Pencil Drawings » Welcome to OnlyPencil.com » Lisandro Pena Gifts, Prints and Original Artwork

Leyla

onlypencil — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:07:26 +0000

This commission was done for a friend over the Christmas holidays. Even though i dont draw many portraits of people,i always enjoy them. This drawing measures 11″x14″ and was done on bristol smooth paper. I made this drawing as a mirror image of Leyla. Its as if she is looking in a mirror. Leyla is a beautiful woman and putting those subtle details that give her that glow was the challenging part.

Materials
4h Pencil
8B Pencil
4B Pencil
2h Pencil
Kneaded Eraser
Color Shaper
Eraser
Shamy Towel
qtips

Elephant

onlypencil — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:18:13 +0000

I enjoy drawing smaller pieces for practice. Smaller drawings are much more challenge because of details become smaller. My goal is to add as much detail as possible. This helps me with not only improving my drawing skills but also helps in being patient. I enjoyed this elephant drawing because of the textures. Im a big fan of texture and i try to add it to all my drawings. This drawing took me about 4-6 in total to complete.

Tools Used:
4h Pencil
8B Pencil
4B Pencil
2h Pencil
Kneaded Eraser
Color Shaper
Eraser
Bristol Vellum Paper

Persian Cat

onlypencil — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:17:18 +0000

This drawing of a persian cat was a commission for a client who wanted it as a birthday gift. I love drawing cats and this project was very interesting. For this drawing i used multiple reference photos for the detail. The original photo was lacking some detailed information and using other photos helped in adding as much detail as possible.

Tools used:
Stylus
2H Pencil
6B Pencil
8B Pencil
Kneaded Eraser
Color Shaper
Bristol Vellum Paper

Saw-Whet Owl

onlypencil — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:51:53 +0000

This is my second drawing this size.

With this drawing i experimented a bit with the background. The reason the background is simple is for contrast. I wanted the blurry background to make the owl jump out more. Up close the background looks all simple but once you add distance between yourself and the drawing the background begins to look more clear.

Progress
This is my second drawing in this size. This drawing will also measure 30″x40″, the same size as the ‘Siberian Tiger Cub‘. I decided to draw the Saw-Whet owl for a simple reason, its size. These owls only measure between 6.5″ to 8.5″, making them one of the smallest. So i will be taking something small and making it large.

Update 06/24/2010-

80% of the head is complete. I’m still adding small details around the eyes and have yet to add some dark feathers which will overlap the white feathers. I’m really happy with the way the feathers are turning out, especially the texture that it has. I have been using the same technique for drawing hair to draw the feathers. The only difference is the direction that i indent the lines. I have a long way to go but its looking great so far. Below is a video of what i have so far. Make sure to watch it in HD for better video quality.

Click to Watch

Update 07/14/2010-

I have began adding feathers to the body. The feathers on these birds look more life hair than feathers so im using the same indenting method that i use to draw animal hair. You might not be able to see it but i have already indented the feathers on the whole body and im now just adding the details by picking out the shadows. Its been a long process but im really happy with the way its turning out. I will probably darken the feathers around the beak a bit to suggest more shadows. Once i start adding more sections i can change things around so that it looks the way i want it to.

Update 07/22/2010-

I’m progressing much faster on this drawing than the previous one. Like i have mentioned before, the feathers on the body resemble fur more than feathers. What you see here is about 90% of the body being complete. Im adding small details that will add depth to the body. Im also adding clumps of feathers. These are clumps are just feathers that are close together and stand out much more. By adding shadows and highlights to these clumps i give the body much more dimension and doesn’t look as flat. Once i’m done with the body i will darken the face a bit and will then move on to the tree stump that this owl is resting on. The tree trunk will also add another level of texture which will compliment the feathers on the owl nicely. At the moment im using mostly 2h pencil and 6b. The 2h im using of the shadows on the light feathers and 6b to add the darker feathers. So far its coming along great and the body should be done by the next update.

Update 07/28/2010-

The owl is about 99% complete, i still have some small changes that i want to do that will make the owl stand out much more. I have darkened the owl a bit more by adding more shadows and that is very evident from the previous update. I did most of the darkening with a dull 2h pencil which is great for gradually darkening sections. This makes the owl much more solid, meaning that the owl now looks like its on top and most of the paper cannot be seen through, if that makes sense. It still looks like its just floating around, but once i start adding the tree stump where its resting and the background it will begin to come together. The next section that i will be starting will be the tree stump. The texture from this section will contrast with the texture of the bird and will give the overall drawing a nice effect. I want to make the trunk as rough looking as possible in order to compliment the owl. Its hard to see what i have imagined from what i have, but slowly all the pieces will come together.

