We had our final Summer class at the Academy this last week, and because I have some serious drawing aficionados in our group, I wanted to sit with them and work out a portrait head from start to finish.
Lee, a last-minute life-saver of a model, came in unknown to me and quickly became a favored male head to draw and paint. Lee sits cheerfully and as unflinching as the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and we had six hours to make something happen.
I used five grades of Wolff’s carbon pencils (HH, B, 2B, 4B, 6B) on a sheet of regular Strathmore drawing paper, with a little eraser work at the end. I worked seated rather than standing so that I could be looking up at him slightly, he has an aristocrat’s head and it was a good decision.
I can’t overstate how much I see regular drawing practice helping my outdoor work, and vice versa. I’m very happy and fortunate to have both opportunities on a regular basis.