Sketching faces close up

This week I've focused on sketching faces close up rather than capturing the whole head. I've been inspired by the painter Lucian Freud who often looked right up close to capture those subtle changes in the surface quality of a face. Of course, he does it with colour. This self portrait sold for 3 to 4 million pounds last year, just because it captured the famous artist after he was given a black eye by a taxi driver!

LUCIAN FREUD SELF-PORTRAIT WITH A BLACK EYE

The sculptor Giacometti, had a great way of leaving out the irrelevant parts of a head as did Marino Marini. I bow to these two masters!!

Monumental Head by Alberto Giacometti

Igor Stravinsky by Marino Marini

Recording faces close up has helped me to concentrate on the essence of a character. You don't always need to put in all the features of the face. The viewers imagination will naturally take over.

Most of my sketches this week, were drawn whilst travelling to and from work. The people I sketch are often reading, waiting, asleep or daydreaming. Faces/heads take on a wonderful sculptural quality when the person becomes immersed in though and looses consciousness of their surroundings.

Keep your eyes peeled for next weeks special post direct from Paris!! I'll be spending the whole week with my sixth form students exploring the museums and galleries and on a mission to record as many new faces as possible.

View this weeks sketches below: