Video Demonstration - Pencil Strokes

The plain, white clothes make this portrait look pure and simple, but the creases and shadows mean that there is a lot of detail to consider. There are many different colours in white - and this can take some time to depict realistically. I use very light and short strokes to create the soft effect of flowing fabric. It is important not to use heavy, thick strokes as this will give a hard, sculptured look - so, once again, depth must be built up gradually. The following short video shows an example of my technique - notice how the pencil is turned to keep the point as sharp as possible.

I appreciate the loyalty of the readers and subscribers to this blog, especially, considering that my current portrait is taking so much longer than usual. It's been quite a slog for me and I'm grateful that my regular readers have persevered in their encouragement - some with very welcome comments, but the majority choosing to offer their support quietly (I appreciate this, also).  In an attempt to satisfy my need to be creative and to display the pictures to better effect, I've been experimenting with my blog design. I'm, also, working on mixing up my posts with past works, some of my on-going sketches and more demonstrations. A magazine-type format, with the progress of my current portrait as the basis, may make for a more interesting blog. What do you think? I'd love to hear some feedback.

In my next post, I will be showing a past watercolour that I painted of a kangaroo - a different technique to coloured pencils, but still a delicate finish.