Tribal Portrait (painting process)

#65

Painting a portrait of a tribal dude, check out the step by step process below.

I start with the darkest areas or contours to establish the base and then just fill in the shading. This way it's easier to quickly get the proportions and basic shading in. Painting is more about abstracting what you see and I found this to be the best method for me to see shapes and forms and indicate them easily.

Face features are very easy to mess up, that's why checking proportions is a priority. I made some changes here and there, until it looks right. Indicating the shadow lines first and then on figuring out the more uniformly lit areas, is how I do it in the initial stages. Painting hair is a bit confusing, you get lost in all those lines going everywhere. Find abstract shapes to focus on and that'll get you through.
What do you guys think?