For My Mother - WiP01

For My Mother - WiP01 [Sketching & Roughing]

Medium/s: Wolffs Carbon - pencil & powder [B, 2B, 4B & 6B], Charcoal Powder [Graded Commercial Willow 6B], Koh-i-Noor White Pastel & powder, & Derwent Pastel Pencil Titanium White [720].

Tool/s: Boldmere Nylon Shaper Brushes [Angled, Flat & Round], Royal & Langnickel Soft Grip White Taklon brushes [Flat & Filbert SG-305], Conte Kneadable eraser & Surgical Gloves.

Paper: A3 [297mm x 420mm] medium tooth Grey toned drawing paper.

Since the birth of my adorable little niece - 5th December 2009 - my mother had always wished that some how I'd find the time to draw a portrait of her grand-daughter [both my mother & myself share days per week in taking care of her whilst working full-time]. For the last couple of weeks I secretly began this personal project, fitting this particular piece inbetween Christmas commissions, without her knowledge & if my calculations are correct. . .I should have this piece completed, framed & wrapped for Christmas day!

Eyes:
I filled in most of her iris, pupils, eyeballs & eyelids with Wolff's Carbon Powder [2B] & gradually layered each gradient with 4B - 6B using a Filbert no.4 & 6, flat no. 2 & a round no.4, before delicately adding in each of her little upper eyelashes [Wolff's carbon Pencil 6B]. After adding her upper eyelashes, I gently used a round no.2 & brushed 2B Carbon powder to create her lower & inner eyelid before adding in her lower eyelashes. Derwent White Pastel Pencil [Titanium White 720] was softly added to her iris to create the illusion of reflected light [evident more in her left eye], the subtle highlights continued to which I lightly pulled the White Pastel from left to right - this was barely touching the paper at this stage - in order to produce the moist look shown in her lower eyelids. A light stippling was also added around the base of each eyelash to indicate where the sunlight had caught most of her left-side.

Nose:
A large Filbert no.8 was primarily used together with Commercial Charcoal Powder [6B] to form the layers of her nose from top to bottom [following the lines & contours of her nose. . .as always]. The Filbert no.8 was then replaced with the use of a flat no.4 & 6 to create the layered gradation seen on the tip & lower portion of her nose. For her nostril I used a very small flat no.1 using Wolff's Carbon powder [6B]. After much layering with the Charcoal, I began stippling highlights with the use of the Koh-i-Noor White Pastel & Powder - the powder was used to blend out the highlights so as not to produce too solid of the White.

Cheek:
Not much done here apart from a slight filling with the Charcoal [6B] using a Filbert no.4 & 6 & gently layering towards her upper lip going with the contours of her little face.

Hopefully I'll be submitting the next stage this coming Monday - I don't have much time but commissions come first I'm afraid - & we'll all get to see this particular piece completed before Christmas day! Thank you to everyone for viewing, favouring & as always. . .for leaving such warm & encouraging words