you where you failed volume-wise.

[Helm]

convert it to 16 colors 4 bit in paint.

Might not want to do this, as this is photo-conversion then, not just using reference.  There is no skill-building in letting the computer translate stuff for you.

[Andy Tran]

 Thanks for all the help guys. These good techniques will help me. Thanks!

[Feron]

the technical name for this is "color reduction".  I would advise against this for many reasons, including other artists will lose respect for you, it won't improve your skills, artists will always produce superior quality over a computer.

I would say just scap this - there is nothing to be learned from using computer automated tools / functions.  To be honest the computer did a bad job aswell.  Perhaps try drawing him/her in your own style and position.

[ndchristie]

my suggestion would be to not ever use references except for life, because you will always draw the shapes of the image references and not the true forms of the subject, ultimately leading to things which are flat and typically lack life.  you can learn a little bit from color reduction, particularly about light and shadow, but again life is your best source and color reduction of photos should typically be used only for observation, not emulation or god forbid for actual use.

[Andy Tran]

 However, you need references to know what to draw, I mean. I wouldn't drawi t from life. Anyway, Filax's edit and help was awesome. Thanks! I'll take that into mind and do future portraits for my SRW games. 

[yosh64]

hey

However, you need references to know what to draw

I think this is wrong??? I mean, I think you can visualise from your mind or whatever, this is what creativity is???. I think references destroy your creativity, and for things that require creativity (like making "make beleive" tiles for a game) can decrease the quality of your work.

I also very much agree with what Adarias has said .

cyas