Update 08/07/2010-

The wood texture is not difficult, its just a tedious process. I’m using the papers texture to create the texture for the tree bark. I just run a graphite stick over the paper, barely touching it and the pencil leaves a nice rough pattern. From there i just connect and pick out the shadows. This process works well when you understand what you are drawing. Understanding how tree bark looks makes it easier to imagine it on the rough patter was created with graphite stick. Since its a broken tree, there will be different textures. The tree bark will have a rough,random look to it and the inside of the tree will be smoother looking.

Below is a closeup of the bark and the inside of inside of the tree. Some areas are darker than other because of shadows. The edge of the edge of the tree ill finish when the background is complete.

Update 09/17/2010-

I’m layering the texture on the tree stump and slowly darkening it. I don’t want to rush this section because i want to make sure i get it to look just right. I’m using the papers texture to add that rough look. For this section im using mostly 2h,5h and 4b pencils and im not blending anything in order to keep the rough look.

Update 10/06/2010-

Click to Watch
Make Sure to Watch in HDThe tree is 99.9% complete, i might add final details once the drawing is done to finish off. The tree took me almost close to the same time to complete as the owl did. I took my time with the texture. This texture will play a big part in the final drawing. The background will contrast with the detail on the owl and tree. It will make the owl jump out much more through that contrast. The background will be unique in that its going to be an illusion. Up close you will not be able to make out the background unless you move back. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while and i thought this drawing would be a great project to try it out with. The background will not be as detailed as the Siberian Tiger but it will still be an important part in the whole drawing.

Siberian Tiger Cub

onlypencil — Sat, 15 May 2010 15:22:32 +0000

This drawing is the first drawing that i have done at this size and it was a great learning experience from start to finish.

This one is a bit bigger, actually a lot bigger than my other ones. This drawing will measure 30″x40″. Its going to be quite big and will allow me to add much more detail.

Progress

Update 8/4/2009-

I decided to use a grid for this one to get the tiger correctly on the paper and not have to worry about it not fitting. I have done some work on the eye. I will be adding a bit more detail to the eye once i have both eyes done. What you’re seeing in that update is just 2.5″x3.5″ of the whole drawing. Here is a shot of the whole paper so you have an idea of how large this drawing will be. It was too large to fit on the scanner so i had to take photographs. I’m still trying to figure out how i can get clear pictures. With each update the quality of the pictures will improve. Well i hope you enjoy this one and if you have any questions just leave a comment.

Update 8/7/2009-

The paper that im using is working beautifully for the texture that i’m looking to get. It works great with the hair technique that i use. Its thick enough for the indentations to look great. I’ve been working on t his drawing for about a week and i have both eyes almost done. I don’t say completely done because as i begin to add more detail ill probably darken the right eye on your side. This side will have more shadows than the other side. I’m taking my time with the detail especially the hair. I want to have the right look and texture. The important thing with the hair technique is to be able to get the right effect of layering. Hair overlaps, and that is the effect that i try to accomplish when drawing hair. it gives the overall drawing much more depth. Being able to do this comes with understanding hair first. You have to know that hair overlaps before you can actually use it in your drawings. Again, you can’t draw what you don’t know or have never seen. With this drawing I’m constantly going back and forth looking at different reference photos, especially house cats. This lets me add fine details that will add the right amount of realism. I’m not sticking to one reference photo. From here on ill begin to add the hair under the right eye. Once i do this i will connect both eyes by adding the hair to the nose. I’m still getting used to the size of the drawing. It’s my first time working on a drawing this size, so there are times that it gets a bit uncomfortable when drawing. Well i guess if there is no pain there is no gain . Well here is a close up of the eye that im working on at the moment. Remember that will not be the final result as ill be adding subtle details as i move along.

