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Careers: Arts/rendering hair in graphite

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Expert: - 12/28/2006


Question
I was working on a realistic portrait, which was going rather well I must say.  But
then I got to the eyebrows and got stuck.  I practiced on separate paper.  If I try
to render every hair it looks wiry, If I try to draw it any other way it has no detail
and just looks like a dark space.  I've studied my subject to no avail.  Is there
some secret to drawing realistic looking eyebrows and hair?  I am also not sure
how to do his hair when I get to that.  Thanks.

Answer
Dear Margaret,

I completely understand your plight. Hair can sometimes be the bane of many an artist's drawing. If captured, it can add wonderful character to a piece, but usually you want to avoid the look of pasted on patches (unless that's the look you are actually going for.)

Of course, the technique is different for every artist and depends on individual styles and visualizations, but what I find works best is a combination of the two techniques you have attempted. Start with a base for the eyebrow that delineates its basic shape but isn't too solid or too dark. A nice medium tone will do and you can add variance to it depending on how light affects the eyebrow or head of hair. After you have the base, you don't need to render every single strand of hair, but be choosy and render those hairs that you feel define the character and shape of your subject. You can add shadows or dark patches (or light patches) accordingly to add depth to your hair without making these spaces too overly defined.

This takes a little bit of practice, as with everything in art, but hopefully, it should achieve a nice balance for your portrait.

Good luck and have a wonderful New Year!
Sincerely,
Gianina

Careers: Arts

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Gianina L.

Expertise

I can answer questions concerning most traditional mediums such as acrylics, watercolor, colored pencils, collage/cut paper, graphite, charcoal, and pen and ink. I also have strong, advanced knowledge of Photoshop, Powerpoint and Publisher; and beginner to immediate level knowledge in Illustrator, Freehand, After Effects, and Flash. In addition, I can cover miscellaneous subjects such as portfolio preparation, applying to art schools, art school study skills, color theory, basic design and drawing principles, basic animation techniques, working on personal art styles and exploring new artistic techniques. Topics such as the detailed legal aspects of art, web programming and Flash action scripting do not fall under my area of expertise.

Experience

Experience in the Area
I graduated summa cum laude with a double BFA in Illustration and Computer Art (specializing in 2-dimensional animation) from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where as a student, I happily tutored fellow peers in all aspects of art and created numerous illustrations for the school newspaper. For the past several years, I have been illustrating seminar books, designing numerous graphics, and creating short animation sequences for use in video. In addition, I work as a private tutor and am co-director / co-owner of a company that focuses on and promotes the local music industry. I assist with all the day-to-day operations of this company as well as manage all art direction and design.

Education/Credentials
Savannah College of Art and Design
BFA Computer Art, Illustration
Summa Cum Laude
Dean's List, GPA 4.0

Awards and Honors
Induction into Alpha Pi Beta honor society for art and design, 2002
Outstanding Achievement in Computer Art, 2002
Outstanding Student for the academic year 2001-2002
Awarded "Most Dependable" for District, the student newspaper, 2002
Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities, May 2001
Better Business Bureau Honesty in Advertising Essay Competition, Merit Award, November 1998
Mary Renee Whelan Scholarship, Savannah College of Art and Design

Exhibitions and Festivals:
Embodiement; Myths in Animal Form, www.postpicasso.com, December 10 - January 10, 2005
SCAD Alumni Show, Stardust Café, Orlando, FL; December 2004
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2004 - April 2005
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2003 - April 2004
Senior Showcase, SCAD Pei Ling Chan Gallery, Savannah, GA; May 2002
2D or not 2D, SCAD Trustees Theatre, Savannah, GA; April 2002
Small Works, SCAD Exhibit A Gallery, Savannah, GA; November 7 - December 31, 2001; art was purchased
Magnanimata Animation Festival, May 1999

Publications
Quoted briefly in Animation World Magazine, "Predicting the Future of Futurama" (April 1999) and "Ed, Edd, n Eddy: A Unique Approach" (June 1999)

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