Graphite and Watercolor Portraits
Tag: portraits
Much of drawing portraits for me involves the overall feeling of a photo… including textures. When I was first commissioned to draw this one, I studied the textures as much as the face… how to draw the cottony feel of a shirt, the softness of a sweater, the coils in tightly coiled hair was a fun challenge.🤷🏽♀️ It worked out I think.✌🏽😎
I recently got a request to do a drawing of this gentleman who recently suddenly passed away. I learned that he loved his family dearly….and that he was recognized as a sharp dresser. I wanted to capture that in this drawing.
Requests for these ‘memorial’ type drawings have become a growing and important way that I am blessed to share my abilities. Feeling grateful for the gift … and honored that I am trusted to share it with the others.💕
A few weeks ago I was commissioned to do a drawing of a client’s mother who had recently passed (see post on this page). This same client contacted me again to draw a picture of her father. She had only one photo of him and in the photo his head is leaning to the side in a somewhat awkward position. I used a bit of artistic leeway because the photo had many shadows and darkened areas. She asked me to draw it with his head straightened. I wanted to reposition the head but also I wanted to complete a drawing that would be an heirloom for her family since this was the client’s only photo of her dad. 💛
Look at this fun-ness! I haven’t had many athletic requests but they are fun to draw. I have done splits sorta like this a couple times before… both times I was walking around in slippery socks, one foot went north and the other south, and Voila! Splitsville! 😩😂
Seriously, gymnasts are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. in what they do. 💛
Sadly, Mars, passed away recently. She was a beautiful dog. A Boxer was one of my first commissions when I started drawing. I think they have such expressive faces. It was a joy to do this painting and hopefully bring a bit of joy to Mars’ human. 🐶❣️
I love drawing portraits. This was a fun drawing! TWINS🤗. Double cuteness.❣️❣️
I often thought of drawing twins so when asked to do these two I couldn’t resist. To do a facing forward AND a profile of the same face but different people…. true happiness for a portrait artist.😎. Boy, do I love drawing portraits…. did I say that already? ✌🏽
This was sort of a personal challenge to learn more about watercolor; as you know, graphite is my gig. I drew this about 4 yrs ago in graphite (see it on this page) but wanted to try it in WC. Faces seem to be the only thing I can draw halfway decently. I wasn’t so concerned about the likeness this time as I was practicing layers, backgrounds, brushes, lifting, working on canvas, and basically learning about watercolor. I think this little boy had a bad cold when my friend took the photo so I named it “Fever” 😎. It did not turn out like I imagined at all… and no lie, I surely struggled with it … but it was a fun practice session, I learned a lot, and you’ve gotta start somewhere, right? BIG PROPS to all the real painters in the world – painting portraits is NOT easy I’m finding out…. but Im just getting started. Stay tuned for the next one. ⭐️
“FEVER” 16×20 on canvas.
I take LOTS of photos during the drawing process to make sure I’m on target so I have to file photos constantly from my cell phone. I can see where I’m “off” more easily on a photo.
While filing away old photos I ran across one of my early WIP photos and also the final drawing. Wow! I still get amazed that I know how to do this. …and it’s so much fun. 😊 This was a good clear photo to start so it just flowed.
My uncle commissioned me to draw his beautiful wife, Aunt Johnnie. 🌺. The black & white reference photo was from some 30 years ago. I like to draw from color photos because I can see tones better, but since the photo was a good, crisp closeup I was able to do a decent likeness.
I decided to add to my portfolio so I grabbed a photo of beautiful Shayla. 🌺
🌸HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!🌸 …. If you don’t have children, fret not, Neither do I ….so…. 🌺HAPPY LADIES DAY🌺 to you. 😊. You are a wonderful, unique, and distinct creation of God!
This is my grandmother. My mom found and sent a very old photo that was a bit torn and worn. I knew I would have to guess at some areas but I wanted to draw it as a gift to my mom. She was so surprised! 😌 The look on her face when she received it told me that I must have done a pretty decent job. She loved it. Honoring my grandmother and blessing my mom❤️.
A happy family of pooches (Italian Greyhounds)…actually, one of them is no longer with us, however still is considered a part of the family. 🐶
The challenge here was drawing them so they looked as if they were all in one original photo, when in reality the client provided 3 separate photos. Fortunately the dogs were all looking in the same general direction so I was able to pull it off.
16×20
I love photos that evoke emotion and thought. The photo used for this drawing made me think of rest, peace, calm, protection, security… so opposite of the ‘climate’ around us today.
While working on this sweet babe asleep on his father’s arm, the words to a song by Stuart Townend came to mind…
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure.
That He should give His only Son,
And make a wretch His treasure. ❤
[Photo Credit: Katie Walls]
I thought I’d revisit this familiar face. The first real portrait I ever drew, 3 years ago, was from a photo of Obama back in the early days of the presidency. It’s always fun to compare old drawings to recent ones.
It’s so funny – people asked me, “Why’d you choose him to draw?” When I did a recent drawing of Trump (see previous post)’ people asked me, “Why’d you draw him?” Haha! Can’t please everyone… ‘ain’t even trying to’.
Humanity … its beauty, love, sorrow, joy, and all things associated with life as we experience it; that is what I try to capture in my drawings… that is why I drew ‘him‘.
Peace and Love to you.💛
CAUGHT! Who’s bringing the fries!?! Ha!
Saw this photo of my cousin and thought, “Have I drawn fish yet?….Good for the portfolio.” 🐟🐟🐟. I’m on vacation so I’ve had time to sketch/practice all kinds of things. Hope you all aren’t weary of these drawings yet.😉
P.S. I’ve been fishing only once in my life; about 40 years ago. Caught one fish about the size of my hand. The End. 😏
So, I decided to make my little artistic contribution to the 2016 presidential election madness featuring the two most unpopular candidates ever (so I hear). Trump’s hair gave me fits. It looked so fake as I was drawing, but then I remembered that it looks fake in real life too 🤔 so I just quit working on it. 👀…. and … Hillary, well, she just ought to thank me for not drawing all of what I saw on her photo. (You’re welcome, girl) 😌.
Anyway, it’s all good (and needed) practice. 😎
A couple weeks ago I was contacted by a young lady who asked me to do a very special drawing. She explained that her son was born two years ago, and he lived for 28 days; he never came home from the hospital. She asked if I could do a drawing of him without his tubes and bandages. Well, my first thought was, “I’ve never done that but I could certainly try… and she will never have another photo of her baby, so I must try.” I draw strictly from photos, not from my ‘mind’ (I’m not that skilled yet). She sent a few photos she had taken when the baby was in the hospital… and, yes, I was unsure when I saw the photos. His little face, with the tubes and bandages, told of his struggle to live. I doubted my ability to do it but I asked God to show me this baby’s face without tubes and bandages, and healthy; the way he might have looked as he was ushered into the arms of the Lord.
As I started to draw, the neatest thing started to happen. My physical eyes studied the photo (as usual), however, my mind’s eye started to see a healthy baby with no bandages or anything. As I continued to draw I was excited to see how his face came to life for me, I even heard God whisper to me about what I needed to do to portray the child’s little face and body. It was definitely a new challenge and a different kind of experience for me.
When I completed it, I was silenced by the results. Not that it is a perfect, artistically-skilled, and technically astounding drawing, but I felt I had totally succeeded in rendering an accurate likeness… only because God guided/showed me. Most of all I felt God approved and was pleased, and that HE had commissioned me to do this particular drawing.