Update 8/9/2009-

I have started adding a bit more detail around the right eye. I’m becoming more and more of a fan of this paper that im using. Its my first time using it and i find it that its working incredibly well with the amount of detail that i want to add. I have added the indentations for the hair and im now pulling out the details. Im adding the shadows in between the hairs. Im also making the clumps of hairs using the kneaded eraser. Its a bit tricky with white hair because the shadows should be light enough to suggest a lighter hair. I want to finish the area around both of the eyes and will then continue with the rest of the face. I do the eyes first in most of my drawings because i use them for reference. I compare whatever im drawing to the eyes so it all fits together. This helps me keep the drawing equal when it comes to value and tones. Here is another close up so you can see the detail a bit more clearly. The detail is tedious, especially with the amount of hair that tigers have, but its worth the time spent.

Update 8/10/2009-

The eyes are coming together. You can begin to see the intensity that these animals have in their eyes. This is the reason i take my time with the eyes. If the there is no life in the eyes, the drawing just doesn’t communicate with the viewer. At the moment I’m working the hairs around the eyes. I have around 20 hours on this drawing and this is what i have so far. The reason for this, is because of the amount of detail that im adding to the hair. I want to make sure that the hair looks like hair and that it keeps that rough look that tigers have. Once i finish the area around the eyes i will move on to the area between both eyes, which will join them. From the newest update image you can the difference between both eyes. The right side has much more detail than the left eye. Once i finish adding the detail, both eyes will have that same amount of detail. For this drawing i’m using 2h,6h,4b and hb pencils. I’m also using the stylus,kneaded eraser and color shaper. These are the most common tools that i use in all my drawings. Here is a view that measures 8″x10″ so you can see the area that im working at the moment and how it compares to what i have yet to cover. Again, this drawing will measure 30″x40″, so its going to be quite a big drawing. I’m still debating whether to add Siberian forest as a background or just leave it with a white background.

Update 8/11/2009-

I’m still working mostly on the left eye and i’ve been adding subtle details. These details are mostly small shadows which suggest the layers of hairs. You can see from the previous update how these subtle details make a difference. I also added some long black hairs on the black patches. Most people when they draw this stripes on tigers, they make them look like bands. When i draw them i make them look like layers of hairs. These black hairs overlap the next layer of lighter hair. I’m not sure if you can see these hairs, but these details are what makes a drawing so interesting to look at when they are complete. Here is a shot from a bit further away so you can see how its coming together. It doesn’t seem like huge update, but from the previous update to this one I’ve worked on it for 3 hours.

Update 8/14/2009-

The area around the eyes is almost complete and im now outlining the hair between the eyes. This hair is a bit longer than the hair on the nose. The hair on the nose is much shorter and finer so i have to make sure that they blend in nicely. I have outlined the tips of the hair as you can see from the update. This allows me to see where to add the shadows to bring out the illusion of hair. With practice i have been able to learn how to see the hair patterns, so i know where to add the shadows. It has taken me some time to get to this point but im really happy with the results so far. I want to make to make sure that i add as much detail as possible, to get the most realistic look. I always tell people that its impossible to draw hair, unless you are insane and want to sit there drawing every little hair strand. My goal with my pencil drawings is to give the illusion of hair with pencil. Just like photographs give the illusions of a scene using pixels i want to do the same with pencil and the techniques that i use. Next update the area that im working on at the moment will be complete. Again, as i move along i go back and adjust the detail in parts that i have already finished. I’m always comparing what im working on to what i have completed to either add or remove things from the drawing.

Update 8/18/2009-

I’m starting to move my way down the nose and have connected the two eyes. The hair on the nose is much shorter, so i’m making sure that the indentations are not long. I’m adding the clumps of hair using the kneaded eraser. This will give the hair much more texture and depth. You can see from this image that its coming together. You can also see how large this drawing is going to be.

Update 8/27/2009-

I haven’t been able to update because the camera that i had died on me. The batteries that i was using blew up and ruined the camera and now i can’t use it. I had to find an alternative and ive used a web cam.

Now for the drawing. As you can see from this update i have progressed quite a bit. I have added the hair on the nose and have added the hair on top of the hair. At the moment i’m working on the left ear and adding the long hairs that come out from inside the ear. I’m using the stylus for these hairs and i have to make sure that i make them in one single motion. These hairs are long so i want to get the right effect. On top of the ear, along the edge i still have to add single black hairs that will stick out from there. I’m adding subtle details as i go along, for example, im adding clumps of hairs as i go along. Clumps of hairs are hairs that are so close that they cast a single shadow. To get that effect all i do is use my kneaded eraser to erase and get that effect. Once i finish both ears i will begin the area under the eyes and will move to the more complicated part of the drawing, the whiskers. Why Complicated? Well, these whiskers will be floating on top of the hair below. Therefore, i have to make sure that i get the right effect so that the whiskers don’t blend into the hairs below. Here is an image of the whole sheet of paper so you can see how much i have covered so far. Again, this drawing measures 30″x40″.

