Hello loves! My recent obsession with Tom Smith of 'The Editors" lead me to this quick portrait last night. And we finally got a scanner! :DDD
I'd like some help here, I've been looking at it for too long to know what's up with it.


Things I'd like to know.
What is he feeling? (checking to make sure I got the expression I wanted)
How old is he? (I continue to make this guy look the wrong age)
Would you check the placement of the eye? It feels off somehow, but it all measures off straigh... so I must be missing something.
And the size of the ear? Ears are scary bits of flesh to draw. So twisty. ><
Finally, if you happen to be familiar with the guy, does it look like him?
(I'd post a little photo, but I'm lazy. You could google him if you were really nice ;) )

He looks really lost.

From the choices in your poll, I picked sad. If I had to give him an expression without a choice, I would say indifferent or bored - mostly because of the eyes/eyebrows. Those are really powerful tools to create expression - I suggest looking up facial expressions or be crazy like me and buy a whole book of nothing but pictures of people's faces with different expressions, hehe.

How old is he? I would say he looks about mid to late 20s. Full hair + strong jaw + smooth skin leads me to this assumption.

Would you check the placement of the eye? A simple, easy way to check this is to (if you're on the computer) flip the canvas horizontally. If you're drawing on paper, hold it up to the light and this will let you look at it the opposite way. Proportions stay the same no matter which way the person is facing. I did a redline for you (hope you don't mind) ^^; And I noticed that the eye we could see the most of could possibly come slightly closer to the nose (not too much) and also the forehead looks like it could use a little more slope to it, rather than going straight up (which I didn't even notice until I flipped it). Although, I didn't see a picture or google one of the actual guy. So I could be wrong.



The ears look perfect - just the right size. They go (typically) from your eyebrow to the bottom of your nose.

Overall I really like the piece. I like seeing the energy in the lines - are you working with an eraser as a tool too? (erasing back in to the lines?)

I'm thinking mid-twenties to early thirties and looking a bit comtemplative. o.o

The eye is right--the angle of the head is probably what's making it look odd in relation to other stuff. But it measures right, and looks fine to me. Although perhaps it's angled a bit downward, with the lowest point being toward the ear? At a less severe sort of / slant? That might be it...

Ear size is usually nearly the same as nose length (from the brow), so that's right as well.

And yes, it looks quite a bit like him. ^.^

Navidian:
From what I was working from and towards that works just fine and dandy. I have three books on expression and muscles and such. ^^

Very good! That is quite accurate.

I'm not quite sure I follow... now he's facing the other way, but I don't see the proportions any differently. They're just backwards.
Thanks for the redline! Much love.
Funny you would want the eye closer, I thought it might be too close. Interesting!
K, I figured it out. I think. His cheek on the far side actually needs to be brought out more. Because I know Tom's forhead would never make that strong of a curve at the top. Looking at your redlines, it becomes clear that I didn't choose a strong enough direction he's facing. Like... If I make the changes you suggest he's nearly a profile, when I intended something closer to three quarters. More like... five eighths or something like that. I will change this and see how that changes.

Thanks so much! One of the best critiques I've gotten in a while!

birdman: You're quite right. It's the angle that's screwing it up. thanks much!

K. Here's an edited version. I don't know if that changed anything at all.

thats very good for a scribble!

I think it's pretty cool and it looks SAD! .. I think <.<;;

Thanks Caeluma!

Hyde: Good! thanks. That's what I want. Those pointy eyebrows made it tricky to avoid anger.

Navidad: Sorry I missed that bottom couple of lines. Glad the ear is right. Thanks! And yes, I was doing a bit of scrubbling with the eraser at the end. Mostly because the shirt wasn't being kind to me. :]

Now that I look at it I think you're right about the eye - probably moving slightly out would work best (rather than closer, I'm a horrible artist XD). It might not necessarily be needed now that you messed around with the angle - I think it looks good. I really like the way the eraser marks work with it. ^^

It's really good! =D

I think the nose could be improved by editing the edge of it a little, it's very long and thus looks a little flat. Unless that is how it's supposed to look, whereas it's nicely defined. ^o^

Good job!!

It's good. I think he's either lost in thought or sad.

Navidad: Thanks!
Yeah, I think it was the ambiguity of the angle before that made the eye look off. I think we were both right though, because I had drawn some parts closer to profile (which would have wanted an eye closer to the nose) and some closer to three quarters (which would have wanted something further away.
In any case, it seems to be fine now. Thanks for the help!

Madoneko:
Thanks much.
Though I'm not sure I follow about the nose.

Fuyumi: Happy day. I'm glad to hear it.

He looks kind of worried and I think he looks in his late 20s, or early 30s.