Fairy Face
STEP 2
The Fairy Face - Now I have sketched out the rest of the face. After the eyes have been drawn, I mark in the position of where the nose will be, then sketch it out, then how far down the mouth will be, the chin, then the position of the ears, etc.
The eyes, for instance, are placed almost half way down the head. The spacing between the eyes is approximately the width of an eye. Now with a fairy face, this can definitely be different. Eyes may be quite close together or very far apart, as fairy faces can sometimes seem a bit ...distorted... to human eyes. The spacing between the features makes a big difference on whether a fairy looks "attractive" or not - it is all in proportion.
When the basic features are in place, that is when I draw the shape of the face around everything. Notice that there is a bit of space on the outer edge of each eye, where the temple is, then the hair line. If an artist studies his or her own image in a mirror to see the spacing between features and how the outline of the face is, it is much easier to draw.
Some artists draw the face shape first, and then position everything inside of it. I do just the opposite. That way I know everything is the correct size and proportion, and it will all fit. Less erasing. Fairies often seem to have a sort of pointed chin. A kind of pixie look. So that is what I am making here.
The hair is just a suggestion at this point. Mostly, because I don't know what I'm doing yet. I don't always plan everything out in detail before I begin. Even though something may be Seen or inspired, it is not always easy to portray just what what it is or what was Seen. Nor do I know yet what I'll be doing for the detail on the costume, fairy makeup (if I do any), or wings. In other words, I'm winging it. Just a little joke there. Winging it...
So far this is all still really basic - I have drawn a million different kinds of faces over the years. I could draw them in my sleep. Maybe.
Next - Step 3. More Eye Detail. I think. We'll see how it goes.
Mary
