Merrill Kazanjian Art Blog

How to Draw Iron Man Tony Stark Step by Step Charcoal and Fixative Tutorial

2012-06-03T16:51:00.001-07:00

Contest Results- Who is the Most Underrated Artist on YouTube 2

2012-03-13T19:28:00.001-07:00

How to Draw Kate Beckinsale Step by Step (Portrait Drawing Tutorial)

2012-02-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

I am very fortunate to say that I have the most talented audience on YouTube and the last time that we took a vote on my Facebook page, my viewers decided that that they want me to do a tutorial on how to draw Kate Beckinsale. And I listened! So this video will give you step by step instruction on how to draw actress Kate Beckinsale. Even if you are new to drawing, I guarantee that you will surprise yourself if you follow my steps. So grab your pencil and some drawing paper. If you have your doubts or if you need some motivation, hit the button that says "playlist". Millions of people have viewed my videos and thousands have completed them successfully. I have over 10 years of teaching experience and I am someone who didn't start drawing until I was 20 years old, so I have a different perspective on how to train aspiring artists. Lets Begin!

Step 1: Draw the box that you see. Notice that there are three rectangles inside the box. The reason that there are three rectangles is because a face can often be divided in to three equal segments. Hairline to brow line. Brow line to bottom of nose. Bottom of nose to chin. This formula works perfectly on Kate Beckinsale.
Step 2: Make the U shape that you see for the chin.
Step 3: Make the two shapes for the eye region. Notice that her head is slightly turned so these shapes are shifted slightly towards your left.
Step 4: Make the line at the bottom of the nose. Notice that the septum is lower than the two nostrils. Also, be sure to notice the amount of separation from the eye shapes.
Step 5: Add eyebrows at the top of the eye shapes
Step 6: Look at the image of Kate Beckinsale. Notice that there is a perfect square that is made between the pupils of the eye and the corners of the mouth. Add the four dots that you see. Take some extra time for this step. It is very important for the likeness.
Step 7: Kate is looking down in this image, so her eyes should be banana shaped. Use the dots to guide your placement of the banana shapes. Did I just say that?
Step 8: Add the eyelids above the banana shapes and the lines below.
Step 9: Add the hair shape. Notice how this shape intersects the top rectangle. The height of the hair is more than a third of the face because her head is tilted downwards.
Step 10: Add the top lip. Just connect the dots. The top of the upper lip is like a flattened M shape.
Step 11: I am clearly bananas for Kate because her bottom lip is banana shaped .....the area in between? You guessed it....bananas!
Step 12: Now add some teeth. Here is a close up! If you need help drawing teeth, check out this tutorial or make her a vampire!
Step 13: Kate needs ears. Dont sweat it....Just don't make her Dumbo.
Step 14: is optional. Add her earrings. If you expect to draw this perfectly, curb your enthusiasm. All you need to do is add some squiggley shapes and connect them. Add a banana if it floats your boat!
Step 15: Add a neck.
Step 16: Erase all of the guidelines. In other words, erase what is left from the rectangles. Next, take notice of the link that I just added. After this step we will do shading. Just click this link if you feel that you are messing up. The video that I linked to will teach you an easy way to restart from this point.
Step 17: We will start our shading with the eye region. If you have never cross hatched before, you might want to view the video that I just added in the upper right corner. It is my shading tutorial. When we are done shading, you will see very little white in the eye. Kate is wearing mascara and her lashes are dark and pointed outwards, away from the nose and downwards. The outer corner of each eye is darkened but the upper eyelid remains in highlight, so keep it lighter in tone. Shape the cheeks with cross hatching and notice how much lighter this area of the face is, compared to the eye region. Its a huge difference. The bridge of the nose is shaded much more at the top than in the middle. The bottom of the nose is shaded slightly more than the lower cheek region, but not as dark as the eye region. The eyebrows, eyelashes and nostrils are the darkest tones. Pause the video now to draw, or click the button to repeat this step.