Update 8/30/2009-

Im still working on the left ear. I have the basic outline for the hairs and all im doing now is bringing out the details. Im adding the shadows that suggest that clumps of these long hairs are overlapping the hair below. Once i finish this i will thing black hairs that i will overlap the ear hairs. I still have to add the hair along the top of the ears. I will be spending quite some time on this ear until i get the right effect im going for. For the ear, all i have used is 4b and 6h pencils,kneaded eraser and stylus. Once i finish this ear i will move on to the other side and will do the same. This drawing is progressing nicely, a bit slow but its coming together.

Update 9/10/2009-

Both ears seem to be finished, but i still have some fine details to add, to give it a bit more realism. What i have done so far has been the same that i have on previous sections. I’m not planning on how to go about drawing the whiskers. This section will be a bit challenging because the area under the whiskers will be hair from the cats body. I have to make sure that the the whiskers will not get lost within the detail below it. In other cat drawing i have first indented out the hair below first and then over that i indent the whiskers. The size of this drawing will make that a bit more challenging. I will make sure that the indented whiskers are much thicker than the hair below. I’m still thinking on how to go about doing that. At the moment im working on the left side and will finish that part off before moving to the other side. Once that’s done i will finish the area on each side of the nose. Here is a picture of the whole drawing so you can how it looks on the whole sheet. Here is a closeup of a section of the drawing. You can see the amount of detail that im adding. I don’t want to rush it and take the time necessary to get it to look like i want. The progress is not as fast as my other ones but its coming together nicely.

Update 9/16/2009-

Here is a video i recorded of what i have so far. This way you can see how much detail im adding to it. I have a long way to go but i don’t want to rush it and what it to look like i have it pictured in my head. Im adding alot of details that i cannot see in the reference photos. For example, im making the tips of the black hairs a bit longer. This will give the drawing much more depth and it will have more texture. Well if you have any questions, please contact me or leave a comment.

Click to Watch

Update 9/21/2009-

I’ve been working on this as much as possible. It doesn’t look like progressing but just the amount of detail that im adding i can tell you that each update is a major one. What im keeping in mind with this drawing and all the tiger drawings that i do, is that the hair gets longer as you get to the edge of the face. I started working on the other side of the face and added the basic outline of the stripes. I will go in and work work this area, bringing out the highlights and the clumps of hair that will give it much more realism. Another thing that you may notice is the shaded area on the top left side. This drawing was suppose to be just the tiger, but as i progressed i was contemplating on whether i should add a background or not. Well, i finally decided that a background will compliment the tiger nicely. What is the background going to be? I decided to add a background of the Altai Mountains in Siberia. What you see is the basic outline of the mountains and the top part is the sky. The mountains will also be visible on the right side of the tiger. There will be trees on the bottom part and a lake will also be visible. It will be more work but im confident that it will only improve the whole drawing. If you don’t know what the Altai Mountains look like, here is a pictures.

The background will be like a completely different drawing, but for now im going to focus on the tiger and will move on to the background once i finish the cub.

Update 9/23/2009-

Ive been putting in around 6 hours of drawing each day. Its progressing slow but im staring to see it come together. Im working on the right side as you can see from this update. I mentioned before that the hair on the edge of the face is much longer than the hair on the middle of the face. To get the effect of flowing finer hair i will use my knead erase to blur out the tips of the hair in this area. I will do this once i have finished adding the rest of the details. I haven’t done anything different from the last updates. The detail that im adding to the hair is the main reason why its taking me so long to progress. I hope to finish it soon but i don’t want to rush it. I want to dedicate the amount that it needs for it to look like i want. You can also watch this sped up video of a 3 hour drawing session.

Click to Watch

Update 9/24/2009-

I’m now working on both eyes and will complete the area below them. The hair under the eyes is much shorter to so i have to make sure to make the indentations shorter. Once i complete these areas i will start outlining the whiskers. On my smaller drawings i usually make random indentations to make the whiskers. This drawing is much larger so i have to make sure that the indentations are smooth and curve nicely. I will outline the whiskers first with a pencil lightly and then will indent the hair that will be below the whiskers. Once i finish that i will start indenting the whiskers making sure that those indentations are much thicker so they don’t get lost with the lines below. It always help to plan out ahead of time so that it looks they way you want it. The head is beginning to look much more solid as more sections are added.

