LATEST NEWS

POSTED 5TH FEBRUARY 2024

HAVE ARTISTS MATERIALS BECOME MORE DIVERSE AND READILY AVAILABLE?

In recent years, there has been a noticeable surge in the availability and diversity of materials for artists. This increase can be attributed to several factors, each contributing to a vibrant and dynamic landscape for creative expression.

Firstly, technological advancements have revolutionized the production and distribution of art supplies. Innovations in manufacturing processes have made it easier and more cost-effective to produce a wide range of materials, from traditional paints and brushes to cutting-edge digital tools. This accessibility has democratized the art-making process, allowing artists of all skill levels to experiment with different mediums and techniques.

Additionally, the rise of online platforms and marketplaces has connected artists with a global network of suppliers and manufacturers. This increased connectivity has not only expanded the variety of materials available but has also facilitated greater competition among sellers, leading to lower prices and higher quality products. Artists now have unprecedented access to specialized materials that were once difficult to find or prohibitively expensive.

Furthermore, growing environmental awareness has led to the development of eco-friendly and sustainable art supplies. As artists become more conscious of their environmental footprint, manufacturers have responded by producing materials that minimize waste and utilize renewable resources. From recycled paper and biodegradable paints to non-toxic pigments, these eco-friendly options appeal to environmentally conscious artists seeking to reduce their impact on the planet.

POSTED 5TH JANUARY 2024

DRAMATIC RISE IN THE REQUEST FOR CELEBRITY PENCIL PORTRIAT DRAWINGS

In today’s digital age, where photographs and images are a dime a dozen, there has been a notable resurgence in the demand for handcrafted art, particularly in the form of pencil portrait drawings. This resurgence is particularly evident in the realm of celebrity pencil portraits, where individuals are increasingly seeking personalised artworks capturing the likeness of their favorite stars.

One of the primary reasons behind the surge in demand for celebrity pencil portraits is the emotional connection that individuals feel towards their favorite stars. Whether it’s a beloved actor, musician, or athlete, commissioning a portrait allows fans to immortalize their admiration and adoration in a tangible form.

Celebrity pencil portraits also serve as valuable memorabilia for fans, providing them with a unique piece of artwork that celebrates their idol. In an age where digital content is fleeting, owning a physical representation of a favorite celebrity holds sentimental value and serves as a testament to their fandom.

Get in touch to oprder your celebrity pencil portrait.

POSTED 5TH NOVEMBER 2023

FULL COLOUR CAT PENCIL PORTRAIT

This was a drawing undertaken for a good friend in Colorado America, to be gifted to her daughter for her birthday. The cat, dexter, is a beautiful example of a very well looked after cat. As the reference was superb the detail captured is of the highest level. Being in full colour it also allowed me to add another level of depth and vividness, creating a highly realistic drawing.

The drawing was finisheg in a beautiful antique oak frame, with a white mount to make the drawing stand out when positioned on the wall. The drawing took over 70 hrs to complete, but as an artist this was the perfect subject in every way, from the reference to the stunning colours of the cats fur.

POSTED 5TH JANUARY 2022

FAMILY GROUP PENCIL PORTRAIT

One of my biggest pieces to date, this family group pencil portrait took over 150hrs. Made up of 6 subjects, dogs, horses and two central portraits, this is a portrait drawing like no other, Unique in every way. From the overall composition to each subjects individual characteristics the finished drawing looked stunning, telling a visual story of a family at a certain point in time.

With all coloured pencil portraits, when bringing together different photographic reference into the one piece, you have to ensure the lighting, specially skin tones, are all equal to give the drawing a unified look. Some artists draw each subject exactly as the reference shows, which in completion can make each subject look like they are almost cutout and stuck together. For a realistic group pencil portrait its essential to have all subjects balanced tonally with each other.

POSTED SEP 15TH 2021

CHILD PENCIL PORTRAIT – LOGAN

Another one of my recent works, Logan the young boy pencil portrait. This one was particularly enjoyable for me, creating each stage of the piece until that cheeky smile shone through was great. The piece was done from 3 separate pieces of reference, so combining these was initially quite tricky, ensuring that none of his characteristics were lost when creating the composite to use as reference.

With all pencil portraits the smallest of marks and shades can create quite dramatic changes to the facial structure, this is even more so when drawing children as there complexions and overall face structures are quite pure and unblemished, so even the slightest of shades are crucial in the overall appearance of the subject. gallery.

POSTED SEP 8TH JANUARY 2021

ISLA & OBI – LURCHER DOG PENCIL PORTRAITS

Well, it’s been a while since posting apologies for that, ive been busy with lots of work and also had the chaos of moving home. But now im back on it so will be getting some great news online more regular.

This is one of my more recent pieces, and one I truly enjoyed doing. There is something very regal about Lurcher dogs, there muscular stature makes for excellent pencil drawing subjects. They have quite a fine coat of fur which accentuates there well defined shape and shows them and very streamlined animals. The dog on the left, Isla, is white and needed subtle pencil strokes to show here in a good light and not to overwork her tone. The smaller dog, Obi, was a brindle colour and had quite a complicated fur covering, all sorts of stripes and waves of colour, but I must say they have turned out very well. Take a closer look at the finished piece in my gallery.

