Steps to a Likeness: Oil Portraits
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- In this excerpt from, 'Steps to a Likeness: Oil Portraits’ by artist Perrin Sparks, you will see Perri demonstrate how she measures the features of a model's face and head and translates those measurements to canvas to achieve the beginnings of a likeness. The complete DVD is available from www.perrinspark.... For a downloadable Vimeo version email: perri@perrinsparks.com.
I just have to say, there are people who are born to teach who are worth their weight in gold, and this instructor has that gift for sure. Amazing!!
Close to some of the art training tips I learned in high school and art school; the eye is good unit for measuring various features on the frontal view of a human face. Example: the height of the eye is used for determining the width of the nostrils, the area between the bottom of the nose and the top of the upper lip of the mouth, the width between the eyes, the width from the outer corner of each eye to the side of the head ( generally resulting in the width of the head, at its widest point, being about five eye-width units wide ). It is usually one eye unit from the corners of the mouth to the outer edge of the jaw, and one eye unit high from the bottom of the lower lip to the bottom edge of the chin.
One of the best teaching videos I have ever seen! Great pieces of advise to all levels of artists!
I thought it was very helpful. I especially liked the part about resting your hand on the easel for measuring & being able to use either hand.
Lady, reading all the comments, I realized that the bigger the ignorance reing in a heart, the ungrateful people are more stupids!...I BLESS YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, because in this audiovisual tape, you finish to polished what I had not understand of proportions and features of faces individual differences; in my 65 years old, maybe painting is my last dream I got since I was a little girl...GOD BLESS YOU, FOR HELPING ME TO ACHIEVE IT!
make your own calipers by cutting 2 pieces of cardbord and connecting them with a sharp pin like the hands of a clock. attach some kneeded eraser so it doesn't poke your finger on the other side
Thank you Perri for helping us see how important measuring is whether we use tools or it comes naturally to us.
Good, no nonsense approach. It works. Practice is everything
Thank you so much...these measurements are critical to getting the best rendition of the person's face, always a problem for me when I'm working on a portrait. Love your video.
Peace
Anyone under your tutelage, his no choice but to be a great artist. I wish I could train under you for a year. God bless! 🙏🏾
she is an amazing teacher and I see what I have been trying to learn how to draw a face of someone. she is a born teacher.
If you're looking for the tool she is using to measure: they are called proportional dividers or scale dividers. She calls them calipers.
From egypt, Please come back to make more videos because I have benefited a lot from you💕💕💕
Drawing a portrait isn't all about measuring :-p sure it's vital to understand the relationship between the features but once this has been established it's important just to sketch and feel the lines of the face for yourself. Drawing portraits is just as much about expression as it is about the perception of reality, however, that being said I still find it useful after years of practise to come back and re-explore the basics of portrait drawing. This video was very helpful! Thank you
I get things wrong when i am measuring every thing. Weird , but true. Rather when i put things based purely on how i 'feel' they are , i get it right to almost 80%
Wow, I thought this video was really informative! She was giving some really good, practical instructions that seem so obvious but do need pointing out sometimes. Thank you for sharing. :)
absolutely one of the best over the internet that i've ever seen.
The model is beautiful!
thank you for this video...after watching countless videos that show how to proportionate on paper..yours is the only one actually showing how you get the proportions in the first place.
I find your measuring techniques very interesting and useful. I have never before used your methods in all my years as a portraitist. I'd been doing portraits on and off for 30 years. Thanks for your measuring methods. In doing portraits, most artists start with the eyes, whereas I start with a sitter' nose - the most central feature. From the center, I work outwards and quickly. It's easier that way. That was the method once taught to Victorian artists in art schools.
Great video, excellent teacher, wish it was longer!
This so much better than all of those artists who do time lapse instructional videos. I could be wrong,but it seems like, while off camera, they just trace from a photo, leaving very light lines. The video they do show seems like they're just darkening the lines they traced.
