Portrait Contest 2 - Sylvester Stallone as Rambo

[2turnage]

can you put a how to use oil pastels video on youtube?

[chubbington2]

Good technique , composition mistake cut his head out a bit , would have been better doing it in the upright version of the rectangle. Anyway , good all the same. from a pro artist. Who has had enough of portraits as , people want to be more beautifull then in reality , ie wrinkles , etc. So , I've stopped doing portraits , sold in order of 1200 since 1980. Got to get some of my garbage on youtube.

[SmecksDotCom]

Thanks so much for the comment. I definitely agree with you in regards to the orientation, but I tend to err on the side of horizontal for recording purposes - that way I can try to capture as much detail for the video rather than having to zoom out & have wasted video space on either side... I should probably change my taping technique instead of letting the composition suffer... I just get stubborn sometimes :)

Would love to see your work, please do post some! Thanks again for the feedback!

[VoodooFingerz]

when did you start drawing, and how old are you now? just wondering =P

[alexbaxthedarkside]

did an amazing job ^^

[JoshuaHendry]

How do you capture yourself drawing? What brand of recorder do you use and what software?

[SmecksDotCom]

Recording the drawings is always a constant struggle for me. Currently am using a Sony DCR-SR42 handycam to record and then use ulead for the editing (it's the best one i've found in order to speed up the time lapse). Holler if you have any more questions. :)

[10isawsome]

awesome WOW

[Flixray]

Dangit, i did it again - sorry - flixray is smecksdotcom - i forgot which account i was signed into [insert embarassed smile here]

[ironcast12345]

nice picture! how long have you been drawing? do you use pastels or what? what pencil do you use? hb or what? usually ppl like u use like all of the hardnesses

[Flixray]

I use rembrandt soft pastels - i actually only started using them since doing youtube videos - loving 'em! Even when using pencils or charcoal, the softer the better for me. Do you draw?

[ironcast12345]

yea but i just started, i haven't gotten into pastels and stuff still with the pencils and pens XD

[touch1a]

OMG

[bardc001]

wow

[yenrac17]

drawing..i ment drawing

[yenrac17]

how do you know where to start w/ the pic?

[GeeMoney7]

people usually just start with where they feel most comfortable starting at....sorry i know u werent talkin 2 me but i just want 2 help im a future artist myself

[SmecksDotCom]

I agree with GeeMoney's comment... I really don't have a set starting point, though I will usually lightly put in the main features first (eyes, nose, lips). Sometimes it is helpful to work some of the darker areas early to use as a benchmark, but as you can see I'm all over the place with no rhyme or reason sometimes... it just kind of happens how it happens, if you know what i mean :)

[rckon777]

how long did it take you?

[SmecksDotCom]

Hmm, it is always so hard for me to answer that question because I tend to lose track of time when I draw, and i tend to take several breaks throughout to stretch, drink, read email, ponder, boogie (not really, just making sure you are paying attention still)...

If I had to guess actual drawing time...maybe 5-6 hours? I honestly don't know, but i don't think that guess is too too terribly far off.

[learningbass]

damn people have som much TALENT that is umbelivable

[SmecksDotCom]

Thank you so much for the nice comment, it is truly appreciated! :)

[rckon777]

DAAAAAAAMN!!!!

[SmecksDotCom]

Thaaaaanks!!!  :)

[DannyDiDon]

u know ppl who said its sylvester stallone should get it wrong :P....... why because its RAMOBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8D . LOL.... but for real most ppl jus call him Rambo :3

[Limoaz]

I knew this from your second clue. I didn't know how to post on the forums so I left it :(

[Supernova336]

OH btw, do you add anything over it so that the pastels don't smear all over the place and ruin the picture? because one i did a landscape drawing and i inadvertently rubbed my arm across the drawing and pretty much ruined it...so is there a spray or something? or do you just have to be really really careful?

[Flixray]

Oh most definitely so or I'd be wearing the pastels much more than I already do! I use artists spray fixative. If you have a half way decent art / arts & craft store in your area they should certainly have it... I'm not 100% sure, but there is a possibility even wal mart would have it in their craft section. Highly recommended to pick up a can :) Sorry to hear you ruined your landscape drawing. I think i'd be pretty bummed over that one :(

[Supernova336]

haha yeah i was pretty bummed out. So far with my drawings i just put it in a plstic cover and don't touch it ever never ever

Cool, thanks! I'll check out Walmart soon!

[SmecksDotCom]

In a pinch, you can actually use hairspray... but... in the same breath you have to be careful since the hairspray dispersal can be a bit more unpredictable at times. Also if you get a spot too heavy on your art it can leave an "oil" spot, so to speak. But, in a bind and lightly/carefully applied it can actually do a decent job.

[SmecksDotCom]

Oh whoops.. sorry - that was me (Flixray). I am working on setting up a new channel and didn't realize I was logged in under that ID at the time I left that. Silly me.

[Supernova336]

haha oooo new channel!!

Flixray...cool name

[Supernova336]

OMG *banging head on table some more*

[Flixray]

* Runs to get more ice *

[Supernova336]

I don't get it...is SmecksDotCom affiliated with a lot of different artists i.e. you, Flixray, and maybe others? or is it one person and Flixray is an alias o.O (lol...sounded a lot better in my head)

[Flixray]

It's all just me - I set up a 2nd username to do celebrity drawings from as opposed to youtubers. Well, that and i really wanted a username to match up with the latest website i put up.. :)

[Perroquet51]

Congratulations to the winner.

[JustA11en]

Very well done. You never cease to amaze me!

☆☆☆☆☆ & fav.

[SmecksDotCom]

Thank you very much - you are awesome sauce for still poking in on me :)

[hartnell114]

guess i got it right :p

[SmecksDotCom]

Did you? Did you post it anywhere, or just knew and didn't post? Either way, good job :)

[hartnell114]

yeah like,on the last video,i think :S

[urestupid1992]

lol i thought it was david beckham at first.

[SmecksDotCom]

The 'looks like a soccer star' comment was a bit funny since i remember Stallone was in some prisoner soccer type movie back in the day. For the life of me the name of the movie escapes me....

[rickreynolds1986]

i think that jean claude van dam? anywho great work!

[mpoertner]

I thought so! The lips really gave it away.

[SmecksDotCom]

Yeah i figured the lips or the eyes would be the dead giveaway... thus why i kinda crept on on that a bit :)