My Mate ...

**Logo Kid** · 31 August 2006, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by FLySOLO

nice,

how do you do it?

bb,

FLy

Lots of gradients, lots of layers, lots of transparencies lots of ellipses with elipital tranparencies and lots of time ... when i get the other 5-10 hours to finish this off i'll post up a Xara file so people can pull it appart.

**Ron Duke** · 31 August 2006, 04:40 PM

Looking forward with anticipation, James.
ron

**Logo Kid** · 01 September 2006, 12:28 AM

Here's an update - put another few hours in this evening - getting closer - still a lot to work on the hair and the eyes.

But here's the Xara file as promised so you can all pick it appart if you want.

**RTK** · 01 September 2006, 01:03 AM

Darn, I really enjoyed that!

Thanks, James!

Still wouldn't be able to do a portrait like this myself, even when having your file to dissect. All things considered - I was surprised at the echonomy of shapes. Thought it would be many more.

Great stuff!

Risto

**Intbel** · 01 September 2006, 01:15 AM

Thanks for uploading the source file.
I support Risto's comment re economy of shapes - I use far more and don't do half as good.

Picked up a few useful pointers from that file so yup - many thanks ideed.

**David O'Neil** · 01 September 2006, 02:51 AM

Wow! (And not in the tone of my last post at all, in case you were watching.)

Thank you very much for that, James. Your technique on the stubble and eyes had a couple surprises for me. All I can say is 'Thank you for being so generous.'

David

**Ron Duke** · 01 September 2006, 06:54 PM

James,
I said it before and say it again, you have a real ability to capture the little nuances in the human face that IMHO are extremely difficult to achieve. Many times I've tried faces and have become very frustrated over the tiny details that somehow make all the difference in a subject's expression.
Thanks for generously sharing your work.
ron

**Logo Kid** · 02 September 2006, 01:32 PM

I think one of the real easy tricks of doing 'faces' is to have as many interlocking structural elements as possible ... so having really big chunks of the face as really high transparencies (85-95%) over and over again and that will make up the face and then it looks as though the flesh is all on continous piece - which it is.

On the point of nuences of expression ... it's something of the artist which goes into the portrait ... what tends to happen when you work on a piece for more than 3 or 4 hours a time what comes across in that time is your own emotion ... there is always something of the painter in all portriats.