Smudge or Line - just get the details in there

This is another drawing from my Holbein session the other night.

 

I was reminded of how important detail is in portrait drawing. Details like the thickness of eyelids, the bumps and angles at the base of the nose, the shadows and planes of the lips. And Holbein conveyed those details with a few simple lines. Sargent often conveyed them with a smudge. So, I don’t think it matters how you convey the details, I think it just matters that you do convey them.

Comments

[fuzzydragons]

yes I think as long as they are there in some form, your eyes fill in the rest.

You did a great job with this, nice lines an shading. I really like how you drew his nose :)

[rosewelty]

Cheers Jen, but it is Holbein's interpretation of the nose really - it's amazing what he could do.

[fuzzydragons]

yes it is, but you still had to draw it yourself