Pencil Portraits

Hi All,

Sometimes it all comes down to basics.  That's what the pencil portrait is about.  However, even though you do a portrait with graphite and illustration board, this can be a treasured piece of artwork.  Especially if it's done well, framed and hung - this can be a very sentimental gift that can bring a smile to the recipient for years to come.

Sue - a portrait of my wife done with pencil
on Bristol Board; 11 x 14 inches

The pencil portrait can take differing forms and contain various levels of simplicity, to more detailed and relatively complex works.  The portrait of "Sue" is a simple picture, but the beauty of it is the simplicity.  The happy smiling face that captures her personality, balanced by the right amount of negative space, creating a simple, just right artwork.

The picture of Pat Tillman takes things to a different level.  It reflects his career as a beloved local hero on the football field in Phoenix at ASU and then professionally as an Arizona Cardinal.  It also brings in his military career and patriotism...the successful pro athlete who walked away to fight for his country after the 9-11 attacks.  A more complex story is told by this picture.

Tillman - Pencil on Bristol Board; 11 x 14 inches.
A portrait of a beloved figure depicting his
life and accomplishments

One of my favorite things to do is mix medias.  No, I'm not an art purist...I'm an artist that does what I think looks good.  I was commissioned to produce a portrait of a child and the family cat (with elf hat on).  The customer provided some pretty good reference material and I started with pencil, working light to dark - hard to soft lead.  Afterward, I got out the Iwata custom micron airbrush and added some darker values.  I also added some Sepia tone and lighter complementing colors to it; giving it that "old time photo" feel.  Then, I went in with just a little bit of colored pencil and added a little hint of color.

Child and Cat - pencil/mixed media on illustration
board; 18 x 24 inches.  

There's one other aspect to this that's appealing to some folks; the price.  A pencil based piece of artwork is a great way to add a keepsake to your collection, that will last a lifetime, at a very affordable price.  This can be a great value that will bring a smile to the face of a mother, father, spouse or whomever.

If I can help you with a portrait, or any type of artwork, let me know.  My contact info is in my profile -- I'd love to assist with your project.

Have a great week....keep on smiling :)

Tom