Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces Chp 5-10

Finished! Hooray!

Source Picture

Before
After

What do you think????

I enjoyed following along with "Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces" by Carrie Stewart Parks.

Chapter 5 - Shade
Carrie teaches us to use values to shade our self-portraits which really gives dimension to our drawing.

Chapter 6 - Drawing Eyes
This chapter and the remaining chapters refine what we already know adding additional tips and measurements. This chapter gave my eyes life and you should be able to see the difference. I did.

Chapter 7 - Drawing Noses
Again, some refinements to my nose created a more realistic nose,,,pug that it is :)

Chapter 8 - Drawing Lips and Teeth
More expounding on lips and teeth to make a more realistic portrait.

Chapter 9 - Drawing The Head
Explains the difference between adult and child heads and between male and female heads. Much good info here.

Chapter 10 - Drawing Hair
Good chapter, discusses hair types, shades and highlights.

All in all this is the best book I have read on portraits. I learned a lot and I think the difference between my before picture and my after picture is astounding. I will be looking for more books by this author. Thank you Carrie!

My apologies to anyone who picked up my post with Babylon information embedded in the text. I think I inadvertently caused this and have since removed the offending code.

Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces Chp. 4

Continuing with my self-portrait I've completed Chapter 4 in "Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces" by Carrie Stewart Parks.

Chapter 4 - Shape
Carrie teaches us the elements of "Shape" by training our minds. There are quite a few very useful items in this chapter and here is where my drawing starting coming alive.

I apologize for not posting sooner but throughout this entire month my internet provider has been down more than it has been up as they have been replacing cable and repairing as they go.....

Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces Ch. 1-3

Here is my self-portrait line drawing after finishing chapters 1-3 in "Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces" by Carrie Stewart Parks.

Chapter 1 - Materials and Supplies
Carrie discusses various materials and supplies, but basically all you really need is pencil, paper and a BIG eraser!

Chapter 2 - The Problem
This chapter is most interesting as the author discusses perceptions and memorized facial patterns. These memorized patterns get in the way of really seeing what you are drawing. Additionally there are before and after student portraits. One of the students is 7 years old and her work is amazing!

Chapter 3 - Site
Here we start getting into the meat of the book. Carrie shows us several methods to use to help get the right proportions. Very useful chapter.


I am enjoying this book and really believe that it will help me become a better artist.

Finally! It was a struggle but I have completed my "before" picture so I can follow along with the art lessons in the book "Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces" . It was a struggle and doesn't even look like the photo, I guess I fudged a little and took some weight off. hehe. As you can see I need a LOT of help.

Thank you dear DebiCates for taking the photo of me :)

Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces

OK, OK...I get the message. Here is my post finally :)

Right now I'm reading Secrets To Drawing Realistic Faces. I would recommend this book to anyone learning to draw. It is written by professional forensic artist Carrie Stuart Parks and so comes with a more technical approach to drawing. It is very easy to understand and I think I can actually do this. I will be drawing my "before" self portrait and posting it soon so you can help me compare the "before" and "after" pictures and see if her method has helped. Stay tuned!

In The Middle of Things

Here I am in the middle of things. Notice that the inset picture is of my "feather" duster, that may give you a hint of where I am. But the feather duster is only the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot of mop, broom, bucket, and plain old elbow grease below the water line. I am getting into the Zen of it now and actually enjoying it. I'll be working outside after this and so will probably have this hiatus from my blog for awhile. But don't give up on me, please, because I will continue commenting and occasionally posting. Be back soon.

Memory of The Good Shepherd Home IV

This post is about Lupe. I did not know Lupe, but was assigned her bed the day I arrived at Good Shepherd. She had died and was resting outside my window in the cemetery. She had spent most of her life at this home and sadly knew no other life. When I went back there some years later, the nuns had sold the home and some developer turned them into condos. When I asked about the cemetery the manager told us that it had been moved elsewhere. Strange, but true.

Deconstruction: The cemetery, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and window are all vintage images. There are six layers, with one layer mask for the window/cemetery. It is Grayscale. There was one filter, accented edges.

I've been tagged by Sue O'Kieffe
Here are THE RULES:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

• I was raised in the beautiful Pecos Valley of New Mexico
• I am recently retired (again) after a few lifetimes of writing computer programs
• I love animals, all kinds of animals!
  
• My best friend, Linda, had a liver transplant about 10 years ago and is doing great.
  
• Spring is my favorite season and I am eagerly awaiting the first violets.
  

I tag Lisa Sarsfield, Belinda (Bell's Nook), Rima (Marazine), Neda (Papiers Colles) and Nita
(Red Tin Heart)

Young Woman Memory (Hold/Value)

I can't think of a better subject for hold/value than a mother holding her darling child in her arms. There is no love which can compare to the love a mother feels for her children, it is a love that transcends all. I'd love to hear your expressions of love for your mother, or for your child.

If you haven't done an art project for for 2 things challenge, you still have until Dec. 19th to do one and get a free bonus charity donation through the generosity of two bloggers. Click here to find out more and see what it is all about!

Music Dream

I had this dream many years ago but still remember it clearly. I am alone in a hospital room and from far away I can hear a piano being played one note at a time. It seems very lonely and sad. Of course, I'm dying to know what you think my dream means!

