maybe about proportions? idk. but mostly about my process. (Patreon)

Henlo henlo henlo i'm here again for another artcyll trash tutorial!!!!! let me hear u screammmm!!!!

First of all, I'm  by no means an expert, my whole process is also a work in progress, I'm still trying to build like a routine on how i start paintings and paint certain stuff! 

I've been asked a lot about how I use references and how I do proportions, and a fren here also wanted me to show my process, so on this video, you will see my process, how I use reference pictures to paint a uniquely proportionate face!!

When you look up how to draw a face or face proportions, the usual searches are like this:

Disclaimer though, I'm not shitting on this! Face measurements/proportions are very important to learn,  but it just doesn't work for me. That's why I don't usually sketch before I paint, I just go straight up putting random colors. 

For some reasons, whenever I try that, my portraits just end up veryyyyy stiff, and it doesn't look anything like the ref pic at all lol 

Below is basically what you'll hear from the video above, so like.. can you do me a favor and mute the video and just... read? please. i'm shy. i'm embarrassed. this is my first voice over, it's so awkward. so please. please? i beg.

TIMESTAMPS (you can watch this on youtube, there will be timestamps on the description there too):

00:24 Materials

00:33  Add Reference + Paper Overlays

01:03  Simplifying Shapes

01:38  Horizontal Alignment 

03:15 Use the first reference point (the eye) to paint another face part

04:18 Paint another part

04:51 MORE PARTS!

07:12 Negative Space

08:18 Paint more parts again! When will this end!!

09:01 . Nose...

10:12 Same thing........

11:11 Don’t forget the shadows 

11:30 Don't be afraid to add colors! 

12:12 Highlight

13:01 15. Add the rest of the details and adjust the wonkiness! 

1. Add Reference + Paper Overlays (00:33) 

Here's the reference picture I used, if you want to practice with me!!

The textures are from true grit texture supply! And one is a royalty free texture from google that I edited, you can download it below. (You can change the color of the overlay too, go to adjustments, then I usually change the curves or hue, saturation, brightness! Adjust to whatever color that suits your painting best!)

2. Simplifying Shapes (01:03)

 You have to turn all the complex shapes into its' simplest forms.

I also use totally random colors, I prefer bright colors coz it's more fun! It's my way of separating or sectioning off the facial parts, also helps me to warm up and not get overwhelmed by the blank canvas.

3. Horizontal Alignment (01:38)

I don’t usually do this, but it’s very helpful if you’re not used to eyeballing!! Zoom out to the size of your ref pic, mark where to place part horizontally.

4 First Reference Point (01:58)

A reference point is kinda what I use to determine where to place another facial feature. I always use the eyes as my first reference point, it’s the first thing I paint. But there's no reason for that, you can use whatever part of the face as your first reference point.

I didn't elaborate  on how i paint the parts on this video, I promise I'll do other tutorials for that! (I was trying to keep this video short ajfhaj)

5. Use the first reference point (the eye) to paint another face part (03:15)

I'll now use the eye to determine where to place the eyebrow. If you look at the eye from the  reference picture and draw a line down, you’ll see that it’s not perfectly aligned with the eyebrows

There’s a lil space there, the eyebrow extends a little bit more from the corners of the eye, so you have to follow that and paint more on both sides of the eyebrows to match it with the reference.

6. Paint another part! (04:18)

Since I already know where the bottom of the nose is from doing step 3, using my other reference points, the eye and the eyebrow, i know that the side of the nose is aligned with that tearduct part of the eye. So I'll section off the nose part there.

7. MORE PARTS! (04:51)

It’s basically the same thing over and over again, I’ll use the right eye and make marks as to where I’ll place this left eye.

You'll also see that the left eyelid is higher than the right one, so you gotta do that with your painting too!

SPICY TIP! Learn to observe the reference picture closely because you might miss some subtle details which are very important to capture the likeness of your image! So pay close attention to these small unique details, it will make a difference!

ALSO! if u see that it’s wonky at this stage, don’t panic! Remember that you can always just select and adjust, or  you can also use liquify tool!

8. Negative Space  (07:12)

which basically is the background.

This part, i usually just eyeball. it’s easy using this reference, there’s not much negative space around the subject so you can just estimate how wide this black negative space is from the face.

When i’m halfway done is where i like to adjust the parts!

This part of the process is super satisfying coz you can finally see the silhouette of the face clearer!

9. Paint more parts again! When will this end!! (08:18)

Like the eyelid you’ll see that it’s higher than the right one, very subtle, but as i’ve said if you capture these small details it’s more likely for u to capture whole likeness of the image

10. Nose... (09:01)

Using my made up alignment method, the right side of the nose is aligned perfectly with the inner corner of the eye, but not the left one! it’s more matched with this red part here of the inner eyeball

11. Same thing........ (10:12)

Corners of the mouth is aligned perfectly with the side of the iris.

The process is kinda tedious but it’s fun for me!!! very satisfying when it starts looking like reference picture.

12 Don't forget to the shadows! (11:11)

That's all. don't forget it.

13. Don’t be afraid to add colors on the face!! (11:30)

If you’re not doing realism, you can always add your own twist to the painting. I like adding subtle colors as shadow instead just black or brown. u can add like red tints or yellowish and sometimes green or blue on the face, just tiny tints of it to give life to your portrait!

14. Highlight (12:12)

This and shadows give dimension a to your painting giving it more like a 3d look and not just flat colors.

TIP! about blending! my trick is if you have 2 colors u want to blend, look for like a middle color for those two, then lower the opacity of your brush, then paint in the middle of those two colors. i’ll make a separate post for that one!

15. Add the rest of the details and adjust the wonkiness! (13:05)

My phone stopped recording during the last part of the video, at least it’s the last part!!! but i didn’t get to show you some minor adjustments i made using the liquify tool but it’ just for the eye but not much changed.

(13:24) Finished Painting without the paper overlays

(13:30) Finished Painting with the paper overlays

TLDR: my process is just:

SIMPLIFY SHAPES > PAINT A REFERENCE POINT > USE THAT TO PAINT OTHER FACE PARTS > ADD YOUR OWN TWIST AND STYLE TO IT

So that's my process! I hope you got even a tiiiiny bit of something from this hafafkjdbak also I was super nervous while recording, this simple video took me hours to edit while doing the voice over!!!!!! Maybe I'll get used to it next time hehe i'll do better next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 ty for putting up with me :<