Michael G's Sketchbook

[Michael Georges]

Hazel modeled for us last night.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Micheal, it is great to see how you are sticking to the open studio sessions. Good for you!

How many hours did you spend on the last one?

[Michael Georges]

Hello Enzie, thanks for your encouragement! Always helps.

All of these are about 2.5 to 3 hours.

[Michael Georges]

We had Nicole again last night, a lovely and talented African American lady - beautiful bone structure and a lovely long neck. I am trying out a method of feature placement based on how Daniel Greene approaches it - basically placing all of the horizontal lines of placement first and then working out from the middle to get vertical lines of placement.

I still need more practice at this, but I am pleased with this week's effort.

[Linda Brandon]

Hi Michael - she is lovely, nice job! It's fun to see your progress here, thank you for doing this. I admire your persistance and guts.

Here's my tip based on what I see repeatedly in these portraits: keep lining up those carunculas (inner eye corners) every time she sits down after a break. (You often draw an eye corner too close to the nose bridge, so this might help you.) Pick a nostril-related spot or a mouth area to keep that vertical lineup with the caruncula stable, and keep dropping down a plumb point every time she gets back up there. You might want to keep a little sketch off to the side of your paper, just to remind yourself where she used to be, if she is a wiggly sitter.

You make me want to get out my pencils, too!

[Michael Georges]

Hey Linda, thanks for the tip! I do struggle with that without doubt. I struggle on!

[Linda Brandon]

I sure do struggle too, Michael.

(Wish I could remember who showed me how to line those up after every model break... .)