Step 18: Now we will shade the forehead region. The brightest part of the forehead is equal in tone to the nose. This highlight is right at the top, just below the hairline. The majority of the forehead is a tone that's similar to the highlight area of the cheeks. Notice that the hairline is not a hard line. It is a soft transition to a darker area. I recommend that you use a soft bristle paintbrush later on in this drawing for where the hair meets the forehead. Finally, notice that the side on your right is darker than the side on your left.
Step 19: The bottom of the face is tricky. Notice that the side on your right is in shadow. This is a very complex shadow that continues down from the cheek region and curves below the bottom lip and the chin. The corners of the mouth are as dark as the eyes and the bottom row of teeth are more hidden than the top row. In general the mouth is one of the darker regions of the face. Be sure to notice that the lips are very different in tone. There is a strong highlight on the bottom lip, and over all there is more differentiation in tone.
Step 20: The trick to drawing hair is to develop it slowly and to try to follow the movement of it with your pencil tip. Remember this, to eventually get the highlights, you will need to build the hair up to a neutral tone. Then, you can use the eraser for highlights and add the darker areas by pressing harder on the pencil tip. Remember the trick is to build the tones up slowly. Also, remember that the hairline is a gradual transition in tone from skin to hair. If you are someone who struggles with drawing hair, I recommend that you watch this again.
Step 21: Now, its time to do the earrings. Notice that I am erasing the dark outlines with my eraser and I am using the pencil to give it more depth. After I use the pencils, I then use a blending stump to smudge a neutral tone. Then I finish it up by adding darker tones. This all sounds complicated but it is really insignificant to the likeness. In other words, dont sweat it.
Step 22: Shade the neck. Focus on your right side. Notice that it is darker than the jaw area above. The left side is more linear, or line like.
Step 23:You are almost finished. First, let me say congratulations to you for your persistence and dedication. I did not start drawing and painting until I was 20 years old. And I knew that I had to stay with art because I couldn't stop drawing and painting. If you feel the same way keep going........that means that you are an artist of some sort. Don't deprive yourself, the world needs people who add beauty to life! A lot of the things that we went over in this video can be applied any time you draw, such as breaking an image down in to shapes. But now, I want you to focus on the entire image of Kate Beckinsale. Forget mine and compare yours with the reference image. Specifically, compare the tones and the quality of the edges.
The tones are the lights and darks that make up an image. I want you to ask yourself questions like, "Are the darkest areas of my drawing similarly shaded to the darkest parts of the reference image." Do the same with the highlights and all of the other tones. Please know that there is a limit to the darkness of a regular #2 pencil. You can buy darker pencils online and I put my recommendations in the video description under supplies I use. Notice how I use the paintbrush to gradually spread the tones. I also carve out the highlights with the kneaded eraser. Notice how I repeat this process several times to finish my drawing.

Now turn your attention to the edges. For instance, compare the soft edge of the bridge of the nose with the hard edge on the corner of Kate Beckinsale's mouth. Do that for other edges in this artwork. It might look right now that I'm repeating my process. But, there is no single route to take when making a drawing. There's a lot of trial and error involved. I recommend that you watch me work and pause video at the very end to finish your drawing. You are going to have to repeat what I'm doing in a way that makes sense to you. Think of yourself as a cook who can't read. In order to finish this drawing I can't give you an exact recipe. But I can show you my process and how many edits that I made. There's a lot of logic and intuition that goes into drawing. You will have to use that as your recipe. If you've gotten this far you are on the right track. Don't give up on this drawing. Use your observation skills and do your best to mimic the tones that you see. I hope that this helped you! Thanks for watching. Please be sure to rate and comment.

YouTube Blog: Introducing our February “On The Rise” Nominees

2012-02-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

YouTube Blog: Introducing our February “On The Rise” Nominees

Dry Brush Portrait of Vladimir Lenin (Oil Paint, Watercolor Paper, Erase...

