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Xadrea

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I'm on Patreon! ...finally

5 min read
Hai people! Super long time no see (again) :XD: Welp, the summer is winding down finally over in my neck of the woods. My job as an art teacher at a summer day camp will be completed next week and I will once again have an unspecified amount of time where I will not be working after that (I've been going through this for how long now :XD:) Anyways, I completed the #100DayProject just under two weeks ago (images will be posted shortly, just gotta get em mass uploaded into sta.sh first). I will be showing a triptych in the 8th annual ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, MI in the next few weeks, and I will be showing a painting from the graduate thesis at Ashland University in Ohio around that same time. In the whole process of resettling myself (I moved back in with my mother and sisters in May) I finally made the decision to launch a Patreon. Honestly, I should have begun it much sooner, but I had reservations about how people perceive crowdfunding and the like. Thankfully I've gotten over those feelings!



Many of you already know how it works, but for those of you who do not here's the skinny: Patreon is a website that helps content creators of many platforms get funding. Unlike the run of the mill crowdsourcing like gofundme or kickstarter the funding is ongoing based on monthly or weekly payouts from supporters (called "patrons"). It's optional for the creators to make incentives for supporters, but most do, and I definitely have :D 


Pledges begin at just $1 a month. 

That's easily less than what you spend at the vending machine in one day (heeeey no judgement here :XD:) If you're interested in seeing what I'm up to on a very frequent basis, but don't have much to give in monetary support this may be the pledge level for you! You'll get access to all my weekly WIPs/sketches and ramblings in my Patreon feed. Check out my different pledge levels to see what other goodies could be yours (monthly hi-res wallpapers, and handpainted postcards are just a few ;) )

Can't pledge at all? That's ok! But I will ask you to do one thing for me, do me a solid and share this journal and my patreon link :D

:heart:Xadrea

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Things To Know: Human Characters of Color Pt. 2

16 min read
This is a follow-up to the blog which you can read here: Things To Know: Creating Human Characters of Color. The previous blog covered the numerous issues surrounding inclusion and diversity that are extremely important to be cognizant of (please read it if you have not yet done so). This blog will cover the nuts and bolts of depictions of non-white humans! Warning: this journal contains a LOT of images. 

This is an important topic because there are very, very few resources that will actually teach you about the differences that occur in the figure across race. All figure drawing measurements are based on the ideal European body type. This was not an accident, as the practice of phrenology (a pseudo science) declared that the most perfect specimen of humanity was the European body and all other iterations were deformities. Thankfully, we now know that to be a lie, but the bias in tutorials remains thus making it harder for artists who are struggling to properly depict people of color. 

#1. Skin

Digital Painting/Drawing Reference Links- SKIN: a chart - SUPPLEMENT IMG, SKIN: a tutorial - Part 1, SKIN: a tutorial - Part 2, How to paint dark skin characters tutorial pack, Skintone Swatches, Skintone Swatches II, Skin Shades Palettes, Skin Palette for MyPaint V2, Color Theory Mini: Skin
Traditional Painting/Drawing Reference Links- Painting a Portrait, Copic Skin Tone Swatches, Marker Tutorial Part II - Colouring, Coloring Skin (Color pencils tutorial), Watercolor Tutorial [Techniques + Flowers], Prismacolor Pencil Combinations I - Rainbow, Prismacolor Pencil Combinations 2: Warm Colors, Prismacolor Pencil Combinations 3: Cool Colors
Your skin is your largest organ. It holds all your guts in, it keeps germs out, and of course, it protects you from the sun! Skin color is one of the biggest indicators of racial background too! Scientists over time have sought to categorize skin tones based on all sorts of things (a lot of it racist :XD: ) however the Von Luschan chromatic scale and the Fitzpatrick scale are still being used to categorize skin tone. The Von Luschan chromatic scale was used to establish classifications by race based on geographical location. 

Very Pale –1-5| Pale – 6-10| Pale/Medium –11-15| Medium –16-20| Medium/Dark –21-25| Dark –26-30| Very Dark –30-36
By contrast, the Fitzpatrick scale is based on how the skin responds to UV light so it can be used to determine how well skin tans or burns in addition to categorizing skin tone by geographic location. Fun fact: because this method of typing is based on numerical values it has been used to make diversified skin tones for emojis.
In order to adequately understand how to whip up realistic and believable skin tones, you must first have some basic knowledge of color theory :D When dealing with skin we use words like "warm" or "cool" to describe the temperature of the color. So how can you know which are warm colors and which are cool colors on the color wheel? Warm tones are the colors that have reds and yellows in them, and cool tones are the colors that have blues and greens in them. 