Update 9/28/2009-

I will now start to work on the area around the whiskers. This is the section that will be somewhat tricky. As you can see i have outlined them with pencil. I will now begin to indent the hair that will be below the whiskers. Once that is done i will indent the whiskers and make sure that they are much thicker. After indenting, i will begin to add the shadows to the hairs below and slowly the whiskers will become more visible. This section will be divided into 3 layers. The whiskers, the hair below and then the shadows that the hair below will have. You may also notice that i have outlined the rest of the tigers body. Its just rough outline and i will slowly add detail as i move along. At the moment my main focus is on the face, i will not pay attention to the rest of the body until im done with that part. I will take my time on the whiskers so i make sure that they are done correctly.

Update 10/1/2009-

This is where i start to get excited, when i begin to see it come together. In my opinion, the most important part of any animal drawing are the eyes. Its the part of the drawing that communicates and makes contact with the viewer. With this drawing you can feel the tiger looking at you, waiting patiently to be brought to life. The difference between an eye and an eye that has life is the subtle details that are put into it. I’m really happy with the way the eyes turned out on this one because the tiger looks like its staring right at you.

I will now start to work on the area around the mouth. I have already indented the area on the left side and will then move to the right side. Once i have that i will begin to indent the individual whiskers. The reason i indent the hair below first and not the whiskers is because i would have to do double the work. I would have to indent the whiskers, then indent the bottom hair and by doing that i would go over the whiskers. Then, to bring out the whiskers again i would have re-indent them. So, its much easier to indent them once i have done the area below. Once i have done all that i will begin to add the detail, which includes the shadows and highlights. As i progress with this detail the whiskers will begin to be visible. There is quite a bit more work to be done on this drawing but i feel that im progressing quite nicely. I’m drawing about 5 hours each day and making sure that the amount of detail is equal in all parts of the drawing.

Update 10/7/2009-

Click to Enlarge
The area that I’m working on at the moment is divided into two sections. The first part are the whiskers and the second part is the area below the whiskers. I remember when i first started drawing big cats, i always had a problem with whiskers. I would outline each whisker and would draw the details that were suppose to be behind them. I now use the stylus to make things less complicated, but don’t get me wrong there is still work involved. The best way to tackle a drawing is to plan ahead and come up with ideas. Test these ideas on a separate sheet of paper and once you know what you want, transfer those ideas to the actual drawing. Again the problem with whiskers is how to draw the detail behind them and it doesn’t help that most of that detail happens to be more hair. The technique that i have used for a while now has been to indent the area below and over that indent the whiskers. On this update you can see the whiskers that i have indented but before doing that i worked on the hair below it. Once i finished making the whiskers i picked up the pencil and started adding the detail below. As i progress the hair below the whiskers will slowly begin to reveal themselves. For the whiskers i had to make sure that the indentations were thicker than the hair below. This technique is a good way to add realism and depth to the drawing. I have not yet finished all the whiskers on that side. Once i finish that side i will begin on the other. There is still so much more work to do but I’m really happy with the way its turning out. Here is a close up of the area that I’m working on at the moment. Once i have finished the detail below i will clean up the whiskers to even them out. I have darkened some of the whiskers because not all of them will be hit directly by light.

Update 10/9/2009-

Here is another 3 hour session. Im taking my time working on the whiskers and the area below it to get the right effect that im looking for.

Click to Watch

Update 10/27/2009-

The face is about 80% complete. There are minor details that i will add once i have the background ready. For example the fine hairs around the edge of the face. By overlapping over the background they will create some depth and realism. I will be darkening some sections as i go along as well until it looks like the way it want it to. I need to keep in mind that the right side has more shadow so this area needs to be a bit darker than the other side. I finished the mouth and chin. I used the same technique that i explained in this tutorial. At the moment im indenting the area that is below the chin and will then move on to the two front legs. I’m dedicating more hours on this drawing and i believe the hardest part of the drawing has been completed. The rest of the drawing will just take time.

