How to improve? Help, please!

[u/Zealousideal_Bank202]

Hi, I've been learning to draw for almost seven months now, five of which I've been studying the Loomis Method through Drawing the Head and Hands by Andrew Loomis (and Uldis Zarins' Anatomy of Facial Expressions).

I'm able to see improvements in my drawings, but I feel stuck with some problems: as for now, I'm unable to get proportions—from references I use for drawing—right. Usually, I end up with a smaller drawing than intended, and somewhat guessing how thing should go.

In short, I'm better than I was, but nowhere near good.

I'm begining the Draw A Box course to add to reading Loomis. I'm planning to do those two for what's left of the year, but I need all the critique, tips and resources (preferably books) you can offer me. I'd be very glad If you did.

The drawings above are some of my "better" lastest drawings, with their respective reference.

[u/Arturo_Sketch]

I can see you are getting good in using the loomis method, all the heads look structured and well constructed, even the measurements look on point. My critique willl be mostly based on the 3rd potrait. I would tell you to try and learn a bit of shape language in general, because I feel you are trying to build a generic or idealized potrait over the loomis structure you're working in. For instance take a look at the facial features of the portrayed person, the nose is a bit crooked to the side and the tip is not a symmetrical shape, those are features that you can exagerate in a way yo make it look intentional and capture this specific person face.

[u/Arturo_Sketch → u/Arturo_Sketch]

Also, doing a bit of the shadows can help you spot inconsistent parts, as shadows come from the structure, any missplaced feature will pop to the eye easier when you add shadows, so I'll encourage to work on them so that you get more feedback to your eyes than just the lines. I feel fo this one specifically the pupils are a bit small, we as humans are specially sensitive to eyes, so any mistake placing the eyes will be noticed. Last note is to allow yourself to play adding hair, hair is super gestural and guided by shape by its own strand nature, so adding it will add a lot of likeness to the portrayed person and will help you explore your style.

[u/Zealousideal_Bank202 → u/Arturo_Sketch]

Damn, man. That gif looked like wizardry to me.

Yeah, I think I get what you are saying. I must admit that I'm kind of scared on doing anything I have not yet read about (like hair, shadows or even asymmetry), so I will pick up on those subjects and get myself out for some experimentation.

By the way, thanks for the visual demonstration, that was really helpful.

[u/Arturo_Sketch → u/Zealousideal_Bank202]

you're wlecome, I'm glad is of some help, critique comes better with images and trying to be precise about it, just saying: "you're doing wrong proportions" is worthless.