When I’m drawing a portrait, it’s important that I think about what it is I’d like to say and how I want that intention to come across to the viewer. I want my portrait to stop someone in their tracks and to that end I want to make a strong connection to my audience through my work from the very first moment it’s viewed.
Composition is the most important part of a portrait painting, which includes thinking about size, position, crop and negative space (the area around your image) before you start. Do some sketches of your model or use the computer to work out what looks best from your photo references before you begin so that you don’t waste valuable time or materials.
Preparation
Pastel pencil is a medium I’m very comfortable with. I guess it takes me back to where it all began as pastel pencils and the art of drawing are intrinsically linked to the humble pencil. The first thing I do before starting a new pastel drawing is to prepare my pastel pencils. To do this I use a scalpel with a 10A blade combined with a sanding paddle. I have tried many different methods and tools to sharpen my pastel pencils but this is the one way that never lets me down. I use the scalpel to whittle down the wood from the pencil, keeping an acute angel between the blade and the pastel to allow for a long nib of pigment