I understand that- I've been drawing portraits for a while and first I picked up likenesses more naturally. In art school however you will be taught to measure and techniques for precision. But just because you use this exactness once doesn't mean you always have to use it. The point of it is to teach you things you would never otherwise discover. It is worth doing AT LEAST once.
Then you can always go back to trying to capture a fleeting gesture or a perfect smile- but better!
Good luck :)
You make some great points about measuring
Thankyou for making this video-its clear and direct. Perfect for those of us who want to learn!!
The wonderful thing about this technique, if you want to call it that, is something you can do without even using any kind of tools when it's practiced enough. You can do it just by looking at the paper and getting some fairly accurate measurements without even trying.
YOU finished to quick!!! I love this girl...the teacher that is..
This is quite elaborate. Taught me a few interesting things! Thanks a lot!
True. I agree in general with your comment. It is always when there is so much information to take on, which is usually the case when beginning something new, that one feels overwhelmed. Thank you for the comment. :)
Now you have made a case wherein I can agree with parts. People will always measure. The overall piece has to work even if the measuring is off: a la Ingres. But Ingres knew he was "breaking" the rules and "mis-measuring" for the sake of the overall composition. That has nothing to do with "feeling" and everything to do with good composition.
I'm glad you have come around to a rational explanation rather than just blaming the "system" used. Gotta go paint. It's been fun.
A Gold standard video !
Absorbing upload . Excellent stuff .
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you are probably right. For me, all this measuring is quite tedious. It made me realize how much more there is to learn. Once again thanks for replying - especially in English. It is not always easy to communicate in another language. :)
My analogies are proper for the original argument, which wasn't about being a professional, but about learn and gain proficiency doing a task; In this case how to draw likeness. This is one way to do it, and it requires additional tools, a live model, and is very mechanical. If an artist is talented enough likeness can be achieved with only a pencil, paper and practice. It may or may not take longer, but it's definately doable.
Always learning an easier method for portraiture. Enjoy your presentation and will try it right away.
Damn, everything she said is SO useful!
I don't do sight size drawing like the presenter, but I was taught, in every drawing and figure drawing class I've ever had (and I've got a Masters Degree) to use the structural method based on the Canon of Human Proportions as put forth by anybody from Vitrius to Da Vinci to Walter Foster. It is and always has been standard academic training.
the instructor is a babe! the hair, the skin and bone structure - someone should paint her.
Oh, and by the way, you can also work with photography and projection. That's easier, and faster too. I've been doing that for quite some time. But in the end, it doesn't satisfy me either. It limits me so much and I become heavily dependent on photography. I did photography tracing to avoid "hard work" like this practice but now that I'm unsatisfied, I'm seriously considering to learn it from the beginning. Too mechanical? So be it. I'm done with photography. :D
Your English is very good and understandable. Thank you for your patience. All the best. :)
Nice going Perri, your head has to be in the same place always. The brake in the mouth is also the teeth line when they smile.
This was great I learned a lot thank you for this sample!
This is absolute gold!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
All the measurements are required only if you want to get likeness of what is in you sight. But it is a free world!
That is how I drew my simple single-lined portrait of a person even the person is no longer in front of me. Because every person is unique. A good artist should have the ability to observe the difference, even it is just a slight significance and emphasize that uniqueness. On the other hand, just reproducing the likeness with a measuring tool. Tidious work ! Can anything be more boring than that? ART IS ART ! SCIENCE IS SCIENCE ! George Wu, AIA 2012-7-16
I don't understand why there are downvotes.
I went to art collage for year never learnt this, in fact never learnt anything.
sorry to hear that. art colleges are scams. you should have went to design schools like art center or fzd school
Lol same thing.3 years and they never mentioned anything like this
I did too! Made me mad! Did not learn a thing! But I did not go for a year. I already knew what they taught.. but just a little he he
hopefully you learned to stop doing pointless things before years go by :)
@@sir_brian_d
tell it ....by mid term of 2nd year l got out of mine!
i know it seems mechanical and very detailed but these are the things that you'd learn in art school. you should take some time to understand proportion, so that when you draw or paint you can spot your trouble areas and know how to fix them.