Another thing to be aware of when adding color to skin is how color can "change" temperature when paired up with other colors. This is called simultaneous contrast. Simultaneous contrast is what happens when two colors interact with one another, and the effect is more striking when used with complimentary colors (complimentary colors are red & green, yellow & purple, blue & orange). 
The purple square is the same tone in each corner!
There is a generalized notion that darker skin tones are cooler in tone. While this can be the case in very rich bluish black skin tones, but light skin tones can be cool too! For example, "porcelain" is a very cool light skin tone. Interestingly enough, Brazilian designer Angelica Dass is currently working on a project to collect a massive library of human skin tones. She has connected the base tone from her photographs with Pantone color codes. You can check out the whole project here: humane.tumblr.com
Pretty nifty stuff, I says!

#2. Hair

Digital Painting/Drawing Reference Links: Hair Tutorial, Curly Hair - Video Tutorial, Jumbo Hair Palettes Chart, Curly and Wavy Hair Tutorial, Asha's Hair Tutorial 3- Curly, Cornrows tutorial, Braid Tutorial, Drawing Ringlets 1, Drawing Ringlets 2, Drawing Ringlets 3, Realism Tutorial, +Painting anime hair...tutorial+
Traditional Painting/Drawing Reference Links: Tutorial: Drawing Ethnic Hair, Shiny Hair Tutorial, Curls: One way, Tutorial: How to draw hair, Hair tutorial 1 - Light hair, Hair tutorial 2 - Dark hair, Drawing Hair, Drawing Blond Hair Tutorial, Tutorial: Draw Hair : VER. 2.0, Hair Tutorial
Hair is another indicator of racial or ethnic identity! Color, sheen, and texture are just as important as the way it is coifed. One common mistake that artists tend to fall into is making all hair straight and super shiny. Yes, healthy hair does have a bit of sheen to it, but not all hair is SUPER glossy and that is because of the hair texture. Hair texture is determined by the shape of the hair follicle. The hair follicle is the tissue that surrounds the root of the hair. 
In cultures around the world hair length, especially for women, is an indicator of beauty. In other cultures hair length can be linked to religion. For Sikh's hair length is connected to one's devotion to God, and it is considered a hate crime in the United States to cut a Sikh's hair for that reason. Hair, just like skin color, must be approached with a manner of respect. In the West hairstyles are simply accessories and customization, but for most of the world hair is a much deeper subject. 

Hairstyles & Headdresses

African Hair:
The African diaspora includes the following people groups:  peoples from Africa, African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Black Canadians, Afro-South American, Zanj, and Siddis.
All people of African descent have some curling or coiling in their hair natural hair texture. It's a common thought that this type of hair grows slowly, and that actually isn't quite true. While everyone's hair does indeed grow at differing rates (diet has a lot to do with it), African type hair tends to be very dry and brittle, prone to breaking easily so it is difficult to maintain or encourage new growth. Additionally, very tightly coiled hair appears to be much shorter than it actually is. Why do you see so many black people with straight hair then? There are two answers to that question: straightening with heat, weaves or wigs & relaxers. You're probably familiar with wigs, but you may not be familiar with weaves. A weave is hair extensions that are woven into hair that has been braided tightly against the scalp. 
A relaxer is chemical treatment that permanently alters the physical structure of the hair follicle by straightening it. Relaxers tend to use caustic chemicals that can cause burns or allergic reactions so many people opt to have their hair straightened by a beautician. Because this process is permanent, roots must be touched up as they grow in.
Braids are a common hairstyle for people of Afro-Caribbean descent. Braiding protects hair from the elements and allows it to easily retain moisture. Braiding can be done in any pattern and with as little as one inch of hair. Cornrows (sometimes mistakenly called cornrolls...ugh) are a type of braiding that is done very close to the scalp resembling rows of crops. The term dates back to slavery. 
Images by artist Mickalene Thomas
Twists and locs are also a common hairstyle for the same reason as braids. Because of how tightly curled and coiled African hair tends to be it can tangle or loc up very easily. Contrary to popular belief neither hairstyle is dirty, smelly, or unkempt. 
Closely cropped or shaved styles are common in Western African nations and sub-Sahara Africa where the climate is very hot. Hair is cut short for utilitarian purposes, the main being to stay cool. 

Traditional hairstyles can vary by region and often consist of ornate braided patterns. 
Ethiopian
Namibian
Somali
Eritrean
Nigerian
Libyan
Kenyan
Niger
Moroccan
Asian Hair:
Asia is an enormous continent consisting of more than just China, Korea, and Japan. In fact, most of the world's population lives in Asia. Many countries that are colloquially known as parts of the Middle East are also part of Asia. 
Asian hair has a very strong, coarse structure and for that reason it appears to grow faster than other hair types because there is less breakage, however because of this it can be resistant to some styling techniques. It also tends to be straight and less dense than European hair. Because Asian hair grows at an angle from the scalp, it is actually growing upward and very short cuts can look spiky. 
Layered cuts tend to be popular options to add volume to the hair.
K-pop inspired cuts and color are pretty trendy right now. Men's cuts are short on the sides and in longer layers on top, whereas women's styles can be quite varied and unique.  

