[Jezebel]

Been thinking about doing a self portrait for Joachim's thread, I finally got around to it but when threads get that long the images don't really get crit'd anymore. Decided I would like to get some opinions on this one since it's a little different and I like how it came out


I didn't have a mirror to use like most of the others (well, got one in the bathroom but the computer doesn't reach that far ) and I didn't want to use a photo reference. The closest I could get to working from the real me was looking into this photo hanging on my wall. It's encased in glass so I can barely make out my dim reflection in it. This made it a little hard to work since I couldn't see myself very well, but I think it came out ok anyway.

It's definitely not quite me - my face is a little more oval, less square, my hair is usually pulled back behind my ears so it looks sorta weird to see my hair how it is in this picture.... but enough yapping.





[edit]Just thought I'd add that I did NOT draw the roots... that's a scan of the photograph I was looking at. Apparantly everyone seems to think I drew it, personally I thought it was obviously a photo and that I wouldn't have to point it out But I don't want it to be deceptive. I just drew the reflections and the frame.[/edit]

Beth

[ June 07, 2001: Message edited by: Jezebel ]

[Gimbal8]

That makes for an interesting self-portrait. Looks good too. My only crit is that your face seems a little 2d in this image. I think it might be the way you portrayed the light on the nose. (Heh, "the nose". I'm talking about your nose in third person. Strange). What really stood out as looking very realistic to me was the buckle on your top. What? I was not staring at your breast. Honest...

Seriously though it looks really good. And a great job on the hair too.

[Awetopsy]

I like the frame Idea... it kinda offsets you and makes you seem much more a part of the backgound.. I like idea of being there but not being the center of attention... so to speak.

I agree tho.. the portrait doesnt really look like the couple pictures we've seen of you. It does seem a little 2d.

still its a visually pleasing peice of art.

[edit] I must say though I think the shoulder area youve drawn is really quite good. I love the strap to the shirt. very nice. the neck also looks really good too.

[ June 07, 2001: Message edited by: Awetopsy ]

[Vgta]

Just addding to what has already been said, I like the composition alot, buy your face does seem too 2d. Maybe make your face bigger, so that only your eyes nose and mouth appear.....in any event.
Keep up the good work.

[Merekat]

hey, now THIS is an excellent idea for a self portrait. I love that it's all about the reflection. Much better than my humdrum 'here's my teeth!' smile. ;} hehehe. But I was just testing out the program. ;}

Now as for your pic, it's wonderful. My suggestion to fix the 2d: I think it's all about the lighting you have on the cheek and nose. It's as if the neck, chest and side of the face is 3d, but the front of the face is pressed in. More light on the cheek and nose should help a lot.

LOVE the little buckle on your outfit... I need a sexy little number like that... ;}

Thank you for the compliment in your title, too! ;} *blush*

[Jezebel]

Ok... tried to do a little fixing and bring out a couple of areas better, not sure if it helped much though

[William H. Daniels]

I've never seen your face (woe is me) but I think there should be more room between your eye and the side of your head. Isn't the rule of thumb that there is supposed to be an eye-width between the edge of the eye and the side of the head? Or just slightly less?

Or I could be waaaaay off base. Happens sometimes.

[WICKED]

Personally I like the firt one more. The reason is I think it looks more realistic. Remember she isn't looking at her face through a mirror, if you can kind of see your own reflection on the monitor you notice that it looks more 2d like. Depending on how far away you are looking from.

WICKED

[Akolyte]

Damn Jez, you look pissed off Cool piece though.

[Striker]

hmmm... I like the idea, but my initial reaction to the picture was a feeling that something just wasn't quite right. So far the only explanation I can come up with is that the composition doesnt work, imo.

Either we need more (as in more of the room and a setting), or less (straight portrait with no picture). Right now the photograph dominates the picture, BECAUSE it is framed in. You put your portrait in the matte area surrounding the photo and that's why I think that compositionally this doesn't work. You're fighting the frame, frames naturally direct the viewers eyes to the subject matter, that's their purpose and they perform that task quite well.