Update 11/12/2009-

As you can see i have progressed quite a bit from the previous update. At them moment i’m working on the left paw, adding the detail. Im darkening by layers and adding the highlights as i go along. Using the kneaded eraser i create clumps of hairs. On the right side i have outlined the flow of hair that i will be indenting. This is the part that takes the longes, its a large area so it will take time to add the right indentations. Once i have done that i will begin to add the details like on the left side. Once i finis the two legs i will move my way onto the body which will be the last of the tiger. The video below shows the amount of detail that im adding to this drawing.

Click to Watch

Update 11/25/2009-

The legs are almost complete and will then move on to the body. At the moment im working on getting the correct texture for the hair by following the contours of the legs. This will give the two legs much more depth and realism and they wont look flat. This can be achieved by adding shadows and highlights in the right areas. The body will be the last part for the tiger and will then move on to the background. I want to completely finish or at least have most of it done before starting the background because i will be using different techniques for each section. The background will have water,some grass,trees and clouds. These will require me to use techniques that i have not used on the tiger. Click on the image below to watch a short video of what have so far.

Click to Watch

Update 12/1/2009-

Well the tiger seems to be complete but there are still things that i need to add once i complete the background. I need to add the fine hairs around the edge of the body which will overlap over the background. This will give the drawing much more depth and will also soften up the edges, especially around the head. I have started to outline the grass on the bottom right corner. Once i have outlined and filled in the empty space with pencil i will use an eraser to add finer grass blades. Once i do that i will then fill in the detail for the grass blades that i have now. It might just be grass but im really taking my time on it. I’ve been studying photographs with grass to get an idea of how to go about adding the detail. I have drawn grass before but its always a good idea to refresh your memory looking at reference material. It will make things much easier and in the end will always look much better. Once i finish that corner i will move on to the left side and will start on the mountains. I will be working from the furthest point, the mountains, and will work my way towards the closest area. Once i finish the mountains i will add the trees that will be in front of the mountain. Again, this will add much more depth and texture. This is the point where i get excited and i can begin to see how it will look in the end.

Update 12/14/2009-

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I have finished adding the grass on the bottom right corner and have outlined the grass on the bottom left corner. I have started working on the mountains. The mountains will be covered in snow so the challenge for that section will be to get that effect. I want to make sure that the snow is visible and the rocks are too. Im using the negative drawing technique to bring out the snow. I started from the top and will move my way down until i reach the grass below. The mountains will be made up of 3 basic tones. Black,white and something in between those two. The middle tone will be used for the shadows that will be cast by the mountain over the snow. The bottom section of mountain will have a bit more snow. There will be some trees that will overlap the mountain and will give depth to the drawing.

Update 12/17/2009-

I can now begin to see the end for this drawing. I have only the mountains and lake to go and that will be it for this drawing. I’m concentrating on the fine details on the mountains to get the right look of a mountain. I don’t want to rush it even though i’m close to the end. This is where people can fall into that trap of rushing the last bit of it. I just focus on the section im working on and try not to think about the end.

Click to Watch

Conclusion

This was a long project and im so happy to have finally reach the end of it. I’m now ready to move on to the next one. Like with all my drawings my focus is are the eyes. If i don’t get them right, the drawing lacks any emotion and life. With all my drawings, i strive to put in as much texture and possible and this one is no exception. This drawing is full of textures like fur,rocks and grass. With all my drawings i learn something new and this whole drawing was a huge learning experience. Being my first large scale drawing i have learned so much drawing in this size. I had to use all the techniques that i possess to complete this drawing and im happy i took the time that it required. The most difficult part of the drawing was the last bit of it. Its always easy to start slacking off at the end because you are close to the end and you just want to complete it. Rushing was not an option, i wanted to get the right amount of detail to get the right effect. Its hard to appreciate the amount of detail through photographs or videos. The best way to see this would be in person to get the full effect.

Cheshire Cat

onlypencil — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:46:28 +0000

This pencil drawing was inspired by the new Alice in Wonderland movie by Tim Burton that will be coming out in 2010. This is the cat that will be portrayed in the movie. When i saw the movie trailer i had to add this cat to my drawing collection. This was a great project i wanted to bring realism to this iconic character from such a great story. I wanted to capture that craziness that Cheshire cat shows in the animated movie. Working on hair is always fun and this was no exception. I changed the hairs in the ears a bit to a bit more realism to it. I put quite a bit of detail into this one despite its small size. It measures 5″x7″ and is done all in pencil. Well i hope you enjoy this one and ill be adding a video of me drawing this from start to finish.

