Conan process! (Patreon)

Here's a full look on my process! 

 simplify the shapes by color block in > start with a reference point > use that to place the other features one by one!!!

Here's the reference picture of Conan!!!

First thing I painted were the eyes/eyebrows. That's my first ref point. 

Now from there, I'll look for anything on Conan's picture that's aligned with that reference point. Like the eyebrows, if you draw a straight line, you can see that it's kinda aligned with the top of the phone.

 So on the 2nd pic on my process, I was able to determine where to place the phone.

Next, where to place the nose? Now that I have the eyes, I know that it's aligned with this shadow part here. So that's where I'll place the side of the nose. 

For the bottom of the nose, again, I'll look for what's aligned with it, which is the middle finger! sooo that's where i'll put it

I'll just repeat that process over and over! Adjust it if it's wonky! Select cut and adjust or adjust with the liquify feature.

My overall tip is! If you're gonna do this, just observe your reference picture, observe the positive (the subject) and the negative spaces (the background), make marks on your canvas as to where you'll put these parts, and lastly!!!! Make sure you’re painting something you actually enjoy painting!

I always say to "practice" but thinking about it now, I always associate "practice" with work. So right from the start, I'll get this deflated feeling, so if it doesn't end up good, it's kind of discouraging?? Instead of treating it as a "work to be done to get better", I think you'll improve more if you enjoy the process and what you're painting.

This back and forth looking at the reference and finding out where to put what looks tedious but it's actually pretty fun for me, especially when I'm on the "figuring out what colors to put" stage! If this doesn't work for you, there are a lot of other methods to help you with using references and unique face proportions and poses! 

You can do the grid method,

or tracing the reference, although for me, eyeballing and observing the reference is more advantageous coz you can also use this skill when you do traditional paintings.

Hope you picked up something from my process!!!!!! 

Luv ya!