Decided it was time to move back to drawing family and friends. Feel I have improved somewhat enough to draw them with blending stumps and not make them look too old!
I have signed and dated this one, however I am not calling it finished just yet, might change a thing or two or might not lol – need to look at it a short time.
Graphite Pencils 2H – 6B
Blending Stump
Cotton Buds
Eraser & Kneadable Eraser
An old friend of mine back from school day’s whom I have not spoken to in years saw some of my work on Facebook.
He runs an Country Music website that is about promoting Country Music in the UK. http://www.ukcountrymusic.net/
He asked me to draw him a picture of the ‘Rascal Flatts’ who are a successful band in the USA, to promote them coming over to the UK and do a tour. This will also be used for a prize in a competition.
So as my next project I agreed to do this. This new drawing would be pushing my limits even further than Blake Lively and Leighton Meester has. The band members total THREE – so thats three faces, clothing, hair, and hands etc to draw.
I chose my picture carefully after failing on the first attempt (photo had not enough detail). But second attempt I feel came out very well 🙂
See results below.
Faber Castell Pencils 2H – 6B
Kneedable Eraser
Blending Stumps
Cotton Buds
Another drawing of celebrities. After vin diesel, I was feeling a bit braver and want to push myself more! So my next drawing is of two celebrities in one drawing 
I will be honest here, I did not know who these two ladies were, I just chose a picture that I thought was interesting and will push me. I had to draw two hairstyles (something I am not yet proficient with) I had to draw two lots clothing, two lots faces, ICE CREAM, a persons hand! Lot to draw here, and also had to use my imagination a little.
I spent a long time on this drawing tweaking it somewhat. Artistic licence was required. Struggled quite a bit on the first face but with what I was learning, the second face was done twice as fast 🙂 – Think I need to research in some better papers for my next drawings.
Hope you all like it
After getting some positive feedback from fellow Artists about my ‘Seychelle Gabriel’ on Stars-Portraits – this motivated me to try again, using professionally made Blending Stumps.
I decided to draw my all time favourite actor ‘Vin Diesel’ (well I think the character Riddick is great anyway) – Although I think I messed up slightly on the dimensions of his forehead lol 
I think overall I suprised myself with the outcome of this one.
See what can be achieved with better equipment?- I am so amazed that my teachers never showed us these tools! also failed to explain how important certain grades of paper can be 
– however other than that, the art courses at ‘Southdowns College’ Hampshire, are supurb!
I WILL BE MAKING A POST REGARDING TORTILLIONS AND BLENDING STUMPS FOR SOON!
Ok, so after my drawing of ‘Brian Hazzard’ (my Brother in Law) – I decided to research in to this Shading of skin tones.
I got myself some new art tools, got some blending stumps and tortillions (after failure at making my own)
If any of you are wondering ‘what is a tortillion and blending stump!’ well I was wondering the same. On deviant art I kept seeing fellow artists saying “used tortillion” and this left me scratching my head so I used trusty google and found out.
A tortillion is a tightly roled pieces of paper, and you rub it against your pencil marks to smudge it, this is how they get their flesh tones! WOW how come with years in college no teacher showed me this?
I did the below drawing using a home made tortillion, it was not a geat one lol – so after this drawing I purchased some decent one.
This is Seychelle Gabriel, an actress from the movie ‘Last Air Bender’ – decided to draw someone famous as I will not draw family again un till my skills have improved!
After many years not doing what I really love, I have decided to return to art. I miss it very much and it is something I believe I can be good at. If I do not spend my life doing art then it is a waste of a life.
I have not been very active in art since about 2003 when I started looking for different jobs to earn money. I have tried getting in to IT and gained Professional status, I have been a Quality Professional in Manufacturing areas & Distribution (ISO9001 etc) – It is hard to find the time for Arts when studying other subjects and working every day.
I have studied and gained extensive qualifications in various areas since leaving art college, but I am not passionate about any of them like I am about Art. I always felt a burning desire I should be doing something else in life.
So to start me off I decided to draw my Brother in Law ‘Brian Hazzard’ 🙂 – and I am wondering, how do some of these artists do their shading of skin tones? – because I can not do it! I make people look old lol – no matter how hard I am trying. I will do some research in to this for sure!
So here is my first drawing in a few years, took a few hours to do 😉 – tbh I was pleased with it!