2010-08-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Bring It On- Psycho Cheerleader From Hell: Digital Photo Collage w/ Colo...

2010-08-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Life In a Day- Merrill Kazanjian Artwork (Self Portrait)

2010-07-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

How to Draw Megan Fox Step by Step

2010-07-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

How to Draw a Football Player Step by Step

2010-07-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

The Man Who Created Farmville

2010-07-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Facial Expressions- How to Draw a Smiling Face With a Pencil

2010-07-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

How to Draw Bruce Lee Step by Step (Pencil, Tortillion, Paint Brush)

2010-07-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

How to Draw George W. Bush Step by Step

2010-06-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

Merrill's T-Shirt Art Tutorial (Avery T-Shirt Iron on Transfers)

2010-06-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Link- http://merrillk.com/?part=fineart&art...
Ah paintings, there is nothing like staring at a painting all day and night.....its quite riveting .....Dont you think?

Riveting? Well, yes and no. While I appreciate painting and enjoy visiting museums. Every artist making work today has to acknowledge that art has changed with the times, and perhaps a canvas is not the best place to display your artwork. Think about it. 2D works painted on canvas are competing for wall space with flat screen televisions. Even if you dont have it, imagine yourself with ADHD.....what would you choose?.....exactly my point.

This tutorial is going to give you an alternative to the gallery wall. A T-Shirt. If you want publicity for your art, dont stick it in a local library exhibition, wear it proudly on your chest.

Here is what you will need: 1.) Scanner 2.) Ink Jet Printer 3.) Iron 4.) Fabric Transfer paper. What is Fabric Transfer Paper you ask? All it is, is a special type of paper that gets ironed on to a shirt, after a design is printed on it, from an inkjet printer. (I use Avery Dark Fabric Transfers for the shirts I make).

1.) The first thing that you will need to do is to scan or photograph your favorite artwork and save it as a JPEG file on your computer.
2.) After that, open up the scanned file in any photo editing program and crop your image. Please note that if you use Avery dark transfer paper, you will not need to flip the image. If you use another brand, be sure to read the directions carefully, because most brands of transfer paper require you to flip the image during this step.
3.) Next, place the paper white side down in the printer and press print. You should get close to a perfect copy of your original artwork
4.) After you print, grab a scissor, its time to trim your image. Cutting is an art form so be sure to be neat when you cut. If you use the dark fabric transfers, any area that you do not cut out will be white. Usually I leave an eighth of an inch border around my artwork, but I did not for this image. Cutting is usually the longest and most annoying step of the process, but be sure not to rush yourself.
5.) After you cut, peel the paper off of the back of the image like you are seeing me do here. The image part is flexible and very difficult to rip so dont worry about that. It helped me to fold a corner before I peeled.
6.) For the final step, use the collar tag to center your image on the front or the back of a shirt. Make sure that neither the fabric of the shirt or the image is wrinkled. Avery supplies you with special heat resistant paper to place over the image and the t-shirt while ironing. After the iron is heated to a high setting, and the special paper is placed, press down firmly with the iron as you are seeing me do here.

Now lift up the paper and viola! you can now mass produce and wear your drawing. For information on where to buy the paper that I used in this video, hit the link in the video description. Thanks for watching!

Note, Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night was shown at the beginning of the video. This artwork has entered the public domain. The musical track at the beginning was supplied by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech,com. It is called "Ghost Dance" Thank you Kevin!!!

Scooby Doo Makeover 2010

2010-05-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Oil Pastels + Oil Paint + Color Pencils + Illustration Markers (Mixed Me...

