Z

Charcoal pencil on Strathmore drawing 180 gsm, 14" x 10".

this is another life portrait of Z taken in a 20 minute pose.

it is hardest to make a convincing portrait when the far eye is visible at the bridge of the nose. the preferred profile position is to hide all the cheek and most or all of the eye behind the nose, and the preferred quarter view position is to bring the cheek into clear view and move the eye far enough away from the nose to show the inner canthus.

the problem is that the eyes are set back from the cheek and brow, and the front of the face curves around them. the bony rim of the eye socket is also behind the front of the eye and may not be visible. misjudgments make the eye appear to pop out or the face to appear flattened.