Modifying angles, lighting, or the original 3D form of the reference is the kind of stuff I'd like to ultimately do when using references. Just anything that demands the 3D form is understood so that it could be used to produce other 3D forms is what would benefit me most. I tend to be more 2D-oriented when copying photos regardless of whether I'm using measuring devices or just freehanding, and that's useful for copying 2D images, but not for inventing 3D ones. I tend to ask questions like, "what's the 2D shape of this highlight? How does it relate vertically and horizontally to this other mark?" Rather than, "what's the 3D form of this figure"? If I understood the 3D form, then I could invent my own highlights without using the precise shapes in the photograph.

I pretty much knew this picture wasn't what I should have been doing when I started on it based on my goals, regardless of the grid (though the grid made it that much worse). I set out only to draw the reference as accurately as possible and nothing more. In that sense, it's one of my biggest failures since that's the last thing I want to be doing in the future as I progress. I didn't even try to experiment with painterly techniques - I was trying to be as unpainterly as possible in this one so that it would look just like a photo. Generally I get the most comments about the painterly aspects of my works when working from photos, but this time I really wanted to try not being painterly (I tend to be painterly for economical purposes, not intentionally). I didn't even really achieve the photorealism I intended to achieve despite the use of the grid for the line drawing, so I didn't even succeed in that respect. While it's completely against my personal goals, I still admire the artists on here who can make their paintings look just like a photograph. I was hoping to achieve it here, but I think I deviated too much in the shading and still relied too much on lines which gave that sort of cartoony effect in places.

omg biggest posts ever. great pic and i've been a victim of the grid in the past. when the masters of the past were working on frescoes - they couldn't draw straight from life, so they did their preliminary drawing and they would grid that whole wall up before doing some of the greatest paintings ever made, theres no shame :):)

Mmm... (damn you essay writters.)

but what does it all mean!?

He's playing the Spanish version of "Deal or No Deal" Staci

I really like this one , theres always great use of colour in your pieces.

thanks...Albert was quite a great man...

Ty854: I like of that music when you spank the monkey over 200 mph [ Not sure :P ] :)

i prefer stephen hawking over einstein but awsome drawing

lol!

I think you can be a believer of both, and I am. Being Roman Catholic myself I learned about His creation and evolution, and it's funny it seemed easy for me to blend the two, meld it if you will. I believe He exists and created the Earth and everything around us, but I also believe in the Big Bang and evolution... hmmmm maybe that makes me a bit by-polar. That would explain things.

You can have Creation and Evolution, I believe it. Maybe someone just needs to find the middle where both fits.

Awesome piece Opium, love that hair. He does look tired.....

Excellent portrait! Very impressed with it.

Thanks Marcello, patience, sweetcell, and gerbear! :)

my first guess would be Gwyneth Paltrow...nice start!

Yes, it's Gwyneth, not 100% true to the ref though. There are quite a few areas where i should've used darker overall tones, but it would be very difficult for me to blend that in without changing the entire picture. The eyes for instance are cast in much more shadow than i used.

yeah!! I knew it! It was obvious to me, great draw! keep goin!

I really like this! did you really spend that much time on this?? Now that's patience. He looks so much like someone I know....I can't put my finger on it...

Wow just..... wow. You belong, believe me.

Reminds me of General Zod from Superman. Without the crown.

Version 1 looks like a comicbook panel.
Version 2 looks like a bronze statue.
And the 3rd I mentioned.
WOWZERS.

just awesome! love the tendons in his neck..yowza.

thanks a lot :)

I really enjoy all the little details you put in your pictures.

That kind of pistol could come in handy!
Great job.

A very interesting discovery zep. I really really like radio head, it is a very solid and lush work. Its strange because i always would associate a natural look (as far as the subjects go) to your works. Not anymore : )

:) as you see i´m quite naive in this kind of theme....thanks for your comments

This is great. Makes me think of some deep sea diving suit. I remember those older ones too, you're great at sci-fi stuff Zep. :]