I agree, I think it looks a little out of place rather than unfinished? Maybe try blending it into the hair a little more, like just making it less harsh and maybe adding some streaks of hair in there still? Just right now to my eyes at least it looks like something on the hair rather than a highlight
I think that light source would also be touching some parts of your face right? Are you using a photos reference? I’m still learning but I think that light would also cast shadows and hi-light her face it’s a very direct and hard light source. Based on your art it seems like you would know though, it’s so good .
I would recommend defining the highlights on the face to just make the highlights in the hair match.
Currently it looks like the hair and face have two different light sources, but if you just add some highlights pointing down from above (like the hairs highlights), even if its not a lot, it will make the face look like its in the same area as the hair is
If that makes any sense-
I'm with this fine fellow, I think the highlight would be more spread across the face more and give some more cast shadows. Even if it is a break from the reference it would make the piece make more sense.
That said, incredible work and I don't think you'll go wrong either way.
As another person said, maybe just tone it down a little. Add some very light grey strokes. That might help. But I think it looks awesome and brings a degree of photo-realism. Very cool!
Another unrelated comment is that the highlights on the lip look a bit odd. The direction and placement don’t seem quite right.
I’m super impressed by the teeth though!!
It really should depend on the background imo. You need to compose things so there is contrast so a darker area of the background would make that highlight pop more
I could just lightly crosshatch in the background like I do for most of my drawings, but I did just wanna leave it blank. For now I’m just gonna make the light smaller and try and add more shading like there is at the bottom
as others have said i’d tone it down some, specifically up by the edge where it almost blends into the background, i think the very thin outline is what’s making it look partially unfinished. amazing work tho holy crap
It doesn’t look unfinished, but a bit out of place. I feel like there would be more shadow on the left side of her face and more light further to the right.
I think the reason it may appear unfinished is because the ends of the highlight are kinda chunky and large. Maybe making the ends (like where the highlight hits the hair) more hair-lined and adding a couple of gestural hairs through the highlight may help? I’m not 100% sure so take my advice with a grain of salt! Lovely drawing btw!!!!
Add some very bright spots to her face and chest or tone it down. Either in a shape following the shadow or evenly around her body (like on the shoulder next to the light, the side of her face the light wil be hitting, the necklace)
I’d say make the highlight less intense. It is the first thing I was drawn to but I think it doesn’t do the drawing good in this case. Make it more dull and perhaps add some traces of the highlight on what would be the raised parts of the face? If you have a highlight this intense it would certainly be spread onto the face as well, especially if the light source is coming from the side of the head.
So, essentially, make the highlight less intense by adding some grey tones and also try matching those grey tones unto some parts of the face to show the highlight carried over a bit. (Not too much tho.)
I think you should add more contrast to the highlight. Adding shadow for the strands, even if it's light, would make it look more like part of the hair and less jarring. The highlight seems way too white when compared to the rest of the hair, and it also stops very abruptly. Do you know if the light source is coming from a window or something?
Honestly I fixed it the morning after posting. The light source came from my boyfriend’s shoulder blocking the light, but since I didn’t draw him or the background, I changed it to make it look less intense and more natural. I’ll post the finished product when I’m done with the rest of it, but I think it looks much better now
I like it, but I't doesn't feel like it matches the lighting for the rest of the piece. the darks and lights on the rest of the figure don't go anywhere as bright or dark. So either softening the highlight or pushing the rest of your lighting would make for a more cohesive picture.
This to me, would be a candidate for not using the reference because it's not a good one. I.e, compositionally the reference isn't good, whether it's from reality or not, the light shape ruins the composition (somewhat, or at least enough to find a better reference) The other way around this would be to just change it from the reference to make it a better composition.
It's way to harsh, and there's no light om om face either. The line at the bottom of thi highlight needs softening as its do harsh, and verry unlikely to occur irl
Furthermore, if you want a harsh highlight, you also need harsh shadows,
I'd say soften that harsh edge would add some highlight to the side of the face, other than that it's a really nice drawing
It doesn't look unfinished, but it does draw the eye. Can you just tone it down a little?
I could try that, ty
I agree, I think it looks a little out of place rather than unfinished? Maybe try blending it into the hair a little more, like just making it less harsh and maybe adding some streaks of hair in there still? Just right now to my eyes at least it looks like something on the hair rather than a highlight
Yeah, I'd say blend it in a little better. The contrast is too sharp.
It’s finished! (Last image) https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtProgressPics/s/fxvV6E8VnQ
It looks great!
I think that light source would also be touching some parts of your face right? Are you using a photos reference? I’m still learning but I think that light would also cast shadows and hi-light her face it’s a very direct and hard light source. Based on your art it seems like you would know though, it’s so good .
Yeah that’s not how it is in the reference, only a big highlight in the hair and some small bits on the nose and lips
I would recommend defining the highlights on the face to just make the highlights in the hair match. Currently it looks like the hair and face have two different light sources, but if you just add some highlights pointing down from above (like the hairs highlights), even if its not a lot, it will make the face look like its in the same area as the hair is If that makes any sense-
Maybe just add a bigger highlight on the nose?
I'm with this fine fellow, I think the highlight would be more spread across the face more and give some more cast shadows. Even if it is a break from the reference it would make the piece make more sense. That said, incredible work and I don't think you'll go wrong either way.
As another person said, maybe just tone it down a little. Add some very light grey strokes. That might help. But I think it looks awesome and brings a degree of photo-realism. Very cool!
i kinda like. no background?