@DistressSignal there was one thing that i was taught in life-drawing that i find very helpful and it was to draw vertical lines, first by starting from a certain point then moving outwards either side of the original line. I'd say measuring does help to an extent if kept to a minimum, however measuring every detail i personally find unnecessary
@baddestbarbii makes a valid point. It's not necessary to be this mechanical. There are people who draw very precise without learning the basics sitting techniques. My step-son was 3 with a natural shooting form(basketball). He picks up things from sight and practice. When I try to break basketball moves down, he gets bored and misses the overrall point. Most people drive without knowing how to build an engine...
I know some people work well by measuring and some still do great by not measuring. It depends on what you find comfortable but for most beginners the measuring helps even though sometimes it may lead to rigid images.
this might seem tedious and superfluous but it is a necessity unless you're going to make a caricature portrait. explaining it is indeed taking a lot of time since after you know this theory the artist would indeed be doing all this in the head and use the charcoal as measurer and indeed go superfast.
@cutthegames You are absolutely correct. Her method is valid, but other artists might do it with different tools, or even out of their heads. And, since she's explaining the technique in detail, it comes out more complex looking than it might be for her when she's actually painting.
i love how she teaches everyone to hold their arm against the easel while measuring then towards the end she does exactly what she said you shouldnt do, stand away from the easel :p
when she was MEASURING she did exactly what she said and measured at the edge of the easel. When she was matching angles, it wasn't necessary
DrDonSharpe no
So
aR Aeroh
1:21 Delilah: "Are you saying I got weird facial proportions??"
4:03 Delilah: "Yep, she's making fun of my forehead now."
9:20 Delilah: "Oh God, I'm DEFINITELY missing Game of Thrones. Crap."
😂😂😂
Wow this is GOLD!
Thank very much :-) God bless, from Indonesia :-)
Yes, I feel like that too. But then, you know, when I just give it a go my own way, most of the time the results are just way under my expectation. I think that's because I don't have a solid basic knowledge and only limited experience. It's a very structured way of traditional approach toward realism in portraiture and is useful for beginners. I think if you be patient and practice it long enough, it'll get easier and later on you'd have good sensibility to just go intuitively with good result.
You will be able to picky up a piece of charcoal and go. Eventually. But when you are first starting to draw, you have to internalize all the technique. You have to practice, practice, practice and eventually it will come naturally. But you can't expect it to come naturally without internalizing all the subtleties of proportion and anatomy first. All good things in life come with hard work.
She knows what she's talking about. . . I went to a great Art School , The Atelier Studio of Fine Art, in Minneapolis. They taught this way. . . many people there with Art Degrees from Good Colleges and Universities, who said they'd never learned Art before coming there..... common story.
@Shan2809 Well, if your drawings aren't turning out very proportionate or realistic, and your drawing doesn't really look like the person, then you'll know why. Personally, I notice a huge improvement in the quality of my drawings when I actually sit down and pay attention to the measurements, even for just guidelines.
@EnzoTheBaker Models often are nervous, because they're afraid they'll spoil the painting if they move. And it's obvious, from this lady's methods, that the model HAS to keep exact positioning, or the method will go awry. That can make a person nervous. My experiences drawing people is that it's best to sort of average out the measurements, see what they actually are, and let the model relax. Then, I'm able to try and draw the person rather than measurements, but to each his/her own.
Awesome teacher
She has a proportional divider. But She doesn't use it. You can use any set of dividers using her technique.
very useful lesson, thanks
This is why being this mechanical about it isn't taught, you can measure all you want but more than likely it's not going to feel right in the end. Drawing isn't about math it's about conveying the emotion of the figure and making it feel like it does when you look at the actual person with your eyes.
As much as I like likeness in paintings I also like when the painting is not a perfect copy of the original. I find it very entertaining when that is the case. Seems to me unlikeness is a bug that has its own uniqueness although likeness will remain THE master skill.
Excellent tips
Pelajaran yang sangat bermanfaat..
