As a photographer, I can tell you there are so. many. factors working against us.
Variable 1: For one, Shatner’s weight fluctuates slightly throughout the series and sits differently on his face because of it. No problem, right? But with the next two variables it’s tough to try to nail down a consistent approach to drawing it- especially when stylized- because it’s hard to reflect those changes in a way that reads as intentional and not inconsistent.
Variable 2: TOS uses such a diversity of harsh lighting setups for any given shot that the contours of the face are always highlighted differently.
Harsh “Rembrandt” Studio Lighting vs. Diffused “Natural” Studio Lighting
Variable 3: To make matters worse for us, in TOS there are a lot of different focal lengths used (wide shots vs zoomed-in shots) that can give the actors’ faces the additional variable of being distorted depending on their distance from the camera and the depth of the shot. Obviously this would impact everyone, but tends to be a lot more noticeable on Shatner’s face because he has a less-defined jawline than Kelley or Nimoy.
Could be any of the following…
Large vs. Small Focal Length. In other words, he’s simply farther from the camera in the first, closer in the second.
Both are a Small Focal Length, so he’s at a similar distance, but in the first he’s closer to the distorted edge of the frame- where the image is elongated along the second dimension- but in the second he’s in the center- where the image is elongated along the “third” dimension.
So in short, if your drawings of Kirk look inconsistent, it could be because Kirk does look physically inconsistent when we see him in different pictures!
We all look different, depending on where/how/when our picture is taken. So hey, whatever it is you’re doing, you’re probably on the right track. In the words of Hannibal Buress, Kirk has a vague ass face.
+ A few of Kirk looking pretty different in any given photo at a similar angle, just for good measure. Name of the game is cameras!
ALT