Sunday 21 December 2008

ELISABETH SLADEN



I did this pencil drawing way back in the heady days of August 1992, a month before I started my degree at Camberwell College of Arts. When I was a boy, Elisabeth Sladen would make my heart go goosey whenever she was on the telly in Doctor Who and I did this portrait for her when I met her in London at a signing session. She was so lovely and complimentary about the drawing when she accepted it, my heart pumped up to Goose Factor 9.

Sometimes I wish I did but I don't often do drawings like this anymore because they're so time consuming and although I still have the patience, I'm always too busy illustrating books and stuff.

Other Dr Who drawings can be found on my website.

Tuesday 16 December 2008

SKETCH OF A LADIES' MAN



This is a Leonard Cohen drawing I did today that was required as a quick commission. Anyone who ever knew me, I don't know anyone anymore, knows that I spend a lot of my time messing things up. And this drawing is a top example of that as I had his face all wrong after making the marks around the eyes, mouth and nose far too heavy. To be fair though, I'm a bit poorly today and I can't concentrate very well with a headache. And my nose was running and kept dripping on my work.

Frankly my friends, Lenny deserves better than that.

I'm quite resourceful in a tight spot so I took my drawing and popped it onto my computer where I gently over-layed bits and bobs of the original photo I used as reference. I haven't done this before but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. The main problem was to try and make sure the parts I corrected still looked as though I was clever enough to have drawn them. But I'm not clever, not today. Today I'm a fraud.

Everybody knows.

Sunday 14 December 2008

THE BOY KING



This is an A3 pencil portrait of Elvis Presley as a boy. Elvis grew up poor and there's a distict sadness in his eyes here. The drawing itself is quite loose and sketchy and although I don't know how long it took to do (I did it about 4 or 5 years ago), I don't suppose it took longer than an evening.

There are other drawings of Elvis which can be found in the portfolio section of my website.

Friday 12 December 2008

AUDREY HEPBURN


This is an ink drawing of Audrey Hepburn which I did in around 10 minutes one day last year. Audrey's a particular favourite of mine and her face is so angelic and beautiful, it's difficult to resist drawing her.

Monday 8 December 2008

DOCTOR WHO AND THE DALEK


I did this tight little drawing with and edding pen I think, although that might not be true as I don't much like edding pens. Mmmm, it was some sort of pen anyway. The areas of darkness were built up with a laborious cross-hatched mark and I decided quite soon afterwards that I didn't really get on with this type of drawing because I'm not all that suited to it since I prefer a quicker, looser line.

But that sounds like a challenge and I reckon I've just goaded myself into having another go at another drawing of this type. In a couple of years or so.

Other Dr Who drawings can be found in the portfolio section of my website.