Here are the answers to Neda's tag:

1. If you owned a bookstore, what would you name it?
I am retired now, I don't want to own anything. Just a begging bowl will do.
2. Which literary hero (male or female) would you like to be?
Pearl S. Buck. I'd love to have lived her life.
3. If you were given the chance to be born in a different decade, which one would you choose?
I'd go back to the 1700-1800's when this country was new.
4. Who would play you in a movie?
Sally Field, she has the right amount of spunk.
5. What was your favorite toy of all time
My paper dolls.
6. What do you like to collect?
Beauty. A beautiful leaf, pink in the sky, a moonlit night.
7. What is your guilty pleasure?
A bowl of popcorn in bed with my two doggies begging for bites.
8. If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would that be? No more war.
9. What is the worst book/movie you have ever seen?
Ahhh...there are so many, so little time, so little space here.
10. What is the worst kind of music, in your opinion?
I like most anything if it is not ear shattering.
11. What's the only food you will not eat?
I know there must be something, somewhere that I wouldn't at least try.
12. Tell us 3 things about yourself (2 of them are true, and 1 untrue) and let's see if we can figure out which of these is fantasy.
I climbed the pyramids, age 30
I climbed the Sacramento Mountains at Three Rivers, age 40
I climbed Machu Pichu, age 60




I tag Audrey, Antigone, Barb, Debi, Rima, Irene, Bev, and anyone else who wants to be tagged.

The Game of Tag About Your Man

I have been tagged by Antigone of a little bit of country and Windy of Everything Hannah
about my man. Well here is a photo so you get an idea of my dh. I think he is very handsome!

So I'll start with Antigone's tag first (I think she makes these questions up)

1. Who is your man? Bill, otherwise known as dh

2. How long have you been together? 24 years

3. How long dated? it was love at first sight, only 3 months!

4. How old is your man? 60 (he is younger than me, tee hee)

5. Who eats more? dh does, after all he is 6ft tall

6. Who said "I love you" first? he did

7. Who is taller? same answer as Antigone: ha ha ha, who isn't taller than me?

8. Who sings better? he does and he has a beautiful baritone voice

9. Who is smarter? we can be equally smart or equally stupid depending on what we are doing

10. Whose temper is worse? mine, mine, mine. It is a curse!

11. Who does the laundry? i mostly do, but sometimes he does

12. Who takes out the garbage? we share

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? me

14. Who pays the bills? me, again

15. Who is better with the computer? me, but he is learning and catching up

16. Who mows the lawn? whoever has time

17. Who cooks dinner? we share depending on who has time, but he is the better cook

18. Who drives when you are together? whoever feels like it

19. Who pays when you go out? dh does, what a gentleman!

20. Who is most stubborn? i am, sorry to say

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? me

22. Whose parents do you see the most? oh how i wish we could see our parents again

23. Who kissed who first? he kissed me, then i kissed him back!

24. Who asked who out? he did but I didn't want to go, more about this later

25. Who proposed? he did and i was overjoyed!

26. Who is more sensitive? we are both too danged sensitive

27. Who has more friends? we both have about the same number of friends

28. Who has more siblings? he does, 3 brothers and 3 sisters

29. Who wears the pants in the family? we share

Now for Windy's tag "How did you get engaged":

We met where we both worked in Odessa, Texas at OPI a manufacturing company that made oilfield equipment. He was the service manager and I was a computer programmer. His office was near the coffee pot and whenever he saw me go by he needed a cup of coffee. It got so I needed coffee more often too. OPI had a big Christmas party and he took another girl there, later on he told me "let me take her home and then we will go dancing". I said, No! What kind of girl do you take me for? But later on a bunch of us decided to go dancing and so he took her home and showed up there. He looked so handsome in his western boots, cowboy hat, and sheepskin jacket and so after he asked me to dance about 15 times I said ohhhhkayyy as I could see he was a really nice and sincere man. We had so many things in common and enjoyed each other's company so when he asked me to marry him, I could only say yes!


Now, the fun part: I tag Irene, Frances, and Rima!

Apple For Teacher Award

I am honored to receive the An Apple For Teacher Blog Award from dear Frances of A Carpet Full Of Holes Blog. This is my favorite award that Frances has designed. I love the red color and the two images with the dark background. Thank you, Frances and hugs!

Nice Matters Award

I received this wonderful Nice Matters award from Sweet Irene of Sweet Wood Talking Blog , A blogger I read daily and enjoy very much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Irene.

I would like to pass on this recognition to Beverly of Eleanor's Blog, Antigone of a little bit of country and Wendy of Everything Hannah. You can read about it here as well as download the award. You are very nice young people with very busy lives, but take the time to blog and comment. So, display it proudly on your blog!

My Photo

Well here I am, warts and all. I gave up makeup about 10 years ago after developing an allergy to mascara. I cut my long hair a couple of years ago after getting tired of washing and drying it. Now it is pretty much wash and wear :) The wrinkles are well earned and come from years and years of laughing and smiling, well also a bit of crying now and then.

Award

Thank you Neda of papierscolles.blogspot.com who awarded the Thoughtful Blogger Award to my blog. It was very sweet of her and I will display it proudly under "my stuff". Neda's blog has won the Inspirational Blogger Award, and indeed she is a very inspirational person as well as a wonderful artist.

This award is the brain-child of Christy Z who said: "It was my hope to create an award series that would give unique, caring, brave, and positive bloggers the recognition they deserve". We are fortunate to have such selfless people in our world.

This award made my day!

Now

Here is the "now" picture as I promised when I lost then found my camera. It is amazing how a little crab apple tree grows in a few short years. I planted this tree because I wanted the fruits for the birds in winter, plus I wanted something that would bloom in spring. All in all I am satisfied with it and hope it grows to a ripe old age.

For Hannah

Here it is Hannah, just for you! My mailbox is pretty plain compared to Everything Hannah's recent post, and I can see that it needs a little creative work.

Keypunching

This is the first keypunch machine I worked on. It is an IBM-029 and it looks pretty drab but it had pretty blue keys for functions.

I was 23 years old and it was my first computer job. I worked in Roswell, NM at First National Bank.