I incorporated this blob exercise into my brush pen practice. My goal was to create a likeness using minimal strokes, similar to those in my quick drawings of the koi and cats (attached). In the first image, I did a limited contour and blob study and explored how I might use my brushstrokes to create interesting shapes from the reference. While I'm not very satisfied with my final inking (last image), the blobs did help me better understand the shadows in the reference. With Inktober just a week away, any advice would be much appreciated. What are the most glaring weaknesses in my drawings? What skills or exercises would most benefit my practice? Thank you for looking at my work and taking the time to read this!

Really really good edge work. The range from soft to firm to sharp edges is so clear here.

I really like both of your renderings, and I think the revision (left) does a great job of highlighting why the original (right) works better. In your original drawing, the facial features, such as the cheeks, blend seamlessly into the head, creating a cohesive and organic look. For example, the cheeks feel like natural bulges that add to the face’s complexity. In the revision, the features appear separate; the cheeks appear like distinct, egg-shaped forms embedded in the head. I think your original drawing does a better job of capturing how primitive shapes will actually contribute to the light and shadow rendered in a realistic portrait. I also agree with your comment about the original being more dynamic. The symmetrical shadows from the top-center lighting in the revision create a flatter, less dynamic look. Overall, great job with both of them!

Both of these are wonderful and have a lot of character. The strong jawlines and cheeks especially stand out to me. Great job!

I like the charcoal one the most too! Its got more contrast in the values and edges.