Traditional hairstyles for weddings and special occasions are often dripping with beautiful jewelry and gems or traditional headdresses. These are not simply fashion accessories and should not be used outside of their intended uses.  
Balinese
Javanese
Chinese
Bangladeshi
Indian
Tibetan
Sri Lankan
Japanese
Tajik 

#3. Facial Features

                                           

Digital Painting/Drawing Resource Links: Massive Face Tutorial, Semi-realism nose - step by step, Everything Concerning Lips, Drawing the Nose Video Tutorial, Exercise 24: Let's Draw a Nose, Human Nose- TUTORIAL,  Human Mouth- TUTORIAL, Age Progression of an Asian Eye, monolids, doublelids and hooded eyes, the all expansive 'asian' eye drawing guidei
Traditional Painting/Drawing Resource Links: Drawing reference : Asian eyes, Face Patterns Tutorial, Drawing Mouths Tutorial,  Black People in Cartoon, Anime, and mang, MANGA to REALISTIC PART ELEVEN,  Mouth Tutorial, Tutorial: female lips, nose and lips - sketch tut, 

Nose and lip shape are another indicator of racial background. You've probably wondered from time to time why people of differing races have different nasal shapes, and the reason is adaptation! People of European descent have narrow noses because of the colder climates of the Northern Hemisphere. It's easier for the body to heat freezing air that has been inhaled through a narrower passage because it gets in contact with the mucous layer of the nose first. American craniofacial surgeon Dr. Stephen R. Marquardt created mathematical "Masks" to measure beauty. The Marquardt Beauty Mask is based on the golden ratio (which is based on the Fibonacci Sequence). Faces which fall into the bounds of these ratios are considered "beautiful." This mask can actually be very helpful to artists struggling with facial proportions. 
The Marquardt Beauty Mask frontal and lateral view. The stuff of nightmares. 
African: Lower lip 18 degrees wider from the corner of the mouth and extending to inferiorly to the labio-mental fold, Upper lip 18 degrees wider from the corner of the mouth and extending to the philtrum, Wider nose and nostrils (nasal ala and nares extend laterally) – such that the lateral aspect of the nostril (nare) is on the naso-labial fold, Eye brows in the brow zone superior to that of the Mask, Lateral border of the face slightly narrower than the Mask.
Asian: Medial epicanthic fold, Lateral epicanthic fold, Lateral border of the face significantly wider than the Mask, Eye brows slightly superior to that of the Mask with shorter tails, Slightly wider nose and nostrils (nasal ala and nares extend laterally), Superiorly positioned nasal columella creating a longer upper lip.
European: Slightly vertically thin upper and lower lips, Flat eyebrow (very little arch), Slightly wider nose, Lateral border of the face slightly wider than the Mask, (Narrow eyes, longer vertical chin, longer nose).
Composite images of "averages" have been created at FaceResearch.org and are rather interesting to review! Composite images taken of hundreds of people of varied nationalities make an average male or female face in this project. 

Average Filipino Male

Average Samoan Male

Average South African Female

#4. Mixed Race/Multi-Ethnic Individuals

I want to begin this section by first saying that there is a commodification of people who are mixed race based on their "exotic" looks and it is wrong. There are multiple outlets all over the internet declaring that multi-racial people are "more beautiful" amongst other things, including people going out of their way to conceive multi-racial children. Those sentiments are sickening. Not because people of multi-racial backgrounds are not beautiful, all people can be beautiful, but rather they are reduced to objects of desire based on how "different" they look.
"Mixed folks are great – GO US – but it’s simply not due to our genetic difference from the rest of humanity. We are not aliens; we are not dogs or other domesticated animals. We’re just another socially-defined group of people, and a force to be reckoned with – like the rest of our species." ChopTensils
About 8% of the Earth's population of humans is multi-racial. This means that these humans have ethnic and or racial backgrounds that differ in both parents. What features a person receives has a lot to do with dominant and recessive genes, and inheritance of skin color is an even more complex process because there are multiple genes involved. 

If you're confused, you're doing it right. 
There are at least eight genes involved in the genetic inheritance of skin color. For example my dad, and this is the only way to help you understand in layman's terms XD, was the same color as Beyonce :XD: But I didn't inherit that trait in spite of having grandparents on both sides being that shade of brown. 

I was a super cute baby as you can see. 
When it comes to other features their last effects from generation to generation depends on their dominance.

