Would you rock this?

 

Would you rock this?

If so, then please vote for my design! I used to upload a few of my sketches to this brilliant site for fashion illustrators. Now i'm getting back into the swing of things i thught i'd do it again!

3 Ideas For Taking a Better Portrait

Here a few very quick ideas of ways to make your portraits more dynamic and more captivating to the viewer.

1.

Tell a story with the image.

Just who are you anyway? The best portraits show something of the person in the portrait other then just what their face looks like. Interesting backgrounds can be a big help...but remember that the face itself can be the best way to convey a feeling. So come on, pull an expression other then the distant, wistful gaze and see just how interesting your portraits can become! Eye contact can really give a massive impact with your viewer.

2.

Find a point of focus. 

Is it the eyes, the hairstyle, the curve of the neck?

To make the picture more interesting, having something that captivates the eye will really help. Think of the image in stages. First you have the immediate impression, this is usually the strong main focus. Secondly the eye moves around the picture, taking in the other details and builds up the whole image. The atmosphere you give the picture will come into play here.

Thirdly, the eye gets used to looking at this image and can take in all the other small details, as its not trying to process the entire thing and can take note the smaller points of interest.

Depending on what impression you want your portrait to make, you can play around with these stages! Its always nice to discover something new within a picture that you didn't notice at first.

3. 

Add texture and colour.

Clothing, hair, jewellery, tattoos even make-up and skin can give create textures and give the portrait a burst of interest. Ways to get the most out of these is strong contrast ( i.e textured hair again very smooth skin)  or using negative space to your advantage. Negative space is the area surrounding the main image. Playing with this can emphasize different aspects of your portrait so fill it with colour, pattern or texture. Just remember to keep things balanced otherwise your image will begin to be chaotic and the eye won't know where the focus on first!

There are plenty of other things to bare in mind when taking a portrait, but these are the things that I always think of and I thought I'd share.

Let me know if you give any of these a try, I'd love to see any unique portraits you've taken that you're really chuffed with! 

Here are a few awesome self portraits to get the ideas flowing!

Vito Fernicola 

 

This is such a great portrait! It has  a lot of expression and right away you get an understanding of who this guy is and what he's like. The main focus for this one has to be the glasses with the flash of colour they give the picture. Plus the use of negative space and a simple pattern for the background means there's still interest throughout the image. Very nice!

 Emma Watson -  Photographer unknown (if you know them, let me know! )

This is a really simple portrait but the neutral colours and plain background means that all the focus is drawn to Emma and the quirky pose. Plus eye contact with the view...Makes a great portrait! Plus Emma's quite lovely and it lets her fun personality come through.

Cate Blanchett

Mmm Colours! I love mustard yellow and teal at the best of times but i think this portrait really makes them work wonderfully! Also the posing of Cate adds to the balance of the image and the warmth from the yellow stops the image becoming too cold. The texture from her hair and fabric of her clothes add smaller bits of interest that your eye finds once it's gotten its full of the colours. I realise that Cates got that wistful faraway gaze in this one, but sometimes you've just got to go with it.

The Afghan Mona Lisa - Photographer Steve McCurry.

You may recognise this one, another portrait of this girl was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine. It's become very recognisable and has gained the title the Afghan Mona Lisa. I love the famous picture, but I also like this one. It's a much softer version, the gaze isn't nearly so powerful but I think the photo and her eyes are still captivating. The focus goes directly to them and you can see a lot of the girls emotion in them and in the way her hands have come up to partially hide her face. It's part of their culture that girls hide their faces, so part of me thinks this particular portrait is a truer version as this would be what the majority of people around her see. 

The Potential of Crocuses.

Remember who you want to be.

It's really hard to be everyone. I've tried, believe me when I say you really don't get very far on the whole finding happiness challenge.

It should be much easier to just be yourself although I KNOW it looks easier to just copy someone else.

Definitely take what you like from them, let them inspire you, guide you into the things you find fascinating but don't compare yourself to them and find yourself constantly lacking.

You will always have things someone else doesn't have and vice versa.

It's really really obvious but sometimes when you're sitting looking at pinterest or facebook or tumblr and filling your head with things you want but others have, it's really really easy to forget.

