MATERIALS
• Faber Castell 9000 pencils
2B, 2H, 5B, 8B
• Illustration board
• Various sized stub pencils
• Pliable eraser
• Hard erasers cut into different shapes
• Calculator
• Sandpaper board
• Cotton buds
STEP ONE
I always work from A4 photos, so once I have chosen the photo I want, I usually print about four copies in black and white and one in colour. Two of the black and white copies are done on normal paper so that I can draw and make notes on them if I want to. I also set my table up to suit me. Once happy, I calculate how big the picture will be, and then start measuring how large the picture will be i.e. 1.5, 1.75, 2.0 times as big as the photo.
Once that is complete, I start to outline using a stub pencil. I always pick a base reference point. With this drawing I used the largest door and his ears, and everything else should stay in proportion.
STEP TWO
Because I am right handed, when drawing I start in the left hand corner and work down and across. Once the initial outline is done and I am happy with the position and proportion, I can start to work and layer the picture, using mainly stub pencils and cotton buds, slowly building up as I go along, always working down towards the right hand corner.
One thing I never do is use my finger to move the graphite, because I find that once the oils from your skin get into the board they are very hard to remove. I also always lay clean A4 paper around the picture to stop marks and smudges getting onto the board from my hands, wrists, and fingers.
STEP THREE
As the picture starts to build up, I add depth and texture again, using the stub pencils and cotton buds, and working in the finer details. I normally work for a couple of hours then get up to have a walk around or a cup of coffee to rest my eyes. This also gives me a chance when I come back into the office to see my work with fresh eyes. I can then usually pick up any mistakes or errors I had not realised were there.
STEP FOUR
The mule is starting to come together now, so I start working on the shadows and the finer details of the cages on his back and around his face. I also have to remember that in the original photo there are two people behind the mule whom I do not want in the drawing, so I have to ensure that you can see through the cage to the wall where the people stood. The cobbled ground now needs to be worked on as well. I missed out the drains and manhole covers and just concentrated on the cobbles.
STEP FIVE AND FINAL STEP
This final stage for me is always the trickiest. I had a number of problems doing the rope from his mouth down to the ground. It took a while trying to get it right, using different lengths and styles, until eventually I decided to stay with the original. Once this was all done, I turned the picture upside down and put the part of another window in and the ledge above the main door.The main problem for me is knowing when to stop, so like most artists I clean it up and leave it for a couple of days, going in to view it now and again, looking for mistakes and ways it may be improved. Once satisfied, I decide it’s finished and sign it.
ARTIST’S HINTS AND TIPS
• Never use fingers to work graphite into paper or board, it makes it hard to remove
• Use sheets of clean A4 to cover around your drawing to stop marks being accidently put onto the board
• Use sharp knife to cut up erasers
• I always work with good background music as it helps me to relax and concentrate
• After a while, walk away and have a coffee or a break, then go back. You will be amazed at how many little mistakes you will notice and can fix before they get too big.
