Brigitte Bardot...!

02/21/11 - part II
I decided to go back and try some more rendering on last night's drawing. Here is the result:

For now, I'm just going to give it a rest. I'll submit the sketch below for this week's challenge.

02/21/11 - part I
After spending quite a little while rendering, I came to the conclusion that the larger drawing was less satisfying than the original thumbnail sketch. Something had been lost in the translation:

Graphite and carbon on Strathmore paper, 9x12"
So I decided to start over, and draw from a variety of photographs. I tried to pick photos that had that Brigitte Bardot 'essence.' You know it when it's there - that's what made her an icon sex symbol in the 60s. Here are some of the sketches, along with the first sketch from last night:


The one that I like the best is this one, it conveys that BB 'essence' the best.
This is the one that I am submitting for the challenge:

I may try a finished rendering; however, with the deadline coming up, I may just go ahead and submit the sketch for this one.

The lesson?
Go back to what I was originally intending: to focus on building a strong drawing before ever getting into rendering form.

02/19/11
After a long hiatus, I am back in the ring in CARICATURAMA SHOWDOWN 3000 on Facebook!
This week's challenge: the legendary 60s beauty Brigitte Bardot.
I am posting the most recent pictures at the top so those of you who are keeping track can see the latest update.

Here is the full-sized drawing of Brigitte Bardot for the CS3K challenge.
The initial drawing and block-in of shadow forms:

Graphite, 9x12"

I chose this reference photo to start; give me outdoor, top-lighting any day of the week!

Here's my initial thumbnail sketch, and a close-up:

With this sketch, I wanted to focus on maintaining solid form and structure while exaggerating the proportions.
I started with a standard portrait thumbnail sketch on the left, and drew a grid for the major divisions/relationships. For the caricature thumbnail sketch, I squashed and stretched those divisions/relationships to get the general proportions, then I went in and tweaked things until they started looking good.
Anticipating doing several sketches, I started these way up on the top of the page - and wound up running off the top of the paper - lol
(Funny thing, I think the exaggeration has a better, more recognizable likeness of BB than the regular portrait sketch. LOL)
Thanks to Cosmin Podar for his excellent post -using a grid to get the relationships, and then altering the grid for the exaggerations. It gave me a nice starting place.