Remixing art for fun

[amberdreams]

Ages ago there was a meme on tumblr (or somewhere) to take an old drawing/painting and try doing it again to see what differences there are, if any, in your style, competency, etc. I'd been meaning to have a go at this challenge for ages, then for some reason this old drawing from 2012 got my attention, so...Remix time!

Here's the old pencil drawing which is fiddled with in photoshop or GIMP, because I remember the eyes were in the wrong place. I know I added white highlights too, and some digital shading.

It's not totally awful but it's not that good either.
Today I had another go using the same reference photo.

It's still not quite right - the nose and chin are slightly larger/longer than they should be, and I made some of the same errors initially which I spotted and corrected on paper this time...but I was relieved to find it was better than 2012! Phew.
This was the reference I used both times (I think it's one of my own JIB photos that I cropped and monochromed, but I'm not 100% on that).

Comments

[julchen11.livejournal.com]

Wow! This is breathtakingly beautiful, my dear. Absolutely fantastic! *sits and stares*

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Boop!

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

Wow, the original pic is beautiful, and I can really see a marked difference between now and then! The 'now' has much more detail and captures his expression so well. I'm so crap at describing art, but I like it!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you can see a difference!

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

That's a tough angle, but you're rocking it! (When I valiantly try to catch an angle by hand and I can tell something isn't quite *there*, I'll drop it into PS and overlay the photo, to see where I miscalculated. Then I try to remember that for next time!)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

hee hee snap - I actually did that with this one and then made good use of my physical eraser to move his right eye... That's also how I know the nose and chin are a bit large too but I thought they looked ok enough to leave them.

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

You've definitely added cool things to your technique!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

You know what they say about practice! Nowhere near perfect but I'm happy I'm improving. Thanks to encouragement from you and my lovely flisties!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's really interesting to see how styles change over time. I've done this a couple of times, although not with Spn pictures.
You're style has got a bit 'busier' over the years, but it's still a good likeness, a much more natural likeness than the original.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

It is interesting! When I was a kid I used to do comparisons all the time but I stopped at some point. Maybe I'll re-do something from my teens next :D

[fufaraw]

You know what happens when we age, the nose and ears keep growing all our lives. He looks 18 in the first picture, in the second, he's aged up--I like it!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

ha ha you're so right - I hadn't really noticed before but yes, he does look a lot more mature in the more recent one! LOL!

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, what a cool thing to do! You can really see a change in technique there. Well done you :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[tyrsibs.livejournal.com]

That is very cool! The level of detail in the second is stunning, in the shading and the expression you have captured. It's an interesting comparison, for sure.