Bald Eagle

This is a carbon pencil portrait that I recently finished. 
I've had the reference photo of this eagle for a number of years but never got around to drawing it.
The darker sections of this drawing proved a challenge. Early on I'd decided to cover the whole area black, and then erase the feathers. The other option would have been to leave the feathers white, which would have been a bit too fiddly. 
I'm really happy with the contrast in this picture - carbon works so well to get those 'black blacks'. 
The one thing I'm not too happy with is the background. I'm not too sure how to get a smoother grey with carbon - as opposed to being quite grainy. 

Lightning McQueen - finished

Well, it took another 6 months to actually get back to completing this drawing. It's obviously been a busy year, with not much time to sit down and pick up a pencil.

The side of Lightning McQueen was probably the most difficult to draw. I've seen others' attempts of this same picture, and they've left a lot of the detail out - but I was keen to keep as much in as I could.

I'm using Strathmore paper (Bristol - smooth), and Prismacolor soft-core coloured pencils. 
I've also been experimenting with applying some odourless mineral spirits to sections of the drawing to blend the wax of the pencils to a point where you can't see the tooth of the paper. I feel like there is mixed success with that technique here.

Lightning McQueen 1

Second drawing in colour.
It took quite a while to get the outline complete for this one.
I'm enjoying finding out how to blend with colour and use different tones of the same colour to get the effect of a shine. 
Should be a bit of fun, this one.

First portrait in colour

Carson from Downton Abbey.

Here I am using Prismacolor Premier Pencils.

I've steered away from using colour for a long time now. What is it that scares me so much!?

I had done a lot of research on creating skin tones before working on this, but I still find that it looks so washed out.

I'm fairly pleased with it for a first attempt. 

I found it's one thing to get shading correct using shades of grey, but it's a different story when colour is involved.

I'm really looking forward to getting more used to coloured skin tones. It's interesting being in this position again. When using solely graphite, I started off being so cautious and every looked so faded. I'm sure that this will happen with colour too.

So watch this space!

Bono

This was a portrait I drew using carbon pencils.
For some reason it took only 11 hours, as opposed to the average 19 hours that my other portraits have taken.
This may have been because this is a side-on portrait, meaning that there isn't the forward facing eyes, which takes so much time to get so accurate.

I drew this for a good friend who is an avid U2 fan. He has a dedicated room for music, and this picture is on the wall joining albums, guitars, amps and an electric keyboard.

I love the contrast that carbon creates. I like how the skin tones are slightly darker through the glass.

Portraits Framed

Ahh! Finally! 

This was goal from so many months before.

Last year I completed a two day framing course. It feels so good to have drawn these portraits, measured and cut the mats and joined the moulding together.

Very happy indeed!

 

Melody - finished!

This is the final of four portraits! This was finished over a year ago. 
I've been neglecting the blog for a long time now - time to get back on the horse!