Aesthetics Some of my first face-ups

May I ask how did you paint it? Those eyebrows seem drawn with a normal pencil.

The last one doesn't look too bad, there's an improvement, but maybe you should try to start lighter with the blush and slowly add color. The lips are nice but you should watch the symmetry, most doll faces (just like human ones) aren't perfectly symmetrical so you shouldn't just paint following its features but looking at the big picture.

 

Sorry, English isn't my first language after all.

The lips in the last pic are centered with the chin but not with the rest of his face, the left part of his lower lip is too full.

Did you do the blush with pencils too? Usually soft pastels are used for that.

 

You seem to have the basics of where to apply color, but you have done it very heavily, and you are using a rather bright color. And it looks like you tried to do it all at once. If you try to do it all at once, your blushing will be splotchy and uneven, which can leave a doll looking uneven, too-starkly colored, and dirty.

And if you are using watercolor pencils as blushing, I would highly recommend switching to pastels for that. You can try to use watercolor pencils for blushing if you want to of course, but it will probably not look very nice. Chalk pastels are pretty much the standard that the majority of people will use.

And some color suggestions: when doing faceups, most people will pick colors that match their doll's resin color to start. For basic contour shading, you want to use a color that is verrrrry close to the doll, then apply a light layer, and repeat a few times. Then you can add slightly darker colors to get a more vibrant look. I personally do a lot of layers - on the faceup I am working on right now, I am on layer 5 or 6 (and I plan to add more), and I haven't even added any eyebrows or lashes yet.

Your eyebrow hairs and eye lashes are also kind of all over the place. You want the hairs to line up with each other for the most part. But in these faceups, they are at odd, overextended angles. Eyebrows also need a pastel base, so that the hairs look natural. Your eyelashes would also benefit from darker blushing, so they look more natural too. Again, to go darker, you need to apply more layers, not just darker colors.

And then, if you plan to use watercolor pencils for hairs, make sure the pencil is sharpened really well - many times the lines will look gritty and rough if it is not sharp enough.

I would really recommend that you check out some tutorials and/or videos on faceups. But the big thing I suggest is to just keep practicing - and be patient! You won't get a nice faceup if you rush through and try to get it done really fast.

 

The pics are very dark, I can't see a thing... maybe you should take some other pics tomorrow morning with some natural light.

Most box of pastels have black and white, you can try mixing red with white to get a lighter color. It will still get darker once layered.

 

I'm sorry if you are feeling discouraged. The Critiques subforum is meant to be a place where members may receive constructive feedback about the quality of their work, so that they can better their skills. This is a mature environment where artists are serious about improving their techniques and their craft.

If you are uncomfortable with people offering ideas as to where you could use some improvement, perhaps a Project Journal thread might be more your style?

 

The blushing looks a lot better, it lacks some depth due to the single color though . You should pick a darker shade for the eyes or add eyeliner.
The lips also aren't fully blushed, there's only a line on the lower lip, you should add some blushing on the upper lip too. And maybe add a darker color between them and at the corners.

 

The shape of the eyebrows looks ok, the strokes are still messy though. Have you tried holding the head horizontally to draw them?

By mixing black and red you'll get brown, it could work depends on the kind of color you're looking for. Doing more layers should make it darker, remember to seal between layers.

 

The last face up you shared with us, shows great improvement. It is done with much more delicacy and finesse. Please don't be discouraged. My first face up was awful, his lips turned out orange after I sprayed the MSC on them, and his brows were wildly asymmetric. Keep practicing, you will improve!