The first image rocks in more ways than one. It’s so full of energy and accuracy. The hair, though “loose”, is still definite enough to grasp the natural shape/style. I may not the be most knowledgeable of drawing media. Is academia coarse or close to corrugated cardboard? The first image seems to come with vertical ridges/ripples like the side of a box.
Thank you for the compliment! Academia is a relatively cheap paper (of the large scale options available) and it’s quite smooth. I know what you mean about the ridges in the photo, but they seem to only be visible in the photograph and not on the actual drawing. I took a LOT of pictures of this to try and get rid of that effect, but to no avail.
Smooth? But, it doesn’t look smooth….unless you were drawing with coarse crayons. Well, you did say they were conte drawings (and they’re considered crayons)…but I’ve seen much smoother works done with that medium (which I still have not tried among others).
Hmm, maybe when the camera fails it’s a sign to not do it/continue. Maybe this wasn’t the right time/place to share those. Who can say? But, I’ve had my share of moments when technology fails me and makes me wonder if I’m just not going the wrong way.
Well, academia is definitely a smooth paper. It is very similar to common sketchbook paper.
Conte is most similar to chalk pastels. As with all mediums, the results will look different depending on the artist. If you want, you can smudge conte to produce a smooth effect, or you can simply draw lines with it as you would with compressed charcoal. In this drawing, I decided to do mainly the latter.
I would recommend trying to use some conte and academia paper so you can actually see what it’s like.
I think it’s quite common in creating digital images of art work that some distortion or slight changes occur. I don’t feel that this means I should not include a piece of my portfolio.
Yes, I do need to experiment with other mediums. I have been stuck in my rut with pencil and pen and not progressing much in that, either.
Who was questioning your portfolio?
Writingbolt: It says right below the picture they are conte drawings. So what if you have seen smoother drawings in the same medium. I’ve seen better usernames than writingbolt. Does that mean you don’t know how to make a username? No; it’s a matter of taste, purpose and time. I’d like you to post your 1st 2hr conte self portrait on academia and see how it works for you.
Lara Stansal Fine Art 
The first image rocks in more ways than one. It’s so full of energy and accuracy. The hair, though “loose”, is still definite enough to grasp the natural shape/style. I may not the be most knowledgeable of drawing media. Is academia coarse or close to corrugated cardboard? The first image seems to come with vertical ridges/ripples like the side of a box.
Thank you for the compliment! Academia is a relatively cheap paper (of the large scale options available) and it’s quite smooth. I know what you mean about the ridges in the photo, but they seem to only be visible in the photograph and not on the actual drawing. I took a LOT of pictures of this to try and get rid of that effect, but to no avail.
Smooth? But, it doesn’t look smooth….unless you were drawing with coarse crayons. Well, you did say they were conte drawings (and they’re considered crayons)…but I’ve seen much smoother works done with that medium (which I still have not tried among others).
Hmm, maybe when the camera fails it’s a sign to not do it/continue. Maybe this wasn’t the right time/place to share those. Who can say? But, I’ve had my share of moments when technology fails me and makes me wonder if I’m just not going the wrong way.
Well, academia is definitely a smooth paper. It is very similar to common sketchbook paper.
Conte is most similar to chalk pastels. As with all mediums, the results will look different depending on the artist. If you want, you can smudge conte to produce a smooth effect, or you can simply draw lines with it as you would with compressed charcoal. In this drawing, I decided to do mainly the latter.
I would recommend trying to use some conte and academia paper so you can actually see what it’s like.
I think it’s quite common in creating digital images of art work that some distortion or slight changes occur. I don’t feel that this means I should not include a piece of my portfolio.
Yes, I do need to experiment with other mediums. I have been stuck in my rut with pencil and pen and not progressing much in that, either.
Who was questioning your portfolio?
Writingbolt: It says right below the picture they are conte drawings. So what if you have seen smoother drawings in the same medium. I’ve seen better usernames than writingbolt. Does that mean you don’t know how to make a username? No; it’s a matter of taste, purpose and time. I’d like you to post your 1st 2hr conte self portrait on academia and see how it works for you.