When I presented the drawing my friend stated “Oh my god that looks amazing, I can’t believe how you have managed to do that! Honestly blown away.”

POSTED 4TH JANUARY 2021

LAST MINUTE PET PORTRAIT DRAWINGS

Well, happy new year to one and all, its been a very strange time this Christmas, but now is the start of a bright new year.

The last 4 weeks running up to Christmas, I had a bit of a mad rush completing two drawings I wanted to give as Christmas presents.

The first one I did was of ‘Dougal’ a beautiful boxer dog, created at A2 in full colour and delivered mounted and framed. I really enjoyed this dog drawing, as the fur being short and more wiry than most dogs created a wonderful sheen to his colouring. With his cheeky face, oozing character the overall piece reflected his character well. The grass also adds a lovely natural aspect to the dog drawing, using layers the grass contains 6-7 separate colours to get the depth and right tone. I was extremely pleased with the finished boxer drawing. Take a closer look at this drawing in my gallery

The second drawing was of ‘Annie’ a stunning brindle coloured German Shepherd, who has had a very active career, from the armed forces to police forces and now still enjoys a very active life on security patrols.

Her brindle colouring makes for a stunning looking German Shepherd, along with her individual white tuft on her chest, she is a beautiful example of this breed. The photo reference for this drawing was excellent, picking up on the finest of detail. This allowed me to replicate this detail perfectly in the drawing, creating a very lifelike and realistic dog portrait.

The size of the German Shepherd portrait was created at A3, in full colour Derwent Lightfast pencils, and even though the dark tones look like a singular colour they are made up of 5-6 different colours to get a rich colour and depth to the fur texture.

If you are considering ordering a dog pencil drawing and are struggling to get the right photo, take a look at my photo guide, it may be of use. Alternatively give me a quick call and I will be happy to talk things over with you. If you have a specific timeframe you would need your dog drawing for please let me know as soon as possible when ordering, I usually require between 3-4 weeks to complete a drawing but can achieve tighter deadlines dependent on how busy my order books are.

POSTED 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

LOCKDOWN PET DRAWINGS UPDATE

Over the last 6 months we have all had quite a lot of time on our hands, the lockdown has given us all more chance to do some of those jobs we have had been trying to get to for ages.

During the last 6 months I have completed afew drawings, as well as completing some drawing subjects I have wanted to do for some time. My drawings have ranged from dog portrait drawings, cat drawings and even some wildlife pencil drawings. The majority of these drawings were full colour so took a lot more time than black and white pencil drawings. I must say dog portrait drawings are a particular favourite of mine, slowly seeing them as they come alive as you progress each piece. My last piece was Kaiser the German shepherd and was a full colour A2 dog portrait drawing, completed in September.

If you are looking for a dog pencil portrait, cat pencil drawing or pencil portrait of a loved one, that you would like to give as a present, please get in touch I have a few slots left for this year.

POSTED 23RD AUGUST 2020

NICO THE LOWLAND GORILLA – LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK

This wildlife drawing was one I had wanted to do for some time. Nico the Lowland gorilla lived all his captive life at Longleat Safari Park nr Warminster, until he sadly passed away at 56 years of age. He was the oldest western lowland gorilla in Europe and thought to be the second oldest gorilla in the world.

I really enjoyed drawing this piece, as it brought new challenges I had never experienced before. The depth of his fur, flowing in different directions, the leather texture of his chest and his aged characterful face, all required me to explore different techniques and effects to create the photorealistic finish I wanted to achieve.

I have been in contact with Longleat Safari Park, as I want to donate it to them, they can hang it at the safari park as a wonderful memory of the amazing animal that Nico was.

POSTED 16TH AUGUST 2020

EXPANDING MY AUDIENCE TO SOCIAL MEDIA

After a great reception from Instagram growing my popularity and followers dramatically within 6 months, I expanded my potential audience and started up a Facebook account for my artwork.

From starting on Facebook I have had enquiries from all over the world, from America, to as far away as Australia. Primarily driving new likes and friend requests, headlining with my pet pencil portraits and animal drawings. Enquiries for dog pencil portraits and cat pencil drawing have grown hugely in popularity, mainly from the UK and USA, as these are home to the worlds biggest do lovers.

I recently posted a promotion on Facebook, headlining with a black and white child pencil portrait drawing, to diversify my audience and let people know there is a variety of different drawing types I can undertake. This drawing was also a litmus test as I have changed my technique on this drawing to more hyper realism, and wanted to see how it would be received by the general public. I received a great deal of comments and the overall reaction was extremely positive.

Take a look at my facebook page for the latest developments.

POSTED 15TH JULY 2021

DEMAND INCREASES FOR CHILD PENCIL PORTRAITS

After a good 18 months doing nothing but pet pencil portraits, particularly dog pencil portraits, enquiries for child pencil portraits has become the firm favourite of customers enquiring about personalised artwork.

During the winter of 2020 all the enquiries I was receiving seemed to be nothing but pencil drawings of dogs, the only variation was the type of dog. From spring 2021, every one of my order enquiries have been quotes for people portraits, from single child pencil portraits through to 6 subject large full colour people portraits.