Because I work directly from customer photos I am able to take commissions from anywhere in the world. On this page you’ll find information about the process of commissioning a pencil portrait, or you can follow the link below to go straight to the drawing gallery.
For portraits in pencil I draw onto a smooth and slightly off-white cartridge paper which is acid-free – important to prevent your drawing from yellowing with age. I choose heavyweight 220gsm paper to prevent creasing. I like to use Staedtler Mars Lumograph and Cretacolor Austria pencils in several different grades, ranging from 2H down to a very soft 8B.
When the portrait is finished I clean around the drawing with a putty eraser and then spray it with a specialist fixative spray to stop any of the graphite from rubbing off. Lastly I’ll place it within a cellophane sleeve so that you can safely handle it until you’re ready to have it put in a frame. Pencil portraits are sent out sandwiched between custom-cut MDF sheets (for the A4 international size) or hard cardboard (for bigger sizes) so that they can’t be bent or creased in transit.
MY STYLE
I give extreme importance to the expressions of the eyes of the subject I am drawing. I've developed a style that uses both smooth surface and harder lines, in that way it is possible to accentuate more distinguishable aspects of each face. The technique works well both for paler skin and also with darker skin shades.
For a typical head-and-shoulders portrait I like the concentrate the most detail around the face, hair and neck, becoming more ‘sketchy’ around the upper arms and chest, unless the clothes are of some significance, which could be the case with wedding gowns, for example. This helps to keep the focus of the portrait on the facial features, which usually communicate the most about the subject of the drawing. I may request additional photos of the same subject so I can better capture any distinctive features.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
Select the ‘more information’ link below to read in detail about how to commission a portrait. You’ll find advice on what size of pencil portrait to choose, what sort of pose would be best and what sort of photo reference I’ll need to work from. It may also be helpful to look through the pencil gallery and let me know if any in particular have a look that you prefer. You’re also welcome to get in touch for a chat any time.
Of course, probably the most important aspect of the portrait is to capture a good likeness and this is something I work hard to make sure I achieve.