Anatomy of A Drawing

[Tundra]

My dear friend and I were talking recently and she asked how I went about creating a drawing. I kinda explained it to her and she asked if I could write it out so she could more clearly understand my creative process ... thus became the topic for this Post!


I begin first with an idea or inspiration. In this case I was looking through some of my old sketches and found two that I had done back in the 1970's or 19780's. I thought it would be fun to update the drawings and combine them in one picture.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_sNib8vEI/AAAAAAAAAGU/cNYFV2xIIw4/s320/Original+Higland+sketchs+1970s+or+80s+BWM.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_sNib8vEI/AAAAAAAAAGU/cNYFV2xIIw4/s1600/Original+Higland+sketchs+1970s+or+80s+BWM.jpg)
I now proceed to redrawing each for use in my updated version.


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_smD6GgqI/AAAAAAAAAGk/7hxfJWklh60/s320/Pencil+Sketch+of+Highland+Piper+Boy+BWM.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_smD6GgqI/AAAAAAAAAGk/7hxfJWklh60/s1600/Pencil+Sketch+of+Highland+Piper+Boy+BWM.jpg)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_sdw7-bXI/AAAAAAAAAGc/brzqmpPHgyc/s320/Highland+Drummer+Boy+sketch+BWM.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_sdw7-bXI/AAAAAAAAAGc/brzqmpPHgyc/s1600/Highland+Drummer+Boy+sketch+BWM.jpg)


As you can see, I have changed the position of the Piper and began plotting out my color scheme in the Drummer.


Now I make a photo copy of both pictures. Cut them out and position them on another piece of paper and photo copy that. I now have the layout of my illustration.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_tN9OPpqI/AAAAAAAAAGs/6G_1BSohvEU/s320/Highland+Lads+together+BWM.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_tN9OPpqI/AAAAAAAAAGs/6G_1BSohvEU/s1600/Highland+Lads+together+BWM.jpg)
I then take this drawing over to my light table and lightly trace it onto a clean piece of Bristol art paper. Once this is done, I begin inking in the lines with a permanent black ink pen until I have a completed drawing.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_tpIIDAsI/AAAAAAAAAG0/3JAf9dRkIoM/s320/Highland+Lads+in+ink+BWM.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_tpIIDAsI/AAAAAAAAAG0/3JAf9dRkIoM/s1600/Highland+Lads+in+ink+BWM.jpg)
Here I end up with a drawing that is great for a color book illustration or having made into a rubber stamp. I make a copy of this inked drawing in case I want to use it in the future, for whatever reason. I then take the original and begin to color in the characters with colored pencils.


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_uOSi8DVI/AAAAAAAAAG8/neteRtqXkhE/s320/Begin+Coloring+BWM.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_uOSi8DVI/AAAAAAAAAG8/neteRtqXkhE/s1600/Begin+Coloring+BWM.jpg)
While I am coloring, I keep a sheet of paper besides me for testing color schemes, color combinations, etc.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_x5s_1a0I/AAAAAAAAAHk/oeU40RarEWU/s320/Test+Paper.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_x5s_1a0I/AAAAAAAAAHk/oeU40RarEWU/s1600/Test+Paper.jpg)




I complete coloring the lads and adding details with my ink pen and end up with the following:


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_ur-X3zpI/AAAAAAAAAHE/NPd8k08Ahvc/s320/My+Irish+Laddy%27s+BWM.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_ur-X3zpI/AAAAAAAAAHE/NPd8k08Ahvc/s1600/My+Irish+Laddy%27s+BWM.jpg)
At this point I could quit, but decide some background would probably be nice ... so I add background!


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_vDFFkmgI/AAAAAAAAAHM/2zE9CGqpmwc/s320/Background+Added+BWM.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_vDFFkmgI/AAAAAAAAAHM/2zE9CGqpmwc/s1600/Background+Added+BWM.jpg)
Now I study the drawing and determine that I want to add a bit more detailing with the pen and adjust the density of the colors by layering on more colored pencil. Once this is completed and I am happy with the results, I have my completed illustration!


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_vlqzofAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/YPRdIQfs870/s640/Karen%27s+Irish+Lads+E+S+BWM+.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_vlqzofAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/YPRdIQfs870/s1600/Karen%27s+Irish+Lads+E+S+BWM+.jpg)
Once I am happy with the results, I scan it into my computer and add my watermark!
Sometimes I'll even have a little fun with the photo shop I am using and "tweek" the drawing a bit to give it a different look.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_wD_y4T0I/AAAAAAAAAHc/vLo0m6UtgAU/s640/Karen%27s+Lads+in+Sepia+BWM+2.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QCA6qqpdwn4/S6_wD_y4T0I/AAAAAAAAAHc/vLo0m6UtgAU/s1600/Karen%27s+Lads+in+Sepia+BWM+2.jpg)
Here I changed it from full color to Sepia Tones ... figured this would be good for people who didn't care for the color scheme I had chosen but still liked the drawing.


AND THAT IS HOW I CREATE A DRAWING!


This was an article by IrelandBrady (http://www.notebookinhand.com/forum/member.php?find=lastposter&t=11212) . Her Etsy shop can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/IrelandBrady
And her blog here:http://irelandbrady.blogspot.com/



Feel free to ask her any questions!

[IrelandBrady]

Thank You for including my Blog Post in your Articles! I hope people find it useful.

[Tundra]

How do you keep your hand firm and steady for the inking?

[IrelandBrady]

You are probably gonna laugh at this! I take 2 Aleve in the morning ... sound like a commercial. But I am over 60, and I am taking this Cancer med that is destructive to my bones and causes arthritis (Please NO sympathy .. lot of people out there R a LOT worse than Me) ... BUT I am still alive! So 2 Aleve in the morning, put on a good Audio Book so I don't "Pine" over my pain and get the mind distracted ... and I become young again for about 8 hours and create and draw. To be quite honest, I am terrified that I will mess up and thank God when I can keep a semi steady hand. Short strokes and concentration would sum it all up! Take care, Love Life and Thank You for asking.

[IrelandBrady]

Oh! I want to Thank "LivingInThePast" for having liked my article and having taken the time out of her busy life to post this for me on NiH (cuz I didn't know how) because she thought it would be of interest to members on NiH. I am happy to have met her, she lives in Australia ... I live in Oregon (USA) ... but through the miracle of internet, we met and have become good friends. Thank You "LIVINGINTHEPAST"!

[Tundra]

Oh right. Well I'm 24 and whenever I try to ink things, it always ends up not looking much like my original drawing, because of having to stop and restart lines every now and then, or my hand deviating slightly. Amazing how that changes the entire look of a face.

[IrelandBrady]

Oh, I quite agree! I NEVER know how something is going to turn out ... one teeny tiny little twitch does change the face! BUT, I recently remembered an old paste up trick, using an exacto knife with a very sharp blade and a VERY soft touch, one can actually gently scrape away a small err of the inked line with little or no damage to the work.