You can probably figure out what you've inherited from your parents using this handy dandy chart!
Because of the complexities of skin color inheritance, skin color cannot be assumed for people who are multi-racial until they are born. Hair type and eye color are dominant genes so they are the most inherited traits. However in some cases, such as Rashida Jones's (as seen in the gif above), hair, nose width, and eye color were not inherited from her African American father, however her sister Kidada did inherit those traits. 

Science!
Some other famous peeps whom you may not know are multi-racial are...
Norah Jones, her father was world renowned Indian sitar composer Pandit Ravi Shankar. 
Slash, his mother was African American. 
Tom Morello, his father Stephen Ngethe Njoroge was the first Kenyan ambassador to the United States. 
Maya Rudolph, her mother was African American soul singer Minnie Riperton. 
Shakira, her father was Lebanese. 

In closing I hope that the images, information, and resources were helpful to your endeavors! Let me know if you have any additional questions down in the comments section!

:heart:Xadrea



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Things To Know: Creating Human Characters of Color

25 min read

It's been awhile since I've written anything exclusively for ArtistsHospital! Well over a year in fact. As a followup to my "Common Misconceptions" series* (links at the bottom of this journal) I decided to begin a new series titled "Things To Know." These blogs will cover topics that are not commonly addressed in tutorials or articles existing here on dA. The goal is to help you out by answering questions you've had but couldn't find answers to. That being said, I decided to begin this series with a doozy of a topic: race. Yes, it's the hottest topic on the table right now according to the media, but this topic has always been a topic of contempt (in the United States, that is). There have been no "good ole days when everyone got along" sadly, and because of this there is enduring misunderstanding revolving around what even constitutes as racist imagery. 

Let's be perfectly frank: the history of representation and depiction of non-white characters in visual and performing arts has been absolutely abysmal. And while it is getting better, the public's reaction to seeing non-white characters fulfilling roles initially has been equally disappointing...heck even Old Navy's most recent ad featuring an interracial family sparked all kinds of unreasonable hatred. Because of this many artists who are interested in having a diversified cast of characters in their work shy away in fears of inciting rage from both sides of the debate. My goal with this blog is to answer some frequently asked questions, present some historical evidence, and give you some reassurance as you move forward. 

I also want to point out that this blog is in no way meant to "bash" people who are white. It's purpose is to help you as an artist understand the current issues that are plaguing the visual and performing arts. I am of the thought that that education goes a long way. 

#1. Race and Ethnicity are not the same thing. 

This is a huge point of confusion for the average Joe out there, so let me break it down for ya! Race is a social construct that groups together based on distinct physical characteristics. Ethnicity on the other hand is a category of people who identify with each other based on common language, ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences. You can be ethnically different than people belonging to your own race. For example, I'm black. But ethnically, I'm American. Another term you should be familiar with is diaspora. A diaspora is a scattered population whose origin lies within a smaller geographic locale. Slavery, wars, exploration, exile, and the search for autonomy has scattered a great many people groups throughout the Earth over time. To understand how diverse the human population on Earth is, check out this gif!

Rather interesting information, huh?

#2. Racist glasses. 

Sadly, this is how many people function on the daily. 
Here's the definition of racism in case you weren't already clear: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Did you know that it comes in different flavors? Did you also 'reverse racism' isn't one of them? The term reverse racism implies that it is nearly impossible for a non-white person to be racist. You haven't been on this Earth long enough if you think that malarky is true. What are the aforementioned 'flavors' of racism you ask?
  • Subtle racism (aka covert racism or microaggression)- this is your everyday racism. Being followed through stores, asked where you got "all that money," asked why you are in "this neighborhood," and negative connotations based on given or family names are examples of this. It's annoying enough to know which family members aren't welcome at Thanksgiving, but doesn't usually have enough punch to be taken seriously by people outside of the group. This type of racism is rooted in your garden variety prejudice. 
  • Internal racism (aka colorism)- this is racism that is carried out within a racial group. It can be based on skin color (light is good, dark is bad or vice versa) or ethnic disputes. This type of racism
  • Unintentional racism- this is racism performed without ill intent. It's most often carried out by people who have been spoon fed misinformation about racial groups and believe them to be true. For example the University of Virignia discovered that its white medical students believed that black patients feel less pain and that their skin is thicker than that of white patients (among a host of other untrue things). Ignorance isn't a great defense when you're in medical school. I mean, come on. 
  • Ethnocentrism (aka  the naive attempt to 'justify' why your culture is right and the others are barbaric savages)- this is the racism that has historically followed colonialism. Forced assimilation, mission schools, and Westernization (including governments) are examples of this. 
  • Intentional racism- this is the worst flavor in the racist jellybean jar. It doesn't need any explanation. 

#3. A cast belonging to the same racial group is not inherently racist...except when it clearly is. 

