Now that I have a solid foundation I can add the flourishing touches such as the focus of the eyes, wisps of hair and further elaborate upon the roll of money that Made carried in her ear lobe.
Establishing the focus of the eyes, or the gaze, is a delicate matter of trial and error and decision making. Like me, you may decide to have the drawing’s gaze directly meet the viewer’s. This creates a more engaged portrait. On the other hand you may want to have a deferential gaze where the focus is elsewhere.
My practice is to lightly sketch in one eye’s iris taking care that it is accurate both proportionately and shape-wise. Then lightly sketch in the other eye’s iris. Step back a few feet from your drawing and check the gaze. Be prepared to have to erase your first, and perhaps even second and third, attempt at the iris. Getting the gaze right is a matter of millimeters. Turning your drawing upside down is a good way to gain an overall sense of your drawing’s balance.
