Please critique

Gary Lee

Gary Lee

Active member
Started on this Can and something just doesn't look right about it. It's far from being done, and doubt I'll finish it due to something not looking right. Since there are so many great artists on here I figured I may be able to get some help for future sketches. I'm wanting to get better on birds, and figured this would be a great place to ask. I won't be offended.

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Thank you.
 
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The bill is a little short but that is not a big deal to me. The front of the neck just doesn't look like it flows as well as it should. My eye is a little confused looking at it. Looking at the top of the bill and head it looks like I am looking down on it, and I think that is the best part of the drawing. As I get down to the bottom of the jaw/top of the neck it looks more and more like it is at eye level. maybe that is just my eye doing that.

It does look nice but you asked. :)

Tim
 
Whatever guys, like ..... HA HA HA ... just kiddin'. Thanks guys I think that's what was bothering me so much. The shape of the head is off too I believe. I'll get it right one of these days. Never have tried to do close-ups of birds before, so I'm trying to learn. Thanks again.
 
Gary, you have a talent with the pencil! If you are using a photo reference then try measuring the photo in numerous locations and then transfering those measurments to the drawing. To the proper scale ofcourse. I hope this makes sense. Try another. Get the initial sketch right before shading...................................Show us what you can do................................Kevin
 
Very nice drawing. Everyone has given good feedback. True beauty is rarely in the fine details. Nail the proportions and worry about the shading and details later.
 
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Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Here is a rough sketch of a Common Eider. I have never seen one so it's kind of hard to REALLY know what they look like. Not sure if I got the beak right, if the green would show on the back of it's "cheek" where I have it, or if you would see the "V" on the top of it's head. His head is tucked and turned. Before I start working on it, what do you think?


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Best teacher is to get outdoors and observe the birds---in lieu of a nearby marsh, pond, lake, resting area, zoos usually have reasonably good collections of waterfowl.. Observe, take photos, draw/sketch while there.
 
Having the same dilemna of wanting to draw better but not knowing where to start, Keith Mueller suggested that I buy a book by Keith Brockie (Actually I own many of them now) and a sketch book. Its not a drawing demonstration book. He is an illustrator of immense talent. Not in the absolute detail sense, but in the ability to capture the essence of the birds and animals with just the right amount detail and a little color. All of his drawings are from direct observation. I have spent some time using his sketches as models for my own. It helps me conserve my pencil strokes while teaching proportion and perspective. Its amazing what drawing a few curves can do to suggest a convex or concave surface and a few cross hatches can do.
 
Gary.
I can't see your pic (it's blocked), but I'll pass along a tip that, I think, started with Frank Peters.
Take a pic of the head posture you want to draw.
Get a good lifesize study bill and measure it (tip to nostril or tip to mandible joint, etc.).
Take the pic and put it on a Xerox and adjust the size up or down until you get the reference length right.

Now draw that.


Seems like it'll work.
 
George makes a very good point. It might surprize you how many ducks your local zoo could have. The one near here even had steller and spectacled eiders.

Tim
 
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