This needs to be shouted all over Tumblr. While it is indeed upsetting that people of color are not getting the amount of representation they need in the media, one cannot assume that the reason for that specific casting was indeed "racist." I once had an acquaintance try to explain to me that the Cee Lo Green music video for the song Forget You is racist because there were no white actors in it.

We no longer talk because of those types of lapses of his intelligence. 
Adaptations of films and productions that have been made originally featuring an all white cast now featuring a racially different cast is not racist. Examples of this are The Wiz, Creole Giselle, Steel Magnolias, Annie, and Cinderella. On that same note, there was controversy before Disney's Frozen came out because all the characters are white...in spite of the story in the movie (and the tale it's based on) is situated in what is clearly Northern Europe. Tumblr and Twitter can be exceptionally frustrating places to hang out sometimes. For a thing to be racist it must first be based on the idea of superiority. This is what has happened historically in the casting for films and productions for stories set in the Middle East or Asia. (The Mummy, Cleopatra, Gods of Egypt, Noah, 300, The Passion of the Christ, Prince of Persia...I really don't need to go on).
In response to accusations of whitewashing, Ridley Scott, director of Exodus: Gods and Kings is quoted saying: "I can’t mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such. I’m just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn’t even come up." Wanna know something ironic? The director of Gods of Egypt, a film containing not one Egyptian cast member, is Egyptian himself. Refer to the Cee Lo gif above for an applicable reaction image. 

The recent troubles with trying to make Scarlett Johansson look more Asian for the live action version of Ghost in the Shell and Tilda Swinton playing a Tibetan monk in the upcoming Doctor Strange is very alarming. The trouble isn't so much that white actors have "usurped" these roles from their original players, it is that the ethnicity of such characters is important to the fabric of the story and the characters. That is why the argument that Michael B. Jordan depicting Johnny Storm in the last trash version of The Fantastic Four (please Hollywood, for the love of God, STOP MAKING FANTASTIC FOUR MOVIES) was racist doesn't have any sense or truth to it. In short: If you've got characters who's ethnic or racial background is important to who they are do not change it. 
It makes me sad too, Finn.

#4. Know the stats. 

Note: The statistical breakdown of people groups I'll be sharing here is information that is unique to the United States only. There tends to be a bit of confusion in defining what a minority is. People who work with the public like to gleefully explain that the term minority is quickly going extinct, but I will humbly disagree. Yes, there is one ethnic group that is closing the gap with the majority in the United States, but that is the only group to do so. 

Mmmm, pie.

#5. Know the stereotypes (and avoid them like the plague). 

Seeing those numbers kind of justifies the lack of diversity we see in comics and movies, right? Well, not really. Hispanic and Latino people are second largest demographic in the US, yet only a minuscule 6% of speaking roles are fulfilled by that people group. More often than not non-white actors are cast in roles that reinforce stereotypes. Below is a listing of frequently recurring stereotypes in film. 

2 by Xadrea
1 by Xadrea
Not included here: Brainiac Perfectionist (Asian) and Master at Martial Arts (also Asian). Infographic Source.
These stereotypes are used in comics too, granted the history of comics is actually worse than film in that department. 

*Heavy sigh*

#6. The representation gap is actually a canyon. 

This year's Oscar's boycott wasn't simply an attempt to become more offended than we already are as a society (I am art and this deviant offends me...ok I'll stop). The proof of the lack of representation is in the pudding. 
These are all of the non-white Oscar winners in the history of the Oscars.
Yet, this does not end with the Oscars. 
Or the Academy Awards. 

#7. Create Responsibly.

That's a question I've been asked a couple of times and my answer hasn't changed: stay away from depictions of non-white characters that mock features of the face and body. For the sake of everyone's eyes and innocence I'll not post any images here but you can browse the Jim Crow Museum's collection here: www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/. Also, do not write about experiences that are not your own without doing the proper amount of research first. Remember that you are looking into those experiences as an outsider. No amount of compassion or empathy will equal a shared experience when it comes to ethnic and racial histories.
This is Rachel. Don't be like Rachel.  
Another example of this misstep is the Marvel comic Strange Fruit. The comic is about an alien who looks like a black man living in rural Mississippi in 1927 (Marvel: that couldn't possibly be wrong in any way!). It was also written by a white man (another red flag). The series has been heavily criticized for appropriation. Here is an excerpt from an essay written in response to the comic's issues.