Plus! I don't know about you but I have endlessly recreated my wardrobe mentally when browsing pinterest...nevermind the fact I don't even want to really wear half the outfits, they just look so goooood. Its so draining...I forget the style I feel happiest in. 

Also, if i actually got an industrial style, minimalistic kitchen i think I would be hopelessly unhappy and probably quite cold. I'd end up sneaking in doilies to place over my vintage 10ft metal crate/ kitchen table!!

Its good to experiment but its great to know what you like and can always come back to.

It's one of the hardest things i've had to overcome as an artist and its something i think the upcoming generations of artists are having to deal with. Instead of comparing your drawings to the masters and trying harder, studying more techniques and driving yourself forward. You can now also happily compare yourself to a 16 year old who is doing amazing things with photoshop in California. Plus theres the 23 year old who is mastering portraiture and character design in germany!

 At times it can feel so overwhelming and pointless, and it is so so easy to compare your work to other artists and see everything it lacks because it's not the same as their work. 

When you're trying to find your own voice you naturally look around to how other people are expressing themselves and start copying what you like. This is fine as practise...but you have to remember to take the training wheels off and leave their styles behind and develop your images through your own style filter.

Just stop...take a deep breath...and switch off the computer. 

There is just you in the room, with your favourite music of the moment playing, and all you need to do is pick up a paintbrush or pencil and focus on what you want to create. It can be emotional or technical or dark or colourful. It really doesn't matter. It can be inspired by another picture or it can come completely from your own mind but it has to be drawn as you see it

At the end of the day, you create artwork from within to show others how you feel and see something. People will buy your artwork because they see something they love within what you create.

 What is important is that you're doing the thing you love.

These thoughts have been running around in my head for a while so i thought I would share them as i feel they're important.

Everything looks so darn pretty on the internet its so easy to just dream your life through its pictures.

I'll leave you with a few beautiful words written by Charles Bukowski and spoken by Tom Waits

I found this link via Gala Darling who is always inspiring when trying to be yourself.

Saturday Links.

 I obsessive collect images. I'm proud of this and it has helped me immensely with various projects i've worked on. However...i have  A LOT of images.

So i figure i'll start sharing them on a Saturday when i do a lot of my internet wanderings.

Let me know if you like!

• Nature makes me smile sometimes. A Beautiful Tree.
•  .....and this is just a beautiful pattern shot of tulips that nature provided. 

EDIT: You know how i just said this would make a beautiful pattern? I just found this vintage pattern!

• In my new house i'd love to do this in our kitchen..

• Please please please check out this vintage fashion blog. The images are gorgeous, especially if you love the 1920's/1930's and earlier. It's an age of beauty that i really respond well too and i'm so grateful for the nameless blogger for putting this blog together.

• GORGEOUS photo! I adore the pose, the composition with the mirror and the positioning of her hand...All seamlessly show off that beautiful hat to perfection.

• I found this and it was too funny not to share!

 

• Finally...I want to make this photo into an illustration so badly! I can't do anything until Sunday! But what a great Sunday it's going to be!

or maybe i'll do this one!! Same collection but with a bit more of the models face...

The photos are from Vicky Tremblay | Patrice Massé for Elle (CA) November 2001 

What do you guys think?

Lost in the Haze.

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Hi,

A quick post tonight before i get back to creating the final touches for a wedding invite!
I mentioned to 'Lost in the Haze' a while back that i would love to do some sketches of her photos and now i finally have! Thanks for the wonderful inspiration Jo! Hope you like these even though they're quite quick!

 

I'm so jealous of your blue hat that i have to draw it.

It's alll about the hair.

I love hair. I love drawing it, looking at it, watching it. I loved my little pony as a child and i'm sure 78% of the reason was their pretty manes and tails. The little mermaid was also another favourite - again the beautiful, flowing hair is a key feature.
So now i'm older and hair is still a main factor in designs that i love. Here's a few images where hair is crucial to the piece and shows how much fun you can have with it! Hair artists...I salute you!

Pinterest

May i officially announce to the internet that i am addicted to pinterest.

It is a very dangerous website for anyone with a visual image craving.

http://pinterest.com/missmossop/ Come join me when you have a spare 5 minutes and need to accidentally kill 2 hours of your life.