gallery of imagination

        How I Draw:  posts explain how I draw a part of a drawing. Each post will focus on a different part, and how I shade and such. The first post will be about blending, a key element when drawing, whether graphite or color pencil. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~         Blending can be done two ways: with a white color pencil and a colorless blender. It is up to the artist to decide where to use which. In the following posts, I will tell what I use for blending. However, that doesn't mean the other won't work. Below, the pros and cons for each. White Colored Pencil: Pros: Good for wide areas and overlapping colors Smooth finish Good for drawing skin and hair Cons: Makes the color much lighter, and hard to regain color  Not good for transitioning from one color to another Colorless Blender: Pros: Doesn't make colors lighter or darker Good for transitioning colors Good for creating streaks ...

        I did not explain this before, but I keep the black and white versions of drawings I want to fill in with color quite simple, as seen with my previous two  portraits. This is because I do not want the color pencil and graphite to smudge and discolor the portrait.          In some places, I will leave the pencil, because that smudge will make it more realistic. I can always do this with a gray or black color pencil, but I don't have a gray, and black can be too overpowering, so graphite works fine. I used a Derwent 5H pencil, so as to create light, fine lines. 

        Drawing, now available on the go! Recently, I bought a miniature 10-cm (3.9 in.) by 8 cm (3.1 in.) binder, with blank paper. I use it to draw on the go as quick practice sessions. I lined it up with my hand to emphasize its size.         These initial two are sketched with a 2 HB pencil and standard eraser, with my trusty index finger as a blender. These were also sketched in a dark auditorium.  The first drawing is a realistic   nose: Next, realistic lips (these didn't out as well):

        As a quick watercolor project, I drew a version of this picture: Here it is:         The drawing itself is more cheerful, but, because of the unfortunate lighting, I could not capture it properly in the photo. I did not make it as whitewashed, as a like more stable colors in watercolor paintings. I used a variety of colors, including many blues, purples, pinks, greens, yellows, oranges, browns, and even black. Still, this is definetly one of my favorites.

        As promised, right after finishing Hermione, I started filling in my sketch of Harry Potter.  Progress report: Look-on  The black shirt, eyes, and lips are done first...  Then his face...  This version has a slightly darker skin tone in the cheek area.  Then the nose...  The neck...  The entire shirt... The background (indigo blue is the color; I wrote it down to remember)... A slight change in the ear and more background... Completed background, fixed neck shadowing, added shadows to the eye area, and enhancement to the scar and nose ... Parts of the hair (I used a combination of black, light umber, and dark umber, with white for highlights)...   Completed hair. Complete background, added shadows to the forehead, added color and highlights to hair, signature...         And we're done! This attempt came out better, then Emma Watso...

        Finally! After about a week, I can now publish my finished masterpiece. But first, a step back.         This picture is based off another pencil drawing, a hype-realistic sketch of Emma Watson when she was in the 5th Harry Potter movie (hence the blond hair). This is actually a drawing!!!         I was looking for a face to draw, and came upon this picture, so, why not? I sketched her out.         From there, I colored her in with Prismacolor Soft-core color pencils.  All black spots, eyes, and the beginning of the skin... Lips, more skin... Completed face and neck with shadowing, eyebrows, nose, shirt and tie... Hair and background (background color: terracotta).       And finally... here she is! I admit, it's not a carbon copy version of the look-on, and the hair's a mess, but otherwise, I love it! Time Taken: 5 Days (July...

        As a quick fun draw, I decided to draw a chibi character, and, in honor of the new remake of Beauty & the Beast (and my favorite actress), I chose Belle for my character.         For those who don't know, chibi is a    " ' super deformed'  style of drawing characters with over-sized heads," as stated in Wikipedia. I like chibi because of it's simpleness and it's bold colors.          Here is chibi Belle: My look-on picture:         For my drawing, I outlined with a regular black Sharpie, and colored in with Prismacolor Soft-core color pencils.