"Marvel was not being conscientious of their approach to blackness — specifically, not being conscientious of the fact that they are happy to use the products of black culture to sell their comics but not let black people have a part in the creative process. It’s is their prerogative to make those choices, but it is also my prerogative to openly challenge them...
Of course, this metaphor clearly fails on some scores for this discussion — for example, everyone has a different definition of what it is to “drink responsibly.” Does drink responsibly mean don’t drink such that you get sick, don’t drink such that you don’t black out, or don’t drink such that you don’t hurt someone else? Carrying those questions forward to our original discussion — why do black people get to decide what it means to create responsibly in regards to anti-black racism? And the answer is: because it’s black people who pay the ultimate price.
In terms of Strange Fruit and similar works, it’s black people who suffer when white readers think that racism is only enacted a certain way. Those same white readers, after a lifetime of textbooks and films and shows that insist that racism is using the N-word and calling me “colored,” will leave their homes, go to their jobs, and think the reason they decided not to offer their black employee a raise was his perceived aggression in the workplace." Read More: Creating Responsibly: Comics Has A Race Problem 
The author's plea here is that you simply create responsibly. Do not be afraid to draw racially diverse characters! Doing so does not magically mean you're doing anything "wrong" (please...stay away from the offended side of Tumblr).
Here are some Do Nots when it comes to creating non-white characters: 
  • Do not rely on stereotypes.
  • Do not rely only upon observation or anecdotal evidence when portraying people groups outside of your own. 
  • Do not use racist cartoons as resource images. 
  • Do not guess when trying to draw characters of various racial groups. 
  • Do not become unnecessarily worried about immediately adding non-white characters to your stories/comics. 
And here are your Dos!


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Art Tutorial: Mouth and Teeth

21 min read
:iconprojecteducate:
:iconprojecteducate:


Community Week
Hi guys! Learning to paint traditionally or digitally can be a challenge, but I want to help ease your burden a little bit by taking some of the edge off the learning curve! When painting the figure (that is, a human) digitally vs. traditionally the only thing that has changed is the medium. Let me say it again for the people in the back: the only thing that changes when you paint digitally versus traditionally is the medium.
One is noteasier than the other, there are pros and cons to both (and if you're about to say one is cheaper than the other I will laugh heartily at you, you dear dear child :XD: ). This tutorial is interchangeable for both mediums.
Now that that's out of the way, I will be discussing the mouth and teeth. Why only the mouth and teeth you ask? Well for starters we have symbolsfor both already. And while that is well and good, it is the left hemisphere of your brain telling you that it knows what a mouth looks like...yet what you draw does not look anything like what you're trying to do. Observation in it's truest form can help you break through common errors in execution of the mouth and teeth. Also, I'm gonna be completely honest, every single time I draw a mouth I end up grinning like an idiot.
And it's not nearly as adorable as Monkey D. Luffy's mug when I do it.
To begin your journey to painting better mouths and teeth the first thing you need is an understanding of anatomy.

Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Dry Bones

Screen Shot 2016-05-05 at 1.52.14 PM by Xadrea
From the book Drawing the Head and Hands by Andrew Loomis

The human skeleton is the foundation of your form. One thing you should be aware of before beginning to draw the head is that every person has bone structure under his/her skin. Your teeth, which are bones, also give your mouth and face alot of shape (if you have parents or grandparents who wear dentures you're probably well aware of this).

Another thing to be be aware of is how the fleshy parts of our skin lie over our skeletal frames. Sounds gross right? Yay! Our bodies are equal parts awesome and gross :XD: Even if you have thin lips the tissue that makes them plumper than other parts of your face extend well beyond your teeth. Check out this dental x-ray!

I'm slightly envious of those perfect pearls tbh.

Ethnic Differences In the Mouth

Ethnic differences are rarely discussed in anatomy tutorials which causes problems for artists who wish to render non European figures. Most proportion charts are made with European features in mind which closes the door to expansion of knowledge and that makes me sad! You should know how to draw a variety of types of ethnic features, not just the most popular archetype.
One of the most notable features in non-European features is the lips. That is not to say that all people of European descent have thin lips and not all people of African descent have luscious lips like Garnet.
So exquisite.

However these differences must be noted in order to depict your figures as naturally as possible. Note: don't be intimated about drawing people of different ethnicities. If you take care to note differences in features you are doing just fine!
Sneak Peak: Mouth and Teeth Tutorial by Xadrea
For a person of European descent, the lips generally do not meet the imaginary diagonal line that runs from the tip of the nose to the chin. For a person of African descent, the lips may touch or even go beyond this line and, the chin (jawbone) is less pronounced.
Sneak Peak: Mouth and Teeth Tutorial by Xadrea
The natural color and fullness of the lips also changes across ethnicities. While the flesh of the lips tends to be reddish in color, the more melanin a person has the darker their lips will appear to be. As mentioned before, the fullness of the lips is also an indicator of ethnicity. The upper lip tends to be thinner than the lower lip for those of European descent, whereas those of African descent tend to have full upper and lower lips. Also notice that the lower lip in both of my renderings there have highlights on them. That is because the lower lip sticks out from the mouth opening, whereas the upper lip curves up from the opening of the mouth. Under most light sources the upper lip is in some shadow. The tubercle (that is, the Cupid's bow) tends to catch some light and rims the upper lip in a nice highlight.

