[Bugscratch]

Hey guys, I just sat down to do this self-portrait you're supposed to do at the end of chapter 10 of Betty Edwards "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".
You're supposed to sit at arms length of a mirror, have crosshairs drawn on the mirror and start drawing by drawing your Basic Unit on the mirror and then on your paper.
Still I find that hard if not impossible to do. Sitting this close to the mirror I find that binocular disparity makes it impossible to really determine where any parts of your face are in relation to the crosshairs on the mirror.
Have you guys any ideas on how to solve that problem ?

-bugscratch

[Crix]

Hmmm, a photo ?

I�ve just started a self-portrait from a photo and I was quite easy (only quite easy )

[Bugscratch]

Yeah, well the exercise demands a portrait from life, so that's not really an option....

[Ben Barker]

Close one eye. Or just go for it, it doesn't have to be absolutely perfect. I've had that problem before, and I think you'll be surprised how it disappears if you just start drawing.

[Bugscratch]

Hmm. I already tried that, though this creates the problem that your reflection on the mirror shifts depending on which and how many eyes you have open. And I really don't want to do the entire picture with one eye closed. On the other hand I guess I won't find any other options.

-bugscratch

[Bugscratch]

Page 218 in the 2000 edition.

Yes I was referring to that middle line process you described, which Edwards is calling "drawing crosshairs". I'd like to work without that as well, but I want to follow her instructions as she has written them, because I guess she had a reason for putting things this way and not that way. Anything I do after finishing the book, I can still do that without the tools she uses in the book.

-bugscratch

[This message has been edited by Bugscratch (edited January 06, 2001).]

[u2art]

hmmmm still cant find it...

But you are right...follow the book, it is set for a reason.

Good luck!
Art

[Bugscratch]

Hmm. It's the final drawing exercise before she goes into colours.

Well I'm gonna do that one tomorrow I guess. Guess I'll just have to do it the hard way, with one eye closed.

-bugscratch

[SporQ]

hmm, it sounds like you're trying to hard to see the features in relation to the lines. the lines are there only to help you reference, and you should focus on the face.

i think that is the reason for sitting so close. it doesnt let you focus on both the face and the lines, sort of to help you graduate into not needing the guidelines at all.

hope that makes sense and helps,
SporQ

[Irulann]

Those drawing on the right side of the brain books are great, but sometimes they just mess with your head if you find you cant do one of the exercises, dont sweat it


**********************
I Imagined an Image
My Image Imagined Me
and I became It's puppet
just a Child of It's Imagery
http://www.geocities.com/winterblood_fyrestryfe/digipage.html


[This message has been edited by Irulann (edited January 06, 2001).]

[u2art]

Hi ya! First, I checked and I cant find what you describe...what page is it...
2 draw from life!!!! No matter what people say, someone who can draw well can tell someone who uses flat photoreference constantly, and someone who understands the principles of light shade form mass weight volume, etc. I cant find the page, but you can just forget the tape thing and start from just the mirror. Many traditional teachers instruc how to layout the figure on a page by the middle line process, where you divide the paper lengthwise and widthwise, then use that as a basis for distributing visual balance and composition. Is this what you speak of?? I'll repost when I find the page. Betty Edwards book is very good, so I suggest you just try the exercise how it asks, and let all the exercises build to a final product.

take care
Art

[Giant Hamster]

i remember watching a video about this one famous artist that would draw one part of his drawing and then walk around the chair and draw the next part and would continue circling the chair drawing the seperate parts....his drawings were, quite abstract but...it gave me an idea, just close one eye, draw some of the picture, switch eyes and draw more, and back again.



------------------
-JameZ the Giant Hamster-

The Hamster Alliance
AIM: Gianthmstr
Multimedia Producer/designer/all of the above.,overall guru :)...and music music music! weee!!

[Bugscratch]

Well I decided to fuck crosshairs, viewfinder and all that stuff and did it without them. Went pretty good that way, even though I don't like the result too much. Anyways, if any of you guys want to see it it's in the Gallery under "Pic #1 of 365: Self-Portrait" .

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

-bugscratch

[Quinnbeast]

Sounds a bit weird that, but I suppose the author knows what he or she is on about

Just as a reminder, you don't always have to do things, dare I say it, by the book. It's possible to think too much about what you're trying to do, sometimes you have to just DO IT (sounds like a Nike advert). Try setting up two mirrors and drawing your head from as many different angles as you can. Try different lighting - natural light, desk lamp, candles and so on. Vary the media and don't worry if it ends up looking like a turd with a nose...its all part of the learning curve

Actually, drawing self-portraits of the whole body is a good alternative to life drawing...it certainly beats drawing from a photo.

[Bugscratch]

Yeah I guess sometimes you have to do that. Like I did yesterday
Another artist I talked to Saturday even said to avoid drawing after books as much as possible, using them just as reference for anatomy and such.
Well I'll do both

-bugscratch