Patti

9x12

This is another Christmas commission I did.
In this portrait, I used 2B, 4B, 7B, and 8B pencils, an eraser stick,

kneaded eraser, tortillions and stumps.



Grandparents

9x12

This portrait was drawn from an older picture of my grandparents,
which my aunts and uncles wanted me to do for Christmas.
I really liked drawing this portrait, the lighting differences and
just drawing people I know was interesting and fun!

 

For this portrait, I used HB, 2B, 4B, 7B, and 8B pencils, an eraser
stick and kneaded eraser, tortillions and stumps. It took roughly 4-6 hours

 to draw.

Hoops

9x12

 

This is a commission I did of a cute little clown in training. I used HB, 2B, 4B,
7B, and 8B pencils, an eraser stick, tortillions and stumps.

The Joy of Education

Photography credits go to Dennis Thern: (dennisthern.com, + http://instagram.com/p/srOAmovEQw/)

11x14

This is a photo of a young student holding some chalk and a pencil. My mom

was saying how in one description she found, someone commented on how it

was an 'excellent example of an educated child,' hence the title: The Joy of Education.

For this portrait, I used HB, 2B, 4B, 7B, and 8B pencils, 7/16, 1/16 tortillions, an

eraser stick, and kneaded eraser.



Zambian Girl

 

I absolutely loved the picture of this little girl. Her sweet, serene smile

strongly compelled me to draw her, and I loved the technical pros of the photo as well.

I am very happy with how this portrait turned out, and although there are a few
things I can point out to do better, I think it came together pretty well overall.
9x12
I used 2B, 4B,7B, and 8B pencils, an eraser stick, and tortillions (mostly 7/16).

This is my last portrait as a 14 year old, since I'm turning 15 tomorrow!

 



How To Draw An Eye

 (sorry this picture is so blurry!)

1:    Start out by drawing a circle & make an almond shape around it.
You might draw two diagonal lines that make two 90° angles.

 

 

2:    make the eyelid by outlining the basic shape of the eye,

the closer the outline is to the eye, the deeper set the eye will look.

 Draw the different shapes in the eye and add a tear duct.

Underline underneath the eye, making it wider at the outside,

getting thinner towards the middle.

 

 

3:    draw the outline of the eyebrow and lightly shade the DARKEST parts.

Add a faint bag under the eye, shaped like the lower half of a lemon.

 Erase the right half of the line you just made. Lightly fill in the tear duct.

 

 

4:    lightly shade in the eyebrow with a 4B pencil and darken the parts
you’ve already shaded with a 4b, lightly shading the lighter parts of the iris.

 

5:    with a stump or tortillion, blend your drawing carefully,
making sure you smudge it the directions you drew it.
Darkening the black parts even more, use an 8B pencil and shade.

 

 

6:    using your 8B pencil, shade your darker parts even more.

(i.e. the crease, outside of the iris, pupil, and maybe black eyeliner)

Blend with different thicknesses of stumps/tortillions.

 

7:    shade around the eye LIGHTLY, and with a stump/tortillion,

very lightly shade the rest of the semi-lemon shape.
Continue to shade the darker parts with an 8B.
As you darken, be careful not to darken the white parts. 

 

8:    smudge the iris with a 1/8 stump or tortillion and

 using a tuff stuff© eraser stick, erase little white specks

 on the lid, to give it a sparkly appearance. Since the eraser stick was not pointed,
I cut a piece of wax paper and snipped out a very small hole,
then placed it over the eye and erased over it.

 

 

9:    With a sharp 7B pencil and (for thick lashes) a

 Faber-Castell PITT artist pen (B) add the lashes and

 fill in the eyebrow, making sure you curve the lashes

 and start at the roots, letting some lashes overlap and cross.

 I also added the reflection of the lashes. 

 

10: Finish touch ups and add your signature!

       Voila!

 

 

Here is a picture of all of the utensils I used, except for the wax paper stencil.

 

 

I hope this tutorial was helpful!

 

Here is a collage of all of the steps together:

 

        

Brothers

These boys are so cute! This is a commission of three brothers I finished this week.

11x14

In this pencil sketch I used HB, 2B, 4B, 7B and 8B pencils, a tortillion (which is quickly wearing out) eraser stick, and cloth.

Art Exhibit

From Friday through the Lord's Day I spent many hours at the Frankfort Public Art Exhibition.
Some of you probably know, most of the latest portraits I've been doing were taken there.

Here is a picture my mom took when I was drawing the Little Dreamer.

 

 

The exhibit is an annual fundraiser held by a local library.  This is its 34th year!  It is a highly regarded event, and includes the work of around 100 artists from Indiana and nearby states. 

The majority of the exhibitors are adults or seniors but me, Laurabeth, an amazing polymer clay artist named Alexa, and a few others were honored to be exceptions.

  Laurabeth has made many sets of beautiful note cards, each card in a set drawn individually and with painstaking attention to detail.  She has an amazing and beautiful gift! She also did two incredible zentangle works.

 

 

Because there were many exhibitors, I couldn't hang all of my portraits on the walls, so my parents and I picked out two of our favorites and the rest were put in a 'browse bin'.
We chose Chelsea and The Russian girl.

 

      

 

 

We thought that they should have high contrast so they would be more noticeable, and these seem to fit that description.

 

Dad helped me make some fliers and business cards to display beside the browse bin.

 

Here you can see the "browse bin."

 

 

 

Here are all of the portraits before the exhibit.

 

 

                       

 

 

 

           

 

            
 

             

         

 

 

I ended up selling The Russian Girl, Grace Kelly, and the Little Dreamer. The Library decided to buy the Woolen Hat Baby to put on display, which was very exciting. I felt honored.

 

I met many, many incredible artists; from a very nice older lady who made beautiful jewelry,
a really kind plein air painter who did an incredible demonstration, a very encouraging and wonderful glass blower who made amazing glass ornaments and a few paintings as well,  and a couple painters and gallery owners.

One special painter that I was introduced to was Mrs. Rena Brouwer. Mrs. Brouwer told me she owns a gallery in Delphi, Indiana and graciously invited me to display some of my work there after the show. I was SO excited!  I gave her the Sleepy Baby, the Little Thinker, the Woodland Maiden, the Indian Boy, and Bathing Beauty.

 

I was also going to offer Chelsea, but I feel kind of sentimental about her.

I'm going to keep her.

 

 

It was overall an incredible experience and I'm grateful that I was included.

 

Thank you!