Eye Study

[nldunne]

As the eye is the main element of any animal or person study - generally - I tried to make the eyes my HORIZON LINE/EYE LINE.

My image I did in TWILIGHT PORTRAIT MODE at EM MINUS 0.3. NO WORK ON THE P C except cropping and resizing with my thirds grid.

[spystyle]

Groovy

[Steven G Webb]

Norm, I've read your commentary about the eye/horizon line and I know you are a serious student of the masters. Because I am highly interested in portraiture I try to follow what you are saying as it applies to formal portraiture. I am totally lost. I think you are way above my head. Would you mind, please, in breaking down what you mean in a more layman's terms and perhaps walk me through the thought process and the physical setps as they apply to these images.

[nldunne]

Songman

I will give it a go if I can.

First off - the idea of a HORIZON LINE/EYE LEVEL LINE comes from my art books on what a painter tries to set when he or she looks straight out at a scene - above, level with, or below a subject.
Next - I am just a beginner at doing this with a cam - but I am getting the 'hang' (I hope not to hang myself by doing it) of trying to set a H L/E L line in my image - either in the cam and/or with the third grid on the P C screen.
Next - What I have found a good help is a third grid - white lines across the the cam screen - both vertical and horizontal. I try to use use the top line of each way - PORTRAIT or LANDSCAPE - as my HORIZON OR EYE LEVEL LIINE as close as possible.

in this case, I tried to put the H L/E L (third line) as close to the eyes as I could. That way it gives me a THIRDS BALANCE at the same time with the vertical line - or at least close to it. With my diagonal perspective lines (also from my art books) on my thrid grids - I overlay my grid on my image. I can follow diagonals to what is called a VANISHING POINT (again illustrated in my art books for paintings). Leonardo da Vinci was a MASTER at doing all types of lines in his compositions when he laid out his compositions.

When I first started using my grid (diagram lines on graph paper photocopied onto clear overhead projector plastic) - I would put the grid on a painting reproduction and move it around to see how the grid lines would fall on the subject.
Next I would take a similar subject - in your case - portraits for example - and try to put the grid lines on the same locations on my own image as they were on the painting reproduction - on the P C screen. Then I would use the crop tool to bring in my crop outline to outer edge of the grid outlilne on the plastic sheet (holding the grid sheet as tight as possible on the screen). Along with that, the graph paper lines show on the plastic - as well - and I use them to check for how my HORIZON/EYE LINE and other lines are straight and level as much as possible. Or if they need a slight rotation.

That is about the basic idea that I use.

My suggestion - if you want to study this - is to visit a large library and try to find high end books on painting composition - of the Masters. Even a High End art supply store may have books dealing with that subject as well. Failing that, if you have a High End art school, you could ask them if they have any book names or similar you could check out. Being in the big D and FW area, I am sure you can find something to help you.

If you need more help or clarification - just ask.

Best of luck with your endeavours. Let us know how your search and study progresses.

Norm D

[Steven G Webb]

Thank you Norm,
I am either a traditionalist, old school, or just old. I still take the influence of Rembrandt in lighting as the ultimate inspiration. Who better to study for convention than the masters who invented it. Thank you for the explanation, now I know what you are talking about. I will check the library and the better bookstores when I get home and study this more.

Have a good one

Steve

[Rain Lily]

Norm, I read your commentary and I think I might have actually understood what you were saying! Thanks for posting that.

This photo of you is my favorite so far.
Sis

[nldunne]

Steve

Along with Rembrandt, also check out VERMEER.

This web site has some superb illustrations to study from his period.
Essential Vermeer

Have a good weekend and all the best in your searching.

Norm D

[nldunne]

My thanks for the kind words, Sis. I hope you can make use of some of the info.

[nldunne]

My thanks for the K, Sis.

[nldunne]

Steve

Here is a 'grab shot' I used to test putting the top third line through the eyes as my H L/E L line. Also it matched the right side vertical line through Anne's left eye fairly close. Just ignore the b/g mess - it is not a formal study - thankfully.

Also, I tried working with the EV at PLUS 0.3 to give a tad more detail and light in the image. Piggybacking (putting the chart in the holding tray and dragging it over the working file and dropping it on the color to be checked) the screen test chart over my image - to match colors - I think it worked out reasonably well.

I also saved a copy of the color test chart in b/w so I can match grey tones using the SATURATION TOOL and removing the colors in my image and returning the colors back in when I finished matching the grey tones - using the BRIGHTNESS TOOL.