Creating Value

For this assignment was to use Chuck Close's grid method to create a self portrait showing a full range of values. To begin I gridded my photo and sketched the outline of my face, its features, and my hair. I didn't go square by square to match the values at first because I wanted to see the shape of things before shading. (I eventually used the grid to shade.) After the outline, I shaded the hair very dark. I used a 6B pencil for most of it except towards the bottom where there were a few lighter gray tones. I then continued to fill in the eyes, nose, and mouth. The lips were the hardest part. Because our features don't have an outline to them it was hard to draw them without one. And the nose is just shading except for the dark nostrils. I then matched the values my face. After shading in my neck area I went back in to lift the graphite to create my necklace.

I chose to do a soft blue background. I thought it added a nice pop of color but was not too harsh because the hair is so dark. I did not completely burnish the pencil either to keep the look soft. Also my expression in the portrait is more serious so I wanted to lighten the overall mood of the piece.