STEP ONE
Observe a tree and imagine it without leaves. The structure that is left (trunk, branches and twigs) comprises only lines – some straight, some curved or zig-zaggy or thick or thin, or very fine – but only lines; and everybody can draw lines.
STEP ONE
I don’t have a set method of painting, often just working instinctively and allowing the subject and medium to decide. In this case I set up a simple still life under the skylight in my studio and firstly drew up the basic lines of the composition in charcoal.
STEP ONE
I took around 200 photos of this dog in a brief photoshoot with a commission client. Sometimes I take several hundred of my subject in the hope that half a dozen will stand out. In this case, there was one head pose that shone out for my client’s portrait, but I wanted to revisit this pose in particular, as it totally captured the spirit of a spaniel at work, and the black fur was captured perfectly in the natural light.
STEP ONE
First I drew the outline using Raw Umber with light pressure. I usually work section by section. In this case I began at the left top part of the picture. First I painted the rocky upper part using Warm Grey II as an underpainting.
STEP ONE
I trace the completed drawing onto a piece of tracing paper and transfer it to the Clayboard. For this example, I put a piece of graphite paper (shown here) under the tracing paper and lightly traced over my lines with a ballpoint pen. I am careful not to press too hard because it will indent the clay.
STEP ONE
Fairy wrens are very social birds and spend a lot of time on the ground, so the theme of this image is the welcoming of one bird to a new group against the complex backdrop of the floor debris.
STEP 1
After selecting the paper size I am going to use for my drawing, I determine the size of the subject and where the horizon should be. I do a rough sketch at this time, taking care that the horizon is not in the centre or near it, because wherever the horizon is placed it will always be seen at eye level.
STEP ONE
When setting up for the portrait, I choose a space that provides a pleasant ambience with good lighting; music (if preferred); and minimal interruptions or distractions. I meet the subject and get a feel for their character, and I ascertain what the person commissioning the painting is expecting from the portrait.
STEP ONE
I begin by printing the original photo on an A4 piece of paper in grayscale, and drawing a 1cm grid on the printout. I then draw a 1cm grid on the A3 drawing paper using a 2B mechanical pencil, using a light touch as these lines will be erased as I progress through the drawing, Using the same pencil, I lightly draw in the outlines of the body and dark areas from the grayscale picture onto the grid.
STEP ONE
Because it provides an interesting background, I selected a sheet of softly marbled pewter coloured paper for my drawing of a Mophead Hydrangea. Carefully examining the specimen from all angles, I determined its shape would best suit a landscape format.