2010-05-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided to incorporate oil pastels in to a mixed media work of art. I also used/combiled oil paint illustration markers and Prismacolor Color Pencils to create the portrait that you see. I describe my process as I narrate: First, I did a pencil sketch which I inked. Second I used illustration markers (Prismacolor and Ad Chartpak) to lay down the first layer of color. Then I added a layer of oil pastels atop the layer of illustration marker. The oil pastels are more mixable than the color pencils and are also more opaque. They mix with liquin (like the color pencils and oil paint). I discovered that the process closely resembles painting (especially) when you mix the pastels on a palette, with liquin and then apply with a paintbrush. I finished my (quasi- Bob Ross demonstration) with a few layers of oil paint, since there is no substitute for oil paints mixability and layering capabilities (as well as the range of opacities). I am happy with the portrait that I made of youtube user armanchik24. I learned a lot while incorporating the oil pastels in to my artwork.

How to Draw Michael Jordan Step by Step Drawing- Pencil

2010-04-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Morph of the Vampires- Edward Cullen, Dracula, Nosferatu, The Count (Ses...

2010-04-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Human Proportion for Figure Drawing: The Ultimate Guide

2010-04-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

The "Myspace Pose" (Mirror Self Shot)- Tradigital Artwork by Merrill Kazanjian

2010-02-09T22:04:00.001-08:00

http://merrillk.com/?part=publications
If you own a computer, and you have a myspace account, chances are, you have seen what is known as the myspace self photo....also known as the TOO MUCH INFORMATION profile pic! These photos are usually a combination of blatant misspelling and nudity. Sexxii Grannii (Sexy Granny) ON DECK (Whatever the HELL that means)!

As an artist, it is my job document what exists in the world around me. Right now (early 2010), the social networking sites are king......so I created this mixed media artwork, based upon a scary picture that I saw on Myspace.

I took a mixed media approach in creating this work.
1.) Pencil- I used the pencil to sketch the initial pose. I do not do any shading while working with the pencil (in step one)
2.) Illustration Marker- Prismacolor and Chartpak Ad markers allow me to put down layers of color quickly. These markers leave transparent marks of color, similar to watercolor paint and often, their vibrancy can be seen through layers of translucent color (added later).
3.) Color Pencils- The fine tip of color pencils allow me to make marks with extreme precision. I use prismacolor color pencils because they blend extremely well and are compatible with oil paint.
4.) Oil Paint- The most versatile medium. Oil paint can be applied in thick "impasto" style or in thin transparent glazes. In this case, I tried to finish my work......but I decided that I needed to make a few changes.
5.) In order to make those changes, I let my work dry, then scanned it, then opened it up in....
6.) Photoshop (And Paint Shop Pro 9)- THese two computer programs allow me to do digital collage and edit/refine my work. In this case, I changed the posture of the character.
7.) Print- On SPECIAL paper (hit the link)
8.) Color pencil- to bring out the tones (again) and prep the paper for oil paint (yes, it is a good primer). Also the color from the color pencils mix with the oil paint, which creates a cool effect.
9.) Oil Paint- Finishing touches
10.) Scan
11.) Save as a PNG file....so that I can use this character multiple times.

How to Draw the Hand (Peace Sign) Step by Step.mpg

2010-02-05T19:05:00.001-08:00

Link- http://merrillk.com/index.php?part=fi... This is the second in a series of twenty videos, that will show you how to draw the hand in various poses. This video will specifically focus on the peace sign hand gesture. I broke the process down in to simple steps and I went the "extra mile" to make sure that EVERYONE could do it, even if you havent had much experience with art. The link in the videos description will take you to a web page with step by step instructions and a PDF Book that you could download and print for free..... Lets get ready to draw

As a general recommendation, pause the video at the end of each step and look at the reference image often.