The Cheshire Cat is a fictional cat popularised by Lewis Carroll‘s depiction of it in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The term originated from an English saying coined by Peter Pindar. The Cheshire Cat has had a notable impact on popular culture.The Cheshire Cat’s grin is reminiscent of the vagaries of human character or of a trickster.

Alice first encounters it at the Duchess‘s house in her kitchen, and then later outside on the branches of a tree, where it appears and disappears at will, engaging Alice in amusing but sometimes vexing conversation. The cat sometimes raises philosophical points that annoy or baffle Alice. It does, however, appear to cheer her up when it turns up suddenly at the Queen of Hearts‘ croquet field, and when sentenced to death baffles everyone by having made its head appear without its body, sparking a massive argument between the executioner and the King and Queen of Hearts about whether something that does not have a body can indeed be beheaded.

At one point, the cat disappears gradually until nothing is left but its grin, prompting Alice to remark that she has often seen a cat without a grin but never a grin without a cat.

Tree Frog

onlypencil — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:11:35 +0000

Most of my drawings usually take me a few days to complete because of the amount of detail that i put into them. I decided to do this drawing on the spur of the moment. It Measures 5″x7″ in size and my focus was the eye. I added much of the detail to the eye and left the legs with just simple blending. It took me around 2 hours to complete so im pretty happy with the result for that amount of time. Just leave a comment if you have any questions.

Pine Cone

onlypencil — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:15:28 +0000

This is a study of a pine cone which ill be doing to practice for my next drawing which will have similar textures. Preparation is the best way to improve your drawings and this is one of the things that i like to do if im not familiar with textures that ill be working on. Understanding what you’re drawing will make things much easier when you start working on your drawing.

Update 5/13/2009-

At the moment all i have is the outline and started on 2 of the scales. This drawing will have lots of detail and hopefully will help me in getting the look that i want on next drawing. I have picked up a couple of pine cones and I’ve studied them which has helped me understand their look and by feeling them with my hands i can understand why they look the way they do. Well, if you have any questions please comment or contact me.Figure 1.

Update 5/15/2009-

The main reason behind this drawing like i have mentioned is to practice the for the textures that i will be adding on the next drawing. You might be thinking that its a bit too much to be working on a whole new drawing to practice for the next one. Most of the drawings i have done previously have been animals so i have gotten used to working with drawing hair and using the same technique. My next drawing will have lots of wood textures which are a bit different than hair and require me to use other methods. By doing this drawing and getting used to working with this type of texture will allow me continue that flow with the next drawing. It will be an easy transition to the next drawing because of the practice that i will be getting in this one. Preparation and practice are important with all my drawings and this will be the best way to prepare for my next drawing.

From my last update i have gotten used to the technique that will get me the texture that i want. The rest of the drawing will be the same technique and the areas will only differ in darkness from the shadows. Hopefully i can have this drawing done soon so i can start working on the next on.Figure 2.

Update 5/27/2009-

From this point on it will be basically the same textures that ill be adding. There won’t be much change with that except for the shadows. I paying special attention to the grooves that run down the scales. Pine cones have a unique texture, the surface looks smooth, but when you look at it up close you can see those grooves. I’m trying to capture that texture with 6h and 4b pencil. I’ll be adding the same texture to next drawing that ill be working on. Well hopefully ill have this one done soon so i can start on my next one.
Figure 3.

Update 6/2/2009-

As you can see on this update im working on the scale that is in the middle. The process for each one has been pretty basic. I first cover the whole area with paint brush. This lets me add the lightest area on that scale. I also make sure that no white paper will be visible. Once i have that i begin to add the cracks that run down the scale. The texture that these scales have is that of a piece of dried wood. Because of this some areas have cracks. Once i add these cracks i begin to darken the area which will be receiving less light. In this case, the light is coming from the left side, so the right side of the scale will be darker. This will also give the drawing much more depth and realism. From here on i’ll add the dark areas around each of the scales at the bottom. By doing this i can compare the darkest area to the lightest and will give me idea of how dark i should make each scale. Its not a complicated process but it just takes time. If you have any questions, just leave a comment.Figure 4.

