Old method vs new

When I first began to seriously think of drawing, this was the method I used:

• Cover your page with graphite using a graphite stick, smudge with a tissue
• Draw a cross on the reference photo and a corresponding one on your paper
• Using the cross work out where the outline of the picture is.
• Rub out the graphite in the lighter sections of the picture, leave most of the graphite, and darken where needed.

Even after hours of work, I could still see where the cross had been, I felt I had little to no control of light and shadow and everything just seemed to dark.

Hence there is only about five pictures in existence using this method, and nearly thirty pictures (to date) using my new method. Below is a sample with reference photo inserted.

So what's the big difference?

First of all, starting off with a white piece of paper works a whole lot better than a page of smudged graphite (in my opinion).

Secondly I acheive most of my skin tones with paper stumps.

Getting a smooth tone, either light, dark or a gradient somewhere inbetween takes time with stumps, but the results are great.

With the above drawing - if I did it again, I would try and get some more contrast happening. At present the eyes are the darkest part of the drawing, but so too could parts of the hair, mouth and shirt.