Here's one more update.  I've started Martin's other eye.  This is going to be real dark, I'm going to darkening the entire paper and will try to bring him out of the shadows so to speak.  I'm still using a Pentel P205 mechanical pencil with a 2B lead.  I'm also starting to add a 4H and a 2H lead for the lighter tones on the face.  I'm blending with a medium tortillion and soft tissue paper.  I am overlapping my light and dark tone then blend them together to try to achieve a nice smooth transition from dark to light.  More to come soon!

Martin King Cavataio (Work in Progress)

Here's another update to my portrait of Martin.  I have his hand complete, just need to make some minor tweaks here and there; but for the most part, the hand is done.   I added tone to his fingers by applying graphite by making tiny overlapping circles (circulism) then blending with a medium tortillion, also using a circular motion to achieve a smooth blend.  I then add another layer of graphite and blending some more.  I repeat the process until I achieve the darkest value possible by applying a slightly harder hand pressure each time.  

I'll be moving onto Martin's face as I focus on the shadows and try to manipulate the light.   I will save the background for last since that will be completely black.  

More to come soon!!!!

Portrait of Martin

Beginnings of a new portrait.  This is 11 x 14 graphite on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper.  So far I'm using only a Pentel P205 mechanical pencil with a 2B lead.  I'm blending using a medium tortillion.

To begin, I print out my reference photo in gray scale.  I then create my line drawing which I call the ugly stage of my process.  The line drawing is drawn fairly quickly and doesn't really look like much at this point.   I also map out where I want the facial features as well as shadow and light.  Once I'm content with the line drawing, I can start to bring my subject to life on paper.

WIP 1

WIP 2

WIP 3