Project - 8 Step Method
Project - 8 Step Method
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02:50

Head Drawing and Construction

Perspective Forms of the Face and Features

Project - 8 Step Method

790

Project - 8 Step Method

790

Complete 20 portrait drawings using the full 8 Step Method. 

  1. Shape of the Skull: Focus on the skull's gesture, its tilt, and two-dimensional axes.
  2. Jaw and Cross: Establish the jawline and cross-sections, combining the center line with the brow.
  3. Perspective: Find perspective by observing the relationship between the brow and the ear.
  4. Proportions: Discuss and mark the proportions, noting halves and thirds from the brow to the chin.
  5. Side Plane: Explore the side plane of the head, incorporating elements like the ear and jaw.
  6. Eye Sockets: Introduce the eye sockets with a basic "planar visor" before progressing to a more detailed three-tiered plane.
  7. Nose Development: Develop the nose from the keystone to the tip, and then from the tip to the base.
  8. Chin and Denture Sphere: Focus on the large, rhythmic shapes of the chin and the area around the denture sphere.

Half of these should build upon previous work and the other half should start from scratch using the reference images provided in the downloads tab.

Each drawing should ideally be completed in a 10-minute timeframe, although extending to 15 minutes is acceptable.

Newest
@notthatowl
Hi everyone! I wanted to ask for a tip on a thing I struggle with most. If in 3/4 view I keep the the tilt line, and plum line and profile line all perpendicular, the features become very stretched, the chin much too large. But if I let the plum line have a different angle and converge, it looks more natural. Did I miss something? Also please critique my noses, I feel like all features are placed on a facial slope and don't line up with the plum line at all, and when I try hard to keep the base of the nose centered, it becomes distorted. Loving the course and thank you for any tips and feedback!
@notthatowl
I really got it in my head that the symmetry line has to match the tilt line, and it was driving me crazy. Now I've noticed that in your book it's shown that that's not always the case! I have to train that more, somehow I've missed that point. I guess you have to eye that line?
Inner Man
done. any critique would be greatly appreciated
Michael Hampton
Very nice! When you're showing above the head make sure you drop the tip of the nose more. Otherwise, they look solid!
Kevin Ortiz
How do you get the side circle and the centerline? I analyze the reference carefully, but I always have trouble. The circle is too big or centerline is far away? I can't seem to get it
R081n
10d
Courts
30d
Hi Everyone! Would absolutely love some feedback back on this even if it’s just to say good to move on or if I need to continue practicing these? any help is much appreciated.
Michael Hampton
These look great. Nothing critical to say at this stage.
@purpleart
1mo
Had another go at this project as another aid to the gesture course, although this is going a bit beyond gesture now.
Huy Vuong
2mo
this assignment is really burn to my brain but at least im learning. The issues i have is drawing from above. Can't get it right. Hopefully, few more practice of it will get right.
Jack Mills
3mo
Ben Whitfield
Drew the 10 new portraits assigned to this project. I am happy with the landmark placement for the most part but need to a lot of work/practice on the tilts, proportions and under planes (when applicable). I still find these to be big challenge. I did not time myself but I estimated about 10 to 15 minutes per portrait. Any feedback is appreciated.
@josephl
4mo
Getting better but the more detail I have the more distorted it feels. Worried about moving on to the facial features but I guess I'm just gonna need to practice more.
Josh Fiddler
20 Heads. 10 drawovers: THe first ten, reference from lesson videos. 10 start to finish using provided references. I still have some issues with the heads from below and getting the jaw shape. Something I've started doing is using the 3rds of the face from head on or profile and trying to place those in the other views to help get the proportions a bit more aligned. And, as a big surprise to me, when I use the timer, I'm much more thoughtful about the use of that time and usually get it done in 10 minutes. The from-under views have take me a bit longer. But without the timer, I have NO IDEA how long I'm fiddling around, erasing, undoing, etc, before I get to the end. It really helps focus the mind.
Michael Hampton
Very nice, Josh
Yevhen Syrchin
please give me some criticism, I'm having a hard time drawing the jaw and the bottom view
Michael Hampton
Nicely done!
Yoran Bordewijk
I had so much fun with this. Your a great teacher!
Yevhen Syrchin
wow they look so good, really great job!
@dbx
4mo
Some of my best ofs! Feel pretty confident with the material
Ter L
5mo
Here are some sketches. Seems like I still have trouble with proportions. Forehead perspective throws me off as well.
Rafael Verdov
Hi everyone, any critiques will be appreciated, Merry Christmas everyone
Thieum
6mo
My attempt at the 8 Step Method. I started by returning to the drawings from the previous exercise. Then the new references. I struggled a lot with some of them (mainly with number 8) and only did tracing on number 5 to try to understand the shapes.
@lauralana
7mo
I finally put my drawings side by side with the reference, which really helped me to see the issues. I have a habit of making the faces too wide and not shaving down the sides enough. When there's a tilt upward, I tend to not make the tilt dramatic enough.
@aub
7mo
Here are my 20 constructions with the 8-Step Method. Some are done fast, while others took me more time. I had to adjust a couple that were completely off!
Rachel Dawn Owens
Great head construction drawings! I know it’s not part of the assignment, but I think some neck anatomy could improve these drawings. Especially the angles where you can see under the chin. Great work on the faces!
Nick Quason
10 from previous drawings 10 from new references I'm struggling this week and feel like I take longer to do the whole head from nothing to basic structure. I'll try to practice some more before moving on.
Marcela Pacheco
After much practice, things start to work better.
Michael Hampton
Very nice!
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Educator, painter, writer, and art historian. Author of Figure Drawing: Design and Invention.
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