Art Commission - Couple

This is a commission I did for someone I bumped into on the A19 outside Morpeth, and I do mean literally bumped into, (I kind of bumped my car into the back of his and after exchange details etc), he rang me up out of the blue and asked for this commission as he recalled I was an artist of sorts from my card. Doesn't life meander in weird ways!

Still using the reference photo he provided me with, I sketched his parents (he wanted a Christmas prezzie) on A3 cartridge paper , and had to use my vast collection of Derwent graphic pencils (well 4H, 2H, H, HB, B 2B and 4B to be precise). The hardest areas of this sketch was the man's silver hair and the woman's floral patterned top, the latter, which I feel compliments her sketch.

Art Commission 4 of 4 - Skip the Dog

At last, the final piece of my commissioned dog quartet, this is Skip, sadly no longer with us, his owner and my mate marmite (almost rhythms).

This one was somewhat difficult in that I wasn't able to take reference photos like I normally do, and was limited to only one photo. Still I feel I have captured his likeness and this I achieved by using only about four pencils (4H, 2H, HB and 4B - which gives me a great range of tones and shades) on A4 cartridge paper.

I then use this image together with the preceeding three others to compile a "quartet" of the four dogs, and had them printed all together on a white boxed canvas (26" x26") which now hangs proudly in marmite's tea rooms in Stannington (Stannington Nurseries, Station road, Stannington - there you are Marmite a free plug).

Shoot The Cat

Art Commission 3 of 4 - Old Belle

OK, here is third sketch of a series of four, a commission I received from my mate Marmite. This sketch is of the oldest of his three dogs, she's called Belle. Her face around her eyes is very speckled and took hours of shading before I was happy that I had captured her unique demeanour, she looks to be the old mother figure for the other two I sketched before her.

The sketch was done on A4 cartridge paper and again I ended up using my favourite few pencils (4H, HB, 2B and 4B) these four pencils, especially on this sketch, I find give me a great range of contrast between the light and dark areas. I enjoyed shading in the detail in the eyes reflections and on the original sketch, I got so immersed in the reflection detail, I sketched the silhouette of myself taking the photo of Belle with my camera!

Once finished, I scanned the sketch into Photoshop, played around with the tones, before printing to A4 canvas cloth.

Art Commission 2 of 4 - Charlie the Jack Russell

Here is the second commission I've just completed of a Jack Russell (called Charlie). Which I have been commissioned to do for my mate Marmite. I think that the photo I decided to use as a reference, definitely show's his inquisitive nature, and has that cheeky look in his eyes.

The finished sketch was done on A4 cartridge paper. For this sketch, I ended up using only about four pencils (H4, HB, 2B and 4B). I then scanned the finished sketch into Photoshop and played around with the tone levels before I printed the final image onto A4 size 300 gsm cotton canvas, to enhance the pencil work I put into a sketch.

Art Commission 1 of 4 - Mac the Dog

Here is a pencil sketch I've just completed of a dog (called Mac). This is one of four I've been commissioned to do for my mate Marmite (you either love him or hate him).

I used a Canon EO5 Digital SLR to take the initial shots I'd need for the sketch. The finished sketch was done on A4 cartridge paper.

I used a Derwent Graphic Designer pencil set which has a good pencil range. This time This sketch, I used mainly pencils 4H, HB and 2B. I then scanned the finished sketch into Photoshop and played around with the tone levels before I printed the final image onto A4 size 300 gsm cotton canvas, to enhance the pencil work I put into a sketch.

Art Commission - Foal Sketch (Roxy)

Here is a pencil sketch I've just completed of a foal (called Roxy) When I was out in the field with her owner to take my initial shots, she just kept running away to her mum, but my patience paid off, after kneeling down with my camera, she felt relaxed enough to be curious and came up closer and I was able to get the shots I wanted. I decided on her right side as the coat pattern on this side looked best. I am using a Canon EO5 Digital SLR.

The finished sketch was done on A4 cartridge paper. I used a Derwent Graphic Designer pencil set which has the pencil range I needed (4H - 3H -2H - H - F - 2B to 6B) This time I found that for this sketch, I used mainly pencils 4H, 2H, HB and 2B. I then scanned the finished sketch into Photoshop. As it was an overcast (and very windy) day I had to tweak the brightness and contrast of the chosen photo in Photoshop to bring out the facial muscles and tones in the dark section of the coat.and played around with the tone levels before I printed the final image on A4 size 300 gsm cotton canvas. This really enhances the pencil work I put into a sketch, in fact I believe this final result looks better than the original A4 sketch.

Art Commission - Albert and Babs

Here is a pencil sketch I've just completed of a couple (Albert and Babs). The sketch was done on A4 cartridge paper. I used a Derwent Graphic Designer pencil set (from WH Smith - currently my favourite pencils) which had the pencil range I needed (4H - 3H -2H - H - F - 2B to 6B) I found that for this sketch I used mainly 4H, 2H, F, HB, 2B and 4B. I then scanned the finished sketch into Photoshop and played around with the tone levels and printed the final image on A4 size 300 gsm cotton canvas. I feel thaafter scanning the original sketch and printing it out onto A4 canvas really enhances the pencil work, in fact it looks better than the original sketch. Completion time was about six hours.

Art Commission - Girl and her Dog

This is a sketch of May and her pet dog "Ralph" sketched from a photograph onto canvas and then scanned into Photoshop and printed on A4 Cotton Canvas (I just love the finished effect you get printing on canvas). I also have to add that this shaggy dog was probably one of the hardest pets I've ever drawn, but my patience paid off.

I used the Derwent Graphic Designer pencil set that I used for the Horse sketch (April - see previous post) this time I tried sketching straight onto canvas instead of onto cartridge paper (my favourite medium) this, I feel gave me a fantastic texture to work with for this particular subject (soft focus photo and shaggy dog).