Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Gravitas

I'm fascinated with faces, as you probably know. If you've followed my blog you've seen some of my sketches from life in pencil, and some of my pen drawings. I've also done a few drawings from photographs with Conte' pencil. The mark on the page feels completely different than lead or ink. It is heavier. It has, (clearing the throat), gravitas. When I pick up a conte' pencil, the drawing feels like it should be serious. With the conte' pencil, I mostly ignore the line, and concentrate instead on value. This is an example.



Hmmm, he looks disgusted, doesn't he? Critics, everywhere..

P.S.-I will gladly supplement this post by crediting the photograph that this drawing is derived from but I have lost track, and do not know the name of the photographer. It's a great photo though. I drew only part of the face and liked the way it almost seemed to emerge from the page, so after debating myself (I won, incidentally), I left it incomplete.

3 comments:

  1. Fabulous one, Dan! I do love it! I have many incomplete drawings of faces, where I like the way they look just as they are, so I understand the debate with yourself!

    By the way, I apologize that I am following you twice. I tried to change my icon and it posted two. Not sure why and I have no idea how to take one off! If you know, let me know and I'll take care of it!

    Another great post! I had to post old stuff because my husband and I were stressing over getting the taxes done (procrastinators). We were up until midnight last night!

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  2. Thank you Raena! No need to apologize for the double following - I'm happy to have both sides of you. Your week, by the way, sounds like mine. Anyway, I actually visited your site before I posted mine last night. Old or new, I think that the drawings of the farm and the lighthouse are especially well done and it was a good post. For those that want to visit, Raena is at http://raenassketchjournal.blogspot.com/

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  3. Excellent portrait. I like the unfinished look of it. Even thought page is white, it looks as if the face is disappearing in a mist.

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