Graphite Gallery

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Detailed drawings or sketches of pets and wildlife

As with all my drawings, every detail of the graphite art that I create is all hand done. Each pencil stroke captures the finest of details, ensuring a life-like treasured keepsake is created. I use top quality graphite pencils on high quality acid-free paper bristol paper to create each work. My graphite pencil art goes beyond timeless; from before the colored photograph, the black and white pictures were and are still popular.

See my graphite gallery below from previous projects and also browse through my special wildlife section of this website for a few more examples of my graphite art. I am also offering a choice between highly detailed drawings and more affordable sketches. To view the differences between the two click on the gallery images below and view further details including larger pictures with steps and reference photos. For the time being both my detailed graphite drawings and my sketches are located in the same gallery. However, in time I may start offering acrylic and watercolor sketches as well. In which case I would need to create a seperate section just for sketches.

If you would like to learn more about how to set up a commission through Friends On Canvas, you can find out everything you need to know in my "Learn How" section.

View the Prices for my Detailed Drawings vs Graphite Sketches here »

Graphite Drawing Techniques

Often mistakenly called "lead," graphite holds the distinction of being the most stable form of solid carbon ever discovered; it is one of the constituents of diamonds. Graphite, unlike ink or watercolor, will never fade or discolor over time. It can of course be erased, but once it is treated with a special fixative it is a completely permanent medium. The great masters such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci worked in graphite, and many of their drawings are still in fine condition today. The paper I use for these portraits is of exceptionally high quality: Fabriano paper, a 100% cotton paper, neutral pH/acid free for long life and consistency of tone with graphite.

I like to create a drawing surface so smooth so that the eye of the viewer never gets caught on a rough spot. I draw values (light and shadow) smoothly by manipulating the graphite after the hatching is done. When you lay down a layer of graphite with a pencil, it sticks on the high points of the paper grain and skips over the low spots. I fill in all the little parts of the paper that are missed and "pick out" the dark notes. The result looks like the graphite has been applied in washes instead of hatching. I use a the entire range of graphite pencils from very soft to very hard - 9B through 9H. For the very blackest areas I use an ebony pencil (Ebony is the brand name of a very soft dark pencil.) I use a small brush to blend the graphite. I add graphite to the light areas with a sharp pencil tip. And I lighten the dark spots with a sharpened or shaped eraser or an electric eraser.

About Graphite Drawing

In today's world of technology, of computerized graphics, color printers, and digital cameras we have become desensitized towards what true art is.  Realistic, hand drawn graphite artwork will take you back to a simpler time as it is a quiet and thoughtful contemplation of the world. In its cool and unhurried way, a well done black and white drawing can tell an entire story without saying a single word. The light and shadow of the gray scale are the visual underpinnings of our world. In the play of shadow and light we find a layer of reality deep beneith our bright and hurried world where there is room enough and time enough for imagination to exist.

Character Studies

Character studies captures moments in time that you remember of your pet's life within a main drawing, along with several lighter drawings around it.

Head Portrait Drawings

Drawing is more thoughtful than a sketch. The process is slower and more careful. In my detailed drawings I tend to linger over the qualities of the subject, capturing as many of the details as I can, and refining the look of the piece until it says all I want it to say.

Sketches

Sketches are usually about capturing an essence instead of lingering over details. It's a minimalistic and freer approach than detailed drawing which seek to capture every detail. In a sketch some parts are left out which the eye automatically fills in with what should be there giving the picture a sense of potential as to what may be happening within it.

Your Images

As mentioned many times elsewhere in this site, I paint my portraits with the visual aid of reference photos that are either sent to me by filling out an Inquiry form, by attaching them to an email, or sent by regular mail if they are prints. Photo images sent to me can either be from a digital camera or can be scanned images from printed photos (high-resolution scans are best). It is imperative to send the absolute best picture of your pet that you can as I have only a photo to work from. The final outcome is more than anything else dependant upon that picture. Read about photos in the 'Photo Tips' section to find out more.

Work In Progress

Watch your drawing evolve through each step in my blog where I display works in progress. I photography or scan your drawing at various stages in the creation process and then upload the images there. Often I will describe the process in detail, add some of my own thoughts about the subject and maybe even suggest a few ideas that would make the piece really come together. You will be able to leave comments at every stage along the way and provide constructive insight for me with the goal of making your painting that best it can be. This is a very interactive and fun section of my website and you are encouraged to participate!

Framing Your Artwork

Because my graphite drawings are done on paper and not board or canvas like a painting, they must be protected inside a frame. I like to use double acid-free matting as I think it shows of the work well. I use a Charcoal Gray for the outer mat and Black for the inner. The frame I would use a Black metal. This provides a dramatic contrast that is quite flattering to a black and white drawing as well as protecting your drawing for decades to come. As soon as the drawing is finished I use a fixative that preserves the graphite and prevents it from smudging.