Vivian is my latest coloured pencil drawing, a commissioned portrait of a beautifully fluffy Pomeranian.
A portrait as a present
I was commissioned to draw Vivian by fellow artist and namesake John Dearing. John works as a printmaker, creating stunning works inspired by the natural world. He wanted to gift a friend a portrait of her beloved Pomeranian, and felt that my style better suited what he had in mind. So we chatted about what he was looking for, and this beautiful commission was born.
The challenge of drawing from photographs
There was one main photograph which Vivian’s portrait was to be based on. And as Vivian lives in the North East of England, and I in Cornwall down in the South West, meeting her and taking my own photos was not an option. It was a sweet image of Vivian posing with a handbag, her head cocked to one side, a photograph that her owner particularly loved.
The drawback was that this was a snapshot, pretty low resolution, and of a small dog in a garden. So when I cropped the image to focus on Vivian’s head and zoomed in a little, any clarity was lost and I could not see any more detail. She was a furry ball of colour, but a fuzzy one, and I had to create a realistic portrait with not enough information to go on.
With a few other photos of Vivian from different angles I was able to build a picture of her features and create something lifelike. I was grateful to be able to send regular scanned images of the drawing as it progressed to John. All his feedback ensured I was on the right track.
It wasn’t till I was three quarters of the way through this drawing that I felt confident in my work. I have never drawn such a fluffy, hairy animal before, but this is where the learning comes. I always say that commissions stretch my skills in directions I may not otherwise go. For this I am grateful – the opportunity to develop my artistry with each new portrait.
Coloured pencil for fine art portraits
Coloured pencil is very poular amongst those who draw, but not well known as a fine art medium by the general public. It can be associated with childhood as we remember colouring in, whereas painting is more often brought to mind for professional artists. However I have been working in coloured pencil for many years now, and love it for its vibrancy, versatility and precision.
I always use professional grade materials for my portraiture, and I favour Polychromos coloured pencils by Faber Castell. I draw on a 100% cotton fine art paper called Stonehenge, made by Legion paper. You can see the textures that can be created and the details that are available in these close up images of Vivian’s portrait.
Portraits drawn with Polychromos pencils
Most recently I drew Poised in coloured pencil, a magnificent horse which really showcases the medium and the potential for colours that pop off the page.
An earlier work is Cub Scout, which is a brilliant example of how I create textures in pencil. In this artwork there is the fur of the lion cub, the soft focus background, and the gnarly tree bark complete with lichen and fungus.
And for a different range of textures and vibrant colours, we have An Age of Indigo, also drawn with Polychromos coloured pencils. This portrait is a masterclass in drawing wrinkles and aged skin, and is a joy for all of the colours as well as the subject’s most beautiful smiling expression.
Commission a coloured pencil portrait.
Commissioning a portrait is an exciting way to capture a moment, the image of a loved one, and preserve an experience for generations to come.
These examples of coloured pencil commissions I have drawn will inspire you and show the different directions you could choose to go in. We have Wakhan Girl, a powerful portrait of a young Afghan girl wearing traditional dress. This portrait was drawn for a client who had met her when on an expedition in remote Afghanistan. It captures probably the last generation where Western influences are not evident in her attire.
Murad is a portrait that I was commissioned to draw using white coloured pencil on black paper. This is a memorial portait of a beloved father. Incredibly, Murad’s portrait will be etched onto his black marble gravestone in Turkmenistan. A standing testament to this man and the life he lived, which you can read more about in this blog post.
And for those for who are feline fans, we have Cat a portrait of a majestic, long haired calico cat. In order to capture Cat’s white fur this portrait was drawn on a cream paper. It offers a contrast to her colouring, making her centre stage on the page.
Commissioning a pet portrait
Commissions are always welcomed from UK based and international clients. On my Commissions page there is an overview of the process, and for a more in depth guide to commissioning a fine art portrait, please read this guide.
And for any advice or questions you may have, you can contact me here or on WhatsApp on 07967 416072