So, I like the idea, but the image just doesn't work for me. The actual portrait is, of course, done well, but I just think you're fighting a battle that would be very tough to win.

Does anyone else agree?


Aaron

[Gimbal8]

OK I think I see what might be wrong with it now. I covered up different parts of the face with a peice of paper over the screen and it helped me figure out what parts of the face seem to have the proper form in relation to other facial features. The two main areas that I think are causing the problem is the cheek and the nose. The changes you made are better.


[Edit] Doh! I was looking at the original pick when talking about the changes made.

Nevermind me. I'm a moron. Although some may argue I'm more of a dork.

As far as the composition, well, I wasn't even considering it as much because she didn't have a mirror handy. I though it was a pretty cool improvision...improvisation...improvi uh workaround. (This is what Porky Pig felt like eh?)

[ June 07, 2001: Message edited by: Gimbal8 ]

[Merekat]

Oh, Jez! Hey, what about the glass over the picture itself? Wouldn't there be a bit of a reflection there, albeit a light one? Maybe that would help too.

I like the additional moulding on the face. Works a lot better, but I think the lower jaw and lower cheek and neck still need fleshing out. Looks great, tho!

[neebhore]

Well, I think the frame idea is cool. Your portrait isn't too bad at all, and you shouldn't compare yourself to others!
I think if your reflecton stood out more, it would look much better.

[oscar]

Please post a pic of yourself, might help us to judge your picture better...

[Jezebel]

Just realized I was a total demon wench and didn't respond to all the comments I received. Egads, the forum has just been so crazy lately, hehe

Gimbal8 - I'm glad you liked the idea of the picture. I tried to take a couple of your thoughts into consideration when fixing the picture up. lol at your second post :>

Awetopsy - I think it's recognizable as me... it's just not "ME" if that makes sense. I tried to fix the 2d-ness of the picture and I think it looks even less like me now, hehe

Vgta - I tried to keep my face proportional to the picture as I saw it if that makes sense. I wanted to try and stick with what I saw. See the 2d comments from above, hehe. :>

Merekat - Glad to see you posted in my thread... twice! weee! I think it's sorta funny that everyone has noticed the buckle straps on my shirt... I really like that shirt but it has a tendancy to come undone! As for the highlight on the glass, it's something I thought about. When I looked at the frame though, there really wasn't any outstanding highlights, but I tried to add some subtle ones anyway. I also tried to fill in some of the basic background shapes in the room so I wasn't the only reflection

Striker - I see your point... but honestly I like the composition. It's like what Awetopsy said, I wasn't looking to be the center of attention when making the picture. I was wanting it to be more of a ghostly appearance. That's actually why I agree with wicked and I think I like the first one more. I'm not as obvious. It looks more like a reflection to me and less like a "mirror".

William H. Daniels - You're not missing out on much As for the width between my eye and the side of my face, the second picture has my hair hanging forward over the skin you would normally see there. Maybe this is confusing and I could change it? The first picture didn't seem the have this problem... another reason I like it more :>

WICKED - I agree... I think the sharper features look good in their own way, but it's not really what I was going for with the image. I wanted to be more subtle and (sorry to repeat myself) ghostly.

Akolyte - I tried not to look too angry. Someone told me I should have smiled for the picture but it's not easy to grin at your reflection while you draw yourself. It's just so damn cheesy

neebhore - It's hard not to compare yourself to others when so many people kick ass, hehe. (see all other 2d comments above *grin)

oscar - I don't have a picture of myself that would really be a good comparison for this. Most of the pics I have or either 3/4 views or I am forcing a smile.

Again, sorry to all you folks that took the time to respond to this and I didn't take the time to reply. Also sorry because I'm too lazy to go back and check for typos right now, hehehe.

Beth