Step 1: Draw the two fingertip shapes. Notice that the fingertip on the left is at a different angle than the fingertip on the right.
Step 2: Add the next two shapes. Notice that they are slightly longer than the fingertip shapes.
Step 3: Draw the trapezoid shape in addition to the two shapes that complete the fingers. Notice that the bottoms of the fingers are slightly longer than the mid sections of the fingers.
Step 4: Step four is a tricky step! Be sure to spend some extra observation time. Notice that the thumb overlaps the trapezoid shape. Also notice that the thumb in this position, resembles a flying saucer tilting to the side.....YES...a flying saucer with a thumbnail in it.
Step 5: Draw the traingle shape. Notice that it is directly below the V shape from the two fingers. Also notice the tiny shape that I made tp the right side of the thumb.
Step 6: Draw the tilted U shape, to the left of the triangle. Also, draw in the fingernail.
Step 7: Observe the picture to close the U shape from step 6.
Step 8: Add in the shape that I just added. It will eventually be a part of the pinky finger.
Step 9: Add in the fingertip and fingernail to complete the shape for the pinky finger.
Step 10: Add the triangle shape next to the pinky finger. This will eventually be part of the palm.
Step 11: Add in the shape for the lower palm.
Step 12: Observe the line that was just added. It is similar to the bottom of a cup. It starts at the middle of the ring finger and ends at the thumb shape from Step 4.
Step 13: Take some extra time to observe the line that I just added. Then, complete the shape for the bottom of the palm
Step 14: Now, take a second to observe the lines that I ALMOST totally erased.

SHADING

Step 15: Build the tones up slowly. Start cross hatching with an HB (#2) pencil.

Step 16: (NOT SHOWN) I use a blending stump to smudge my hatches. And then I do more hatching atop of the smudges.

Step 17: The darkest parts will be the triangle in the center and the areas on the edges of the right side of the hand (and fingers....see this developed in the next few steps).

Step 18: At this point I am using my darker (in tone) 2B, 3B, 4B and 5B pencils. I also use the eraser (A LOT) to create highlights.

Step 19: I always try to finish a drawing by smoothing it out by using the pencil, the eraser and the blending stub (tortillion).

Tradigital Art / Illustration with Decocolor Markers, Prismacolor Markers and Pencils and Photoshop

2010-02-01T19:42:00.001-08:00

Tradigital art incorporates traditional materials with digital media. This video illustrates the tradigital process step by step (demonstration by artist Merrill Kazanjian). Link- http://merrillk.com/index.php?part=pu...
Kazanjian's process for this artwork-
1.) Pencil Drawing (regular HB pencil)
2.) Digital Scan
3.) Digital Collage with Paint Shop Pro / Photoshop
4.) Print
5.) Illustration Markers
6.) Opaque Paint Markers
7.) Scan (Again)
8.) Digital Touch Ups with Paint Shop Pro / Photoshop
9.) Save as PNG file
10.) Juxtapose PNG file

