Coloured Pencils

The most recent drawing, which I am currently working on, is a drawing using coloured pencils.

I've tried using coloured pencils before, but could never quite figure them out. I am, however, really pleased with how this one is turning out!

The pencils, which I am using, are my Derwent Artists Pencils (I have a set of 72) and my Derwent Studio Pencils (I have a set of 24).

The Artists Pencils are designed for more general colouring, while the Studio Pencils are designed to focus more on the details. I am using the Artists pencils a lot more than the Studio pencils, due to the fact that my set has a much broader colour range than my set of Studio pencils.

I'm surprised at how well I am going with this, considering it's the first time a drawing with coloured pencils is turning out well, for me.

Ah well, I will upload the finished product as soon as I complete it!

Ta-ta for now!

Do you draw using coloured pencils?

'Draw This Again!'

I decided a couple of weeks ago that it would be fun to redraw a picture, which I drew back in 2012. Admittedly, it's not the exact same picture, but it is the same baby, and the reference picture I used was taken on the same day, only seconds apart from each other.

The one drawn in 2012.. I would have probably used a 2B and/or a HB pencil, and it would have taken me less than 2 hours. It was drawn on A4 sized paper. I also would have used a regular eraser.

The one in 2014: I B, 2B, 3B, 6B, and H pencils. I drew it over 2-3 weeks, and I think it probably took me at least 8 hours to draw, but I'm not entirely sure! It was drawn on A3 sized paper. I used a regular eraser, as well as my Mars Eraser Plastic Holder and Mars Rasor Eraser Pencil With Brush.

What do you think of my improvement?

Paper Sizes, and Erasers!

This evening I decided I might begin drawing a picture of a narrow street. I've acquired the stock image, which I am using for a reference, here.

I'm using my graphite pencils for this drawing.

I began by drawing a lineart in my A4 Sketch Book. I sat there, looking at this lineart, and I realised something.

The paper isn't big enough.

I wanted to draw a picture on a much larger piece of paper. I pulled out my A3 book, and began to draw in that, instead. Ah, that's better. I will be able to acquire a much higher level of detail in my A3 book.

I've made a decision: A4 paper, for me, will be wonderful for drawing sketches, and that's the book I can carry around for if I ever see inspiration. But my A3 book will be overall better for detailed drawings.


Also, this week I have ordered a couple new pieces of art equipment:

Staedtler 528 50BKDA Mars Eraser Plastic Holder

Staedtler Mars Rasor Eraser Pencil with brush

Both are, in fact, erasers. And both are used to erase fine details, with the Mars Rasor Eraser Pencil being able to erase even finer details. These will hopefully give me the ability to bring out highlights easier.

I'm looking forward to receiving them, and testing them out!

Self Portrait

Over this past week, I've drawn a self portrait in my sketchbook.

The pencils that I used were:

B
3B
4B
5B
6B

I find that 'B' is a good pencil to start off with when shading in the skin tones, because you can go fairly light and fairly dark. In this picture, because of how dark I had to go on the right side of the face (I'm facing a window, with sunshine 'hitting' me in the face, so the lighting contrast was quite severe!), I used the softer pencils to achieve the darker side of the face.

The 'B' pencil is also a good strength for lightly drawing your first lineart, as long as you don't push down too hard. You can draw very light lines, and they are easily erased if/when you need to.

For this drawing, and most of the drawings I will be completing in the future (I imagine), I have used a technique of shading known as 'circulism'. This is drawing an
d interlapping lots of little circles, to achieve the desired skin tone. I didn't use any tools to blend the skin tone in this drawing, I achieved any blending and the skin tone with just my pencils.

For the t-shirt, I used crosshatching.

I think I'll be drawing a fair few self-portraits in the future! Drawing my own face is a brilliant exercise, since I see myself (in the mirror) every day.

What do you think of my self portrait?

Showcase!

Hey everyone!

I've started up this blog to post anything art-related that I do. I'm trying to get back into drawing, and to master the skills I have.

In this first post, however, I'll be showing you the drawings that I completed back in 2012.

Enjoy!

Emma Watson

A cute baby!

David Tennant

Taylor Swift

The three David Tennant pictures were drawn when I was going through a 'David Tennant phase', back when he was The Doctor in Doctor Who.

An Elephant

I hope you enjoyed my drawings!

Which one is your favourite?