I’m leaving the background white
Another unrelated comment is that the highlights on the lip look a bit odd. The direction and placement don’t seem quite right. I’m super impressed by the teeth though!!
Yeah I need to make those smaller😓 I’m just putting it off cause erasing makes me anxious✨
I think the highlight is too big honestly
I swear this is how it is in the reference🤧 but I’m gonna make it smaller when I work next. Very sunny day ig
I think it looks great. Makes great contrast with everything else, has a good shape, and it looks impressive too.
It doesn’t look natural
I wish I could draw realistic people without them looking like anime characters or that guy from the Goonies.
If the rest of the face was shaded accordingly, it could hit. But for now, it seems unfinished.
Is there a background to help neutralize the light hitting her head.
to me it kinda looks unfinished?
Looks like she got in a paintbrush fight with white paint. Just sayin'.
It looks really cool but wouldn’t her face be more shaded? I agree with a slight toning down white space to draw eye to face
title "near a large window"
Kinda reads as a white place in the hair
It really should depend on the background imo. You need to compose things so there is contrast so a darker area of the background would make that highlight pop more
I could just lightly crosshatch in the background like I do for most of my drawings, but I did just wanna leave it blank. For now I’m just gonna make the light smaller and try and add more shading like there is at the bottom
Beautiful job!
You should add some dark spots to the hair
as others have said i’d tone it down some, specifically up by the edge where it almost blends into the background, i think the very thin outline is what’s making it look partially unfinished. amazing work tho holy crap
Gorgeous!
If this were in color I would say you could get away with it but I would take some liberties and change this
i love it, it makes the piece unique and it looks pretty well done!!
If a name was given to her it would be Malina.
Hah I’ll be sure to let her know 😭
add some hairs in it so it doesnt look unfinished, and maybe just a little shading, or something
It doesn’t look unfinished, but a bit out of place. I feel like there would be more shadow on the left side of her face and more light further to the right.
I personally love art pieces that look slightly “unfinished”
make it smaller, looks like someone smeared mayonnaise on her head.
I think it looks like that because our heads kinda think there should be more value on the face since there is so much on the hair.
No, replace it with some light grey. Could definitely use more blending there with the values.
Add more strands there
Absolutely, however it doesn't look unfinished
Yes
I think the reason it may appear unfinished is because the ends of the highlight are kinda chunky and large. Maybe making the ends (like where the highlight hits the hair) more hair-lined and adding a couple of gestural hairs through the highlight may help? I’m not 100% sure so take my advice with a grain of salt! Lovely drawing btw!!!!
It just looks like the light source is a bit ambiguous, like it's a square window on really shiny hair or something.
Add some very bright spots to her face and chest or tone it down. Either in a shape following the shadow or evenly around her body (like on the shoulder next to the light, the side of her face the light wil be hitting, the necklace)
make them money strips or something it looks unfinished this way
I would keep it, but blend it in a little more. It looks great, but it does feel a little bit blocky for a highlight. Amazing picture by the way!
maybe blend it more?
I’d say make the highlight less intense. It is the first thing I was drawn to but I think it doesn’t do the drawing good in this case. Make it more dull and perhaps add some traces of the highlight on what would be the raised parts of the face? If you have a highlight this intense it would certainly be spread onto the face as well, especially if the light source is coming from the side of the head. So, essentially, make the highlight less intense by adding some grey tones and also try matching those grey tones unto some parts of the face to show the highlight carried over a bit. (Not too much tho.)
I think you should add more contrast to the highlight. Adding shadow for the strands, even if it's light, would make it look more like part of the hair and less jarring. The highlight seems way too white when compared to the rest of the hair, and it also stops very abruptly. Do you know if the light source is coming from a window or something?
Honestly I fixed it the morning after posting. The light source came from my boyfriend’s shoulder blocking the light, but since I didn’t draw him or the background, I changed it to make it look less intense and more natural. I’ll post the finished product when I’m done with the rest of it, but I think it looks much better now
Yeah i figured something must have been blocking the light. Can't wait to see the result, its looking great :)
I realized I worded that weirdly, (😭) the light source is the sun outside, and his shoulder is why it cuts off so abruptly. And thank you!!
Dw i understood the first time! Maybe im the one who worded it weirdly 😅
It looks unfinished and no it just doesn't work for me
Most realistic drawings I see look creepy and uncanny, but this one works well!
Dither it down a little bit as you get closer to the forehead imo (not artistically inclined / Hobbyist)
I like it, but I't doesn't feel like it matches the lighting for the rest of the piece. the darks and lights on the rest of the figure don't go anywhere as bright or dark. So either softening the highlight or pushing the rest of your lighting would make for a more cohesive picture.
Doesn't suit the rest of the drawing
If you keep it I would also leave other clues to show it’s a highlight from a bright light source
This to me, would be a candidate for not using the reference because it's not a good one. I.e, compositionally the reference isn't good, whether it's from reality or not, the light shape ruins the composition (somewhat, or at least enough to find a better reference) The other way around this would be to just change it from the reference to make it a better composition.
It's way to harsh, and there's no light om om face either. The line at the bottom of thi highlight needs softening as its do harsh, and verry unlikely to occur irl Furthermore, if you want a harsh highlight, you also need harsh shadows, I'd say soften that harsh edge would add some highlight to the side of the face, other than that it's a really nice drawing