Your Lips Are 3-D

A common error in the depiction of lips is forgetting that they are three dimensional! Your lips no matter how thick or thin they are come away from your face! That means they are catching light and shadow from all over the place!
Sneak Peak: Mouth and Teeth Tutorial by Xadrea
Depending on the direction of your light source the lips will be highlighted or in shadow in different areas. Capturing areas of reflected light can make a huge difference in alerting the viewer of which direction your light source is coming from. In the example of strong overhead lighting the upper lip is being illuminated by the surrounding skin of the face. How, you ask? LIGHT BOUNCES, SON.
If you've never done this you haven't lived, my friend.
Another thing to take stock of is where the fleshy part of the lips ends. The juicy parts of your lips taper off before they meet the corners of your mouth. If they didn't you'd have a spectacularly difficult time cramming a whole pizza in there, let alone talking!

Teef

Showing teeth is an odd thing, they're bones we eat with :XD:. Most creatures on earth don't do it when they're being friendly, and even amongst humans there are plenty of cultures who view baring the teeth to be rude. However, for many of us in this neck of the woods, a toothy smile is warm and welcoming. When you do an open mouthed smile it's usually relaxed enough that not all your front teeth are showing (with the exceptions of Gary Busey or Goldie Hawn) but wide enough we do see your pearls.
Add Chip Skylark to the list too.
Remember when you depict teeth that the teeth are attached to the gingiva (gums), they don't just sit in your mouth. When trying to capture likeness of a person's smile being aware of whether or not any of their gums are showing is an important detail.
Sneak Peak: Mouth and Teeth Tutorial by Xadrea
One common mistake that occurs when people paint teeth is grabbing the white paint. Newsflash: teeth aren't titanium white, not really. And while the example I painted does indeed look white, it isn't :XD: White and black are very stark colors and should be used very sparingly at full strength. Discoball teeth are hard to get rid of in a nice painting, so always buff your white with a warm tone and build up to a brighter off white.

Screen Shot 2016-04-30 at 9.04.54 PM by Xadrea
"That looks horrific, you can't paint." Me: I KNOW.

When you are painting teeth that are meant to look sparkly and fraesh, one trick for shadows and midtones is to avoid using darker greys, instead mix some light blues in there. This brightens up the palette and makes them look fresh and clean.
Screen Shot 2016-05-05 at 3.15.48 PM by Xadrea
"My shiny teeth and m-" ok I'll stop.
Hopefully the info I imparted on you will corrupt, I mean shape your mind as an artist and you'll have continued success in your journey! As always feel free to chime in with your own tips or ask questions in the comments below!

:heart:Xadrea


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Our Old Frenemy: The Human Brain

21 min read
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Community Week
Our brains get in our ways sometimes when we draw. You'll get a spark of inspiration and suddenly it's gone. You might be so focused on one area that you completely overlook an obvious mistake. Or worst of all: you have a metric ton of ideas of stuff to draw at three o' clock in the morning (srsly, I hate that). Today I'll explain the scientific reasons your brain can sometimes work against you while you're trying to art and some exercises to beat that know it all brat into submission! 

Your Brain Is a Colossal Douchebag


Just look at it. Dancing. Mocking us. 
It is. The brain is an amazing organ, but it can be your absolute worst enemy when it comes to drawing, and not for the reasons you think. Here's one thing about drawing: everyone can do it. It's one of those skills that can absolutely be learned by everyone. The top reason people have convinced themselves that they "can't" do it is because they have become frustrated in not drawing what they want realistically. This is called crisis (no I did not make this up lol) and it occurs around the age of 11 or 12, around the age where you gain the magical ability to think abstractly! The brain is split into two hemispheres: the logical as a Vulcan left hemisphere, and the creative Dirty Hippy right hemisphere. The left hemisphere tends to be focused on details, the right hemisphere tends to see things as a whole. And until you are able to recognize a whole thing is made up of the sum of its parts (that is, the theory of gestalt) you will have trouble drawing realistically, especially objects you can see and name. 

Since our brains are experts at interpreting complex things simply to us, we develop a system of symbols that represent objects and ideas. Look at any child's drawing and you'll see universal motifs for the sun, people, trees, clouds, and so on. This is why many adult's drawings look like children did them, they never broke out of the symbol system. This system of symbols isn't necessarily wrong, it's just over simplified. Quick sidebar: children before the age of 11 should not be forced to try to draw things realistically. The way that small children draw is not wrong, do not try to 'correct' them. Young children are not developmentally ready to think abstractly and thus such direction is highly confusing to them. This is the number two reason many people learn to hate drawing. As a child someone (usually an adult being a jerk) stole their thunder.

