FanArt: Cho

(as if didn't already write a life-long comment..)

I just noticed (in your comment-answer in your gallery main page) that you didn't try to achieve the realistic looks! Darn! I can then take quite a lot back from my comment since I know very little about drawing anime! But hope I helped you in some ways anyway..

Gabriella Grace Christensen replies: "yes well, I'm just glad I'm not having to repete myself now. But thank you for the long advise anyways, it'll come in handy when I'm drawing realism and get something to look right. Thank you."

Hello! I hope I wont pick at any personal style issues, but you asked for constructive criticism, so beware - here goes some (for starters)!

The first thing that seriously drew my attention was that her eyes are placed too high - they're on her forehead. If you look an actual face, you'll see that the eyes are placed right in the middle: between the top outline of the head (not the hairline) and the chin's lower outline. Also the eye's iris (the coloured part) is a little too large here: there is usually more white part showing. And the neck is perhaps a little too long (although that might be a bit harsh coming from me since I personally love drawing unnaturally long necks..).
And what comes to colouring her hair: I think it should be darker around the back of her neck, that's where the darkest shadow usually is. Black and shiny hair can be tricky, but I'm wondering why only the fringe is dark, leaving other hair somewhat grey..?

Anyhow. The best way to learn how to draw people's faces (or anything, basically) is to take a good photo of one and study it carefully: measure the actual proportions and draw what you *see*, not what you *think* you see. The same goes with shading, which is always tricky at first, until you learn the basics.

At least, this is what has helped me the most. I'm not saying my advice would necessary work for everyone - there are so many styles and many of them follow different rules of art. I assume you were heading for a somewhat realistic looks (i.e. not for example cubist or so). And I hope my suggestions came out as well-meaningly as I meant them to. Keep up drawing, It's one of the most challenging and fun things to do!