I am very lucky to get asked to draw a wide variety of pets and wildlife. But sometimes I get asked to draw something that is completely out of my comfort zone. These portraits I love! It’s during these that you get to learn new skills, try new tools to achieve a specific texture or effect you want. This was definitely a piece for that.
My must have tools..
I could not have completed this piece without my graphite powder and blending tools. All of the reference photograph I was using for this piece was sharp and all in focus. I took the photo into my photo editing software and blurred out the background to create that depth of field I have mentioned in previous posts. By blurring the background it made the foreground and main subject really pop and stand out. Be the focal point of the portrait which is just what you want.
I didn’t use my pencils at all for the water. This was purely graphite powder and my Sofft Tools to create the smooth out of focus look I wanted.
Artistic License
So in some cases like I mentioned above an artist can make changes and adapt the photograph to make their artwork unique or ‘better’ than the original. Sometimes this isnt needed and the reference is perfect as it is. My Hare acrylic painting for example. All I have done to try and make it more my own is add some flowers – some daisys and buttercups. But for the most I am copying the reference as it fills the canvas and is gorgeous as it is.
For this Pike drawing there was a shed in the background on the bank. So I removed that and continued the bushes. Things like this will make a difference to the final piece.
Scan vs Photo
I wish I still had this drawing so I could take a photograph of it instead of a scan. At the time I finished this I hadn’t invested in my proper lighting so scanning the drawings was the best method I had available. However, I am never as happy with my scans as I am now with my photographs. You would have been able to see all the tiny detail in the fishing tackle in the tackle box to the right. And all the scales on the fish.
My setup gets gradually bigger and bigger :D.. But the space to put it in doesn’t grow!
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