But the end result of that portrait was on the title and ending page and it looked nothing like the model
It's mostly because she's not accurate enough in her measurements. Partly due to it being a demonstration (it's slightly rushed!) but also partly due to not double measuring the 'right' type of measurement for likness (facial triangle) on top of the regular 'landmark' areas. If she had spent much longer measuring, the likeness would likely be much greater. She obviously has control over the medium, and it's a great starting point for beginners.
beautiful way to learn
Very informative.
This woman is really intelligent
I 've bought this capila or this proportion thing but it's impossible to fix it in one size so it changes the size it's not usefull. Better is to look at the model or use the pencil and thumbs... .
what you want is acquired with experience and practice. At first you will have to do it that way, till you get enough ability so that your eyes/brain can measure things without a tool.
This is a great technique for beginners (I guess we all are, coming to UA-cam to learn how to be artists, are we?) to develop skills and train the eye. Time, practice, and hopefully talent would allow to do this without the lines and the crosses but -in my opinion- always measuring and taking care of proportions, no matter which method.
Now, MsUnifa... what any of all this has to do with "modern art"?
Try using the other end of your measuring device! :D
Rembrandt praised the day he bought his calipers from W H Smith!
Thank you very much to share your art
I hope you keep making videos
Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great teacher 🙏
She's showing you the fundamental principles of classic portraiture. After much practice these "mechanical" and "boring" steps will be second nature.
I have 20 ! Too lovely to use !
the expression on her face is priceless
I wont buy the dvd because the model totally looks like my crush and i would just cry through it :D But awesome video!
"I wont buy the dvd because the model totally looks like my crush and i would just cry through it :D But awesome"
That's why you should buy the video. The fact that you don't want to look at likeness is because you don't believe that you will ever have a relationship with her!
Thanks Sam, but its a bit more complicated story :) (actually i had a very short relationship with her but her family made it impossible because i was older than her)
Comrade Morlac
"(actually i had a very short relationship with her but her family made it impossible because i was older than her)"
Read the books and essays of Neville Goddard, they are free on-line.
www.mindserpent.com/?page_id=33
You need to rework the relationship in your imagination, imagining it as you would have wanted it. You will find that you will have another experience with a similar girl or "go back in time" in another incarnation and have the relationship you wanted with her - but it will better!
Your intense desire to not look at her image means you must still have deep feelings for her. But you must occupy your desire (look at the serpent in the desert, Numbers 21:9) if you want to fulfil your desire.
She's beautiful; I hope you saw her naked the first time round!
I have similar experience but I won't go into here or this would get too long!
ATB
Thanks :)
Thank you also from me, I checked out the link, too much for words in a simple comment, only thank you for sharing this.
Fantastic information, very useful stuff !
Excellent teaching...thank you
Love your work
Useful indeed, good habits of keeping distance with the subject. Great.
Not sure who this lady is, could not find her name, but she is truly gifted. I have been teaching for over 20 years but have only discovered a talent for painting a year ago. Great lesson, much appreciated. Hope she reads this cause I also have a question. How can I paint a face but much smaller, like 1 or 2 inches in width? I just can't find a paintbrush that will let me do that. Gilles
It's what every artist does believe me, if you don't it will look looser and nice as a sketch, but not a serious piece of art :) i've spoken to many artists who trace or project an outline onto canvas or paper to make sure all is in place
@EnzoTheBaker
It could be she's nervous, I draw models and some of them get nervous you can tell. Or she is straining to keep the same facial expression which sometimes gets difficult on the facial muscles after a long period.
I have trouble with faces. this is great!
Gracias Maestra. Excelente información.
Thankyou for that tip on resting hand on easel !!
This video sooo helped me in painting👌
Where did I say it was good? But it is the standard way to start finding the landmarks on a face. It's not for people who already know how to measure with accuracy visually. It's for people who can't figure it out. If you have the secret to doing it "correctly" please... share.
And I don't think I stuttered when I asked you to show me your work.
It is really very useful
wonderful
Thank you
great lesson
UA-cam is so great, where else would you get this kind of information other that goin live lessons :) love it x