Portrait of Bruno J.

Cotman watercolors on Stillman and Birn sketchbook
portraits have always been my favorite, I became an urban sketcher after doing portraits for many years..

Portraits in ink

This portraits were made using a Safari  Lamy pen SF with noodler's ink on a 6x8 wirebound Beta Series Stillman and Birn sketchbook (Except for Opie's portrait which is a bigger size 9x12 wirebound as well)
Some drawings are better left in black and white, can't explain exactly why, there's a certain elegance to it.
The last is a portrait of Bernard V.
The first portrait of Jorge R. took me to do an extra preliminary sketch since I found a bit complicated to make out the detail of the beard and mustache
The second portrait of Opie (Sons of Anarchy) I did a preliminary in pencil and I inked it

Drawing Under the Clock

I wrote this article on how to work from sketching to a complete rendering using different styles of linework when working with pen and ink

Portrait of Frida and Hadassah

Dr. Ph. Martin's Radiant Concentrated Watercolor on Canson bristol smooth

 

 

Joseph's Portrait -The completed drawing in color pencil

Portrait of Joe
Color pencil
This color pencils are discontinued, I am lucky to have the full set of 96 colors of Design Spectracolors. The great thing about this colors is that they don't release dust, and the intensity (chroma) is more as the pressure on the paper is stronger; also the color builds on top of each other and the blending is perfect. I cherish this set so much!
The bad news is that I used the wrong paper: Arches hot press watercolor paper that acts like sandpaper. Took me a while to finish this as the texture eats the pigment so quickly, yet here it is!
I am practicing on an old skill and trying to bring it back. I haven't done color pencil portraits in more than 17 years. So I think it's time to see what happens today 

Work in progress -Joe's Portrait

This paper is giving me a hard time. Hot press arches watercolour paper.
I'll stick to bristol smooth, but will finish this tomorrow with better light.

Henry Cavill Portrait-demo in Colour Pencil

Here is a demo I am working on for colour pencil portraits

First step is the proportions using a stick, length width  and blocking masses

 

Step 2: setting features and likeness (This should be broken up a bit more, I know..)

Step 3 Detailing the features more

 

Step 4 -Using a pillow eraser to evenly tone down the pencil marks (H pencil)

Step 5 -Erasing plotting lines and extra lines

Step 6 - With a base skin tone in the whole face of the lightest light tone, start with detail on the eyes

Step 7 -Continuing the nose and lips with a base tone a bit more intense than the first skin tone layer

Step 8 -Always look at the work at a distance to catch any awkwardness in the expression. Here I frame the face with the hair and I detail the ear

 

Step 9 -Intensify skin tones and proceed with clothing and faded background. I use the background as a neutral tone to create contrast where needed for the face to "pop-out" of the paper

Step 10 -Continue working on the hair by breaking it down to sort of geometric shapes that you fill with tones of brown and highlights, do some loose strands here and there to give sense of hair texture

The completed work

I plan to open a youtube channel and do this demonstrations on video. I am working on it, I'll probably start with watercolor techniques for portraits and add other media like this one, charcoal and others :) stay tuned! ;)

Portrait of Leo

I usually don't do celebrities, because they are so overrated, but after watching The Great Gatsby I had to do Leo's face. So expressive. I loved his performance in that recent film.

This is on Bristol smooth using cotman's watercolors and Koi for skin tone

always with petit gris brushes

Kenny -Watercolor sketch

 

Kenny was drawing cartoons and I wanted to capture that sweet expression of his

I used a mini travel kit of W&N cotman's watercolors

Portrait of Bruno

Canson watercolor panel & Koi watercolors

Portraits for my friends

Today I made some portraits for my friend Joe, David, and Maya in her birthday

I used a Gelly Roll and Koi watercolors on Canson Bristol Plate 2-ply

This paper absorbed water too fast, I'll change it for the next, I like a more faded effect on the strokes

This is dry brush method

More portraits

Continuing on watercolor portraits. I will be publishing more this week.
Here are some watercolor sketches of my friend Joe.

Materials:
Isabey petit gris brushes and Sakura Koi watercolors.
Koi watercolors have a skin color that I love yet the line is a bit fugitive. I like particularly the saturation of the brand and their bold colors.
When choosing materials, my biggest investment is on the best quality brush I can afford and from there I choose a watercolor brand for specific purpose.

Portraits in Ink

Back to portrait sketches, I used two points of copic multiliner, the 0.25 to start and the 0.7 for finishing touches. As less is always more, rule of thumb, I try to leave the area closer to the edges very loose and undefined so the attention remains on the center of the face and the expression. To me the most important element in a face is the eyes. If I get the right expression, accurate to the subject, the rest of the drawing is pretty much resolved; however the mouth is also very important, as the second feature to get just right.

I decided to scan Joe's sketch before I add watercolor so I can give him both choices in print.

Quick portrait study of Joe L.
Copic marker on bristol plate

In this case, again the eyes are the key to the expression. I did exaggerate the intensity, because I thought it was a powerful and engaging feature that should caught all the attention. In all my drawings I try to give them certain personality that has to do with my personal perception of the subject as first impression. The contrast of Don's beautiful light gray eyes is in striking contrast with the rich black tone of the shirt.



Portrait study of Don I.
Copic marker on bristol plate