"Elven Headshot" by Alon Rand

man i loved that pic its cool as hell... man i wish i could draw like that... you did a great shading job

This is an absolutely breathtaking picture. That pretty much sums it up, but I'll elaborate anyway. The shading is wonderful...the smoothness of it makes the image luminous, and yet not /overly/ soft looking; you use the same style of shading as I do...you just come up with better results! Your use of the full scale of shades is also impressive; I admire the way you've used the absolute darkest you could (did you, by any chance, use pen for a few touches of this?) as in the shadows at the edges of the eyes, and worked your way up to the pure and gleaming white that makes the skin shine so beautifully. The eyes, as well, are amazing, and the sense of depth beneath the jaw is also something that caught my attention. The only advice I would have is to perhaps blend the highlights on the hair just a bit more; they just strike me as being a bit sharp and ridgelike, is all. It's not important, but it was the only thing I could find that's even /remotely/ imperfect, and I /had/ to say /something/! Oh dear, this is awefully long...sorry about inflicting this rather garbled attempt at voicing my opinion upon you...

I perfectly understand getting caught writing long comments. Some of the ones I've left make this one seem short and sweet. But to get to your questions, no I did not use a pen, its all pencil, and I didn't even use my drawing pencils for this one. Just a number 2 mechanical pencil on notebook paper. The notebook paper smudges better than I thought it would. If not for the fact that it has lines on it and also doesn't hold the image well, comparatively, I'd use it more often for things with heavy shading. I realize the hair seems a bit abrupt compared to the skin, but it was partly all I had time for the day I was finishing it in class, and partly because it wasn't cooperating any further. My biggest gripe in this one is the lack of any expression on her face. I hadn't really thought about expression when I drew it, so she looks like she's mindless or hypnotized or something. I may do another version of this sometime with an expression...

Bored? In *philosophy* class? Oh well... the elf looks cool.

Well I think you guys are wrong I mean look at the eyes there way to big and the neck is just way to long.I think that Xyra or whatever has an eye problem with this pic. But dont get me wrong I love most of your drawings and by the way sorry for thinkin you where a girl.

Cool picture, but i think that the eyes look a bit flat, but... Hey great shading too!

It's beautiful!! Sec2 or whoever is the one with the eye problem if you ask me. The eyes are not too big. They're about the same as mine are in comparison to my head, only mine are rounder and they're only big if I'm awake. You do excellent work, Alon!

Mmm. Let's see. the braid-ponytail thing reminded me of those dream-catchers that have llama wool hanging down from them, and they wrap it up like that. The hollow in the right cheek is perfect to match the hollow under the chin. Definately beautiful. I like how the collarbone and the muscles in the neck are defined, and i love the eyes. You draw as well as you write!

Very good work. I really like the eyes.