The Hemispheres

Thanks to the trends in education (American education, that is) more focus has been put into exercising your logical left hemisphere, rather than your whole brain. Now, that's not to say that you can't favor one side of your brain over the other. And there's actually a fun little test you can take to find out which hemisphere you favor more here: www.rit.edu/imagine/brain.php  

Drawing taps into the creative right side of the brain, but you may find that your logical left hemisphere is always bein' Kanye. 
And your right hemisphere is Bill Hader. 
This happens often when we try to draw the human head and face. Yeezy, your left hemisphere, starts telling you that it already knows what an eye looks like and where it goes. It tries to label and organize when it shouldn't, just like Yeezy. When in truth it has absolutely no bearings on where that thing should be placed because it's not a solitary object. That's how we end up with this lil conundrum:  
Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 5.26.50 PM by Xadrea

A Common Mistake

One common mistake that occurs when people are learning to draw the head is chopping off the top of the skull. That is, thinking that the skull stops at the hairline. You've probably seen drawings where the head is flattened toward the top and the face takes up most of the head. That's your left hemisphere saying that the details of the face are super important and therefore the only thing it is paying attention to. 

The Blank1 by Xadrea
The top of the model's head has been "chopped off" to demonstrate this error.  Image courtesy of faestock 

When we see images with this mistake we immediately know that there are some issues within the artists's observation of the subject. One way for you to practice breaking out of this error is the following exercise:
  • sit in front of a mirror looking straight on
  • place a hand at your hairline
  • move your hand up to the crown of your head
  • your head is suddenly a lot larger than you originally thought huh?

I Draw Anime/Style X, Why Should I know How To Do This?

Excellent question my young padawan. Because teaching your brain how to work cohesively is important. Most of the things that I draw as an artist are not from observation, however I've learned to overcome the symbol system that we all have from learning how to draw things the way they look in reality. That does not mean you must translate that into all of your work, it simply means that your brain is getting the kick in the pants it deserves. Case in point, check out this self portrait. 


It was done in 1899 at age 19 by one of the most famous artists of the modern era (I'll let you know who in a moment). This artist worked in a highly stylized manner of drawing and painting, yet he fully understood what he was doing based on a solid grounding in studio training. Know who I'm talking about yet? Here's a self portrait he did in 1971 at age 90 . 


Pablo Picasso


Three Things To Do To Kick Your Habits

One of the biggest ways to break away from drawing symbols instead of what you see (you should be drawing from observation when you're learning how to draw), is to talk to yourself. All artists are muttering crazy people, didn't you notice?

This is me. 
Eyes don't look like footballs. Or almonds. Or ellipses.  So stop telling yourself that they do. Eyes are round, they are protected and covered by lids. The shape of the lids doesn't look anything like the aforementioned objects when they are truly observed. This goes for absolutely everything you have a symbol for. Instead, talk about which direction a shape is going. Does it curve or stay flat? Is it bumpy? Thicker on one side? Does it stop abruptly? You'll be surprised in what a difference this kind of talking will make!

The second thing you need to do ASAP is get yourself a cheat sheet. You need to know exactly where things go on a face. All the measurements of a human face (that is, proportions) skew slightly when you're drawing an actual person, that's why we all look different didn'tcha know? Below are the general measurements of a front facing face (hah). 

The Eyes
  • The eyes are located halfway down the face. If they are not in the right place the whole face is out of proportion.
 The Nose
  • The bridge and ball of the nose fall in the middle of the centerline. The base of the nose is halfway down from from the eyeline.
The Mouth
  • The opening for the mouth is halfway between the base of the nose and the chin. The corners of the mouth is the width of the middle of the eyes.
 The Ears
  • The space between the eyeline and the line the base of the nose is generally where the ears sit.

The final thing you need to do while you're practicing drawing is to listen to music without words. SAY WHAT?! You heard me. The language areas of your brain are located in Yeezy (your left hemisphere). You gotta shut him up while you're drawing. You may find that you have the ability to sing along to songs with words while you're drawing stuff you're good at drawing. This is because you already taught Yeezy to shut up while you're drawing that thing. Whenever you're trying to draw something new, put on music without lyrics. This will help your right brain focus a lot. This doesn't mean you need to listen to classical orchestral music, just anything without lyrics. Note: don't cheat and listen to kareoke versions of songs with words in them. Yeezy'll be a douche and sing 'em to himself. 

Bonus! I wrote a tutorial that accompanies this blog to getcha started drawing faces the way you always wanted!
  Human Anatomy Tutorial: The Head by Xadrea

Questions? Feel free to leave 'em in the comments section!

:heart:Xadrea 


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