How to Draw the Female Eye, Step by Step, From a Side Profile Perspective

2010-01-31T08:09:00.001-08:00

Link- http://merrillk.com/index.php?part=fi...
Today you are going to learn to draw the female eye from profile view. I went the extra mile to make this easy for you! Click the link in the videos description to download a printable PDF to assist you while you draw. The PDF has pictures and text and it is sequenced identically to the video. Use both resources to master the skills that I am trying to teach you in this lesson.....Grab your pencils and paper and lets get ready to draw.
Step 1: Draw the shape that you see. It looks like a heart shape turned to the side.
Step 2: Create the shape for the eyebrow at the top of the heart shape.
Step 3: Create the small bowl shape at the bottom. Notice that it overlaps the heart shape. Also notice how small it is compared to the heart shape.
Step 4: Create the shape that was just added. It looks like a sideways triangle with rounded sides. Notice its placement within the heart shape and its proximity to the bowl shape.
Step 5: Add the U shape for the iris. Notice that you can see the bottom of the iris, but not the top. Also notice that the iris is more oval like, rather than circular, since the head is turned.
Step 6: Add the shape to the inner corner of the eye.
Step 7: Add the crown like shape for the upper eye lashes. Notice that the longest ones seem to be on the inner corner of the eye. (This is actually not the case, the other lashes are foreshortened)
Step 8: Add the lashes on the inner corner of the eye.
Step 9: Add the bottom eye lashes. Notice that they are much shorter than the top lashes.
Step 10: Add the Pupil. Since the head is turned, the pupil is oval like.
Step 11: Add the highlight shapes that I just added
SHADING:
Step 12: Start shading the darkest areas first. The upper lashes and the pupil will be the darkest areas. Build it up slowly in "cross hatched" layers (the video will demonstrate). Dont do it all at once.
Step 13: Shade in the Iris. Notice that it is not as dark as the pupil. The shape added in step 6 is part if the eyelid. Shade it alightly lighter than the iris.
Step 14: Shade in the eyebrow. This can vary in tone depending upon hair color and make up. In this case, I left it lighter in tone than the eyelashes.
Step 15: Fill in the areas around the eye with hatching. Refer to the photo (above) as a reference. Use up to a 4B pencil at this stage.
Step 16: LIGHTLY shade in the white part of the eye (with the exception of the highlight areas drawin in before). Hint: The two lightest tones will be the highlight in the eye, followed by the bony area directly under the eyebrow. By this point, feel free to use up to a 6B pencil to help with the darker tones.
Step 17: Use the blending stump (tortillion) to smudge and spread your hatching.
Step 18: Develop the tones more by hatching over the smudges (from the tortillion). If you wish, smudge some more.
Step 19: Put on the finishing touches.
Step 20: Finished

How to Draw the Hand Step by Step- Pointing Gesture

2010-01-22T06:36:00.001-08:00

Link- http://merrillk.com/index.php?part=fi... How to draw the Uncle Sam pointing hand pose. This is the first in a series of videos that I will make on drawing the hand. In this video, I am going to teach you how to draw a pointing hand step by step. I have gone out of my way to make this as easy as possible and I made three resources to help you. The first resource is this video, where I will demonstrate the process for you. The second is a link to step by step directions on my website. The third resource is a printable PDF file with big pictures and text. Also, check http:merrillk.com in the coming weeks for printable PDF's for all of my videos. Alright, lets get started!

Be sure to pause the video at the end of each step and look at your reference image as much as possible.

Step 1: Make three ovals that get slightly smaller (from top to bottom).
Step 2: Put in the three connected shapes that I just added. Notice the angle that the top and bottom lines create as they slope inward towards each other.

Step 3: Observe the picture (above) and put in the four lines. Notice the direction of each of their curves.

Step 4: Put in the shape for the pointer finger. The small banana shape that you see to the left is the fingernail. Do not close the top!

Step 5: Close the shape to create the knuckles.

Step 6: Put in the triangle shape above the pointer finger.

Step 7: Close the shape at the top by connecting the top of the banana shape with the top of the triangle. Notice the creases of skin on the foreshortened finger.

Step 8: Put in the shape that sort of looks like a birds head from the side.

Step 9: Make a kite shape below the beak of the bird head shape.

Step 10: Close the shape

Now its time to shade. You will need a q-tip or blending stump for this part.

Speed Painting of Rihanna: Oil Paint, Color Pencils and Illustration Markers

2010-01-12T22:18:00.001-08:00

My process 1.) Sketch 2.) Illustration Markers 3.) Color Pencils and 4.) Oil paint. Sometimes I add even more steps with Photoshop, but I didnt for this portrait. I wanted to see how far I could push oil paint as a medium. I prefer painterly realism to photorealism (photo realistic stuff gets boring.....whats the point of simply reproducing a picture?). I was satisfied with the results, despite my unorthodox approach to making this....(painting? work of art? mixed media?....I dont know what to call it.) The markers were Prismacolor and Chartpak Ad. The color pencils were Prisma and the oil paint was Old Holland, Maimeri, Vasari, Bloxx, Grumbacher and Holbein Colors. I used Liquin as a paint medium. I used Flat, Round and Filbert Brushes and occasionally a fan brush (for delicate blending). This time lapse speed portrait consolidated four hours in to less than four minutes.