I drew this portrait a couple of months ago in Autumn 2024. The drawing features baby Adam who is dressed in an elaborate christening gown. Hi portrait was a gift for his parents. The drawing is 30 x 20 cm in size. I used graphite pencil on paper and mounted the finished drawing in a neutral coloured mount before posting.
I had one reference photograph to work from provided by the client. Mary originally wanted a square portrait, but I suggested to keep the entire gown in the drawing. This meant cropping the image slightly on both the left and right side. She thought it to be a good idea so I proceeded with that. I drew in the blanket in the entire background.
I used my favourite graphite pencils to create the drawing. These being the Mars Lumograph Black pencils made by Staedtler. I just love working with these pencils. They can achieve a great range of light and dark and keep the sharp point for a long time.
The gown has such intricate detail and it was important to me and to my client to capture as much as I could in the drawing to make it stand out. It meant investing a lot of time into the drawing, but the process was very enjoyable for me. Although there were times, I just got lost and it took a while to find my way back 🙂
I created a very detailed line sketch at first. This was to capture the detail and to provide me with a good base for the shading process.
The finished drawing was then sprayed by a fixative and I inserted the portrait into a neutral coloured mount ready for framing. I usually advise a simple off-white frame for my drawings as it tends to show off the lights and darks well and doesn’t distract from the piece of artwork.
I used registered post for posting to the client for safety. I always wrap my work well. It is set in a mount, then a clear plastic cover. I then tape a hardboard or cardboard sheet onto the front of the artwork before wrapping the entire mount in two layers of cardboard.
I have some exciting projects already on my client list for this year. I just finished drawing an old school building in Foxrock as a retirement gift… and lots more to come. You can commission yours by contacting me at info@trueimage.ie with your photos and requirements. I am looking forward to an exciting 2025! and wishing you all a very Happy one.
