Practice

Yesterday's effort was based on Gustave Courbet's painting titled 'The Desperate Man' dated 1844-45.  

This was initially sketched with mechanical pencil (HB core) and covered with a layer of Blackwing Matte pencil.  The piece was painted with Japanese watercolors, and a black Pentel brush pen and white Uni-Ball Signo pen were used to complete the pupils.  

I have to say, the youthful man in Courbet's painting is much more handsome than my guy.  This is also the first time in a long time I haven't been satisfied with my work.  My goal was capturing the expression in the source image.   The eyes work, but the lips/mouth don't align with the expression coming from the eyes, and the lips/mouth are a bit too wide for the face anyway.  Also, my guy's face is not long enough, and he looks flat rather than dimensional and the neck area is confusing.  The arms/hands which are based on the source image are alright though I think the pencil shading of the hand on the left side blends with the hair too much -- such that they are bit difficult to distinguish as separate or understand what the hand is doing.

I'm keeping this effort as well as do another version.  I want to better understand why the face didn't come out better and do some comparisons.  Part of the problem may have been trying to reduce the full image to fit my sketch paper and the ratios were way off, or maybe it's just the way I was seeing while working this time.

The important part (yes, I'm reminding myself) -- is to remember that not every piece an artist makes is beautiful or good.  It's keeping at it that yields more beautiful and lackluster results.  All have their place and purpose.