Saturday 6 January 2024

The Vikings Are Coming!

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone in the UK and near continent and Scandinavia are safe after the barage of storms we've had in recent weeks. I know some of you have suffered and it's going to be a long time before the flood waters will drain. I am thinking of all of you and sending wishes for normality to be restored as soon as possible.

There's a Viking invasion on Facebook.  It's a silly game everyone is playing whereby you have a photo of you edited to show what you would look like as a Viking.  Having had an obsession with Vikings since I was a child {along with all things Celtic too} I couldn't resist joining in. Frankly, we all look like siblings!

This is me as a Viking.  I like it!



As I enjoy creating fantasy portraits, and I'm currently learning to draw using graphite, I just had to draw a portrait based on me as a Viking.  My goal it to be able to draw people that are recognisable and while I'm very happy with the sketch, she does not look like me as a Viking.  


She is not quite finished.  Part of me wants to invest a little colour but part of me resists that thought.  I want to finish off her shirt, and I'd like to work a light bokeh background but I am afraid of spoiling it.

To satisfy my need to apply colour, I did this one using just Caran d'Ache watercolour and Spectrum Noir water resistant coloured pencils.



When drawing the outlines I use the basic formula of an oval divided in half both vertically and horizontally, then the bottom half gets divided in half again, twice.  Here are some stages in the early development of a portrait as you might like to see how one develops.





As you can see, the proportions are basic and can be altered, but the more you tweak, the less human like the face becomes, making it more fairy like, or elfin for example. I like to fill in the eyes early on as it makes the face less spooky!
*Editing to add that this method for drawing a human face was not created as one might think by the genius that was Leonardo da Vinci, but by the American illustrator Andrew Loomis in the 1940's!

Next week I begin a seven week long intensive drawing course using graphite under the mentorship of Danish artist Ida Andersen Lang I hope to vastly improve my skill set in this medium.

Until next time
Stay safe, stay well, stay warm!
Debbie 

15 comments:

  1. You are a lovely Viking, Deb! I'm enjoying seeing your process for face drawing. Enjoy your new classes, my friend.

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    1. Thank you Martha Ellen. Since you read this blog I have made a small edit to include the information surrounding the inventor of this method.

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  2. Its me again Ragged Robin - sorry for being anonymous again but I am still having problems accessing via google and leaving a comment. Super post - the Vikings are very interesting and I remember visiting a museum when we were in York which was superb. Love the drawing and interesting to see the different stages to reach the final face. I think on reflection I prefer the version that is lightly coloured in. Caroline

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    1. Thank you Caroline. Yes that's my favourite too.

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  3. ps Caroline again - enjoy your new course.

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  4. When I was doing some computer art with children I used to cut a photo in half and then reflect the remaining half to create a whole face. If you did this for both the left and right side of the face you ended up with two faces that looked very different showing that our faces are not symmetrical. It was fascinating and showed we do have a good and not-so-good side.
    By the way, my virus protection has decided your blog is a dangerous site - I have yo override it to visit. It's done that for a few weeks now.

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    1. Thank you, Sue. Now you are the second person to tell me about the warning and oddly enough I am getting the same warning off some but not all blogs I follow. I know Norton is doing this. I wonder what is going on?

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  5. You make a beautiful Viking. I think your sketch is so pretty. All the sketches are so very pretty. You keep getting better and better. I, also like how you show us the steps you make. You make it seem so simple, when I know it's anything but simple. I hope you enjoy this next course. And I look forward to seeing your next artwork projects.

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    1. Thank you my friend. I cringe now when I look at what I was drawing and painting two years ago.

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  6. I think you drawings are excellent. After your classes you will be amazing!

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  7. You look good as a Viking :)

    All the best Jan

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