Thursday, September 21, 2006

Self-Portraits and a smoker




I do lots of self-portraits in my sketchbook, and they all come out differently. This one is just a quick sketch, it's completed in ink and watersoluble graphite. Derwent makes watersoluble graphite pencils and the sticks that don't need to be sharpened as well. They call them Graphitints. I like the wash effect they give and they are great for quick sketches. I prefer the sticks to the pencils.
The spoons have my reflection in them, so in a sense they are self-portraits. I got lazy and did the shadows and background in watercolor. Originally, I was going to fill the page with spoons, but then I decided I didn't want to spend all day sketching them.
The smoker is taken from a photo from Wetcanvas. com-reference image library. It's an image I have drawn many times, but I have never done it in pen and ink until now. I love the textures on the face and the challenge of drawing the smoke, and I think that's why I keep returning to this image.