Update 6/4/2009-

I was able to finish another scale and with each one im finding the technique to be much easier. Like i have mentioned before, the technique is not hard but it takes time. Layering is the secret and with each layer i add a bit more of detail. The area below each of the scales will be mostly black because of the shadows and this part of the scales are dark in color. When i have to add an area that will be mostly black, i first add a layer with my 8b pencil which is what you see on this update. After this i will blend it with my color shaper. Once i do that i will then add another layer with my 6b pencil to darken it. Why do i do this. By adding that first layer and then blending, i will make sure that no white paper will show through when it go over it with the 6b pencil. Also, by adding that first layer of 8b, it will give me a much deeper black. You can keep adding pencil and blending until you are happy with the darkness. Once i have that i will start adding detail to the next scales. As you can see I’m moving my way down. The scales are getting much smaller as i get closer to the bottom so ill try to put in as much detail as possible to these.Figure 5.

Update 6/8/2009-

I’m finding this drawing to be really interesting, especially the textures. Like i have mentioned before the texture on the scales is a mixture of smooth and rough. Its an interesting texture which I’m having fun drawing. From this update you can see that the small details are what gives it much more realism. The black spots and cracks give the scales a dried up look, which is what i want to achieve. Its a slow process but im really happy with the results so far.
Figure 6.

Update 6/9/2009-

From this update you should be able to see where the light source is coming from. The lighting is very important in this one because it will give the overall drawing much more depth and dimension. The right side as you can see will have more shadows than the left side. I have to take into consideration also all the gaps that are between the scales. These gaps let light through so i have to take that into account when adding shadows and highlights. Here is a close up of one of the scales which shows the detail that im adding. This area measures approximately 5cm. I’m trying to add as much detail as possible to get the right texture. From here on i’ll be moving my way down and start adding detail to the scales below. These scales will be much smaller in size but will not lack in detail.Figure 7.

Update 6/10/2009-

Its all coming together with each scale that i complete. The right side is throwing it off because of the scales that are not complete. Once i finish that side you should be able to see how it will all look together. Like i mentioned before the right side will be much darker than the left side. On the left side im mostly using 6h and 2h pencil, to get the light values. I find these values to be harder to get because if i go too dark i lose the effect of light being brighter on that side. The trick has been to layer and compare it to the darker side until i can see the effect of light making that area brighter.Figure 8.

Update 6/12/2009-

As i progressing im changing subtle details to get the right effect that im going for. I want the lighting to show clearly, therefore i have to darken the scales in shadows correctly. I darkened the scales on the right side a bit to show that they are under shadow. As you can see from this update i started the next scale. This scale will be much smaller than the ones above, but they won’t lack any detail. With each one that i finish you can begin to see how the overall effect will be.Figure 9.

Update 6/16/2009-

Im close to the end with this one. From the last update i have completed a couple of scales. The scales that are at the bottom will be much darker in the end. I will keep adding layers of pencil until im satisfied with the darkness. Im trying to put in as much detail as possible to these bottom scales but they might not be visible because most of this area will be under shadows. I added an extra scale on the right side. This scale will give the cone more form and dimension.Figure 10.

Update 7/1/2009-

Im finishing off the last few scales on the bottom. I’m paying close attention to the lighting because i want to keep it uniform from top to bottom. The technique for drawing the scales has become much easier by now. I simply start with base by covering the area with a brush. I do this to make sure that there are no white areas showing through. After that i begin to add the cracks, followed by adding the highlights and shadow. From there i begin to darken the whole scale uniformly by layering pencil over the whole scale until its dark enough. The light is coming from the left side so the right side will be much darker. This will probably be the last update before i finish it.Figure 11.

Update 7/9/2009-Finished

I have completed the drawing and im really happy with the final piece. The shadow gave the drawing much more dimension and depth. I was thinking about leaving the pine cone without any shadow but it just didn’t look right. The texture for this drawing took some time to get but im really happy i took my time with it. It would not have looked like a pine cone without having the right texture.

Conclusion

Like i mentioned at the beginning of this drawing, this drawing was for preparation. Before this one i had done mostly animals so i was in, you can say, animal mode. With those drawings i mostly focused on hair texture and didn’t get to work with other textures. The purpose of this drawing was to help me break out of that mode and for me to practice on the the similar textures that i’ll be working on my next drawing. Now i have finished this one, once i start the next one it will be in easy transition and will just continue with the similar textures. I would like to thank everyone that has followed this progress and for the support that i have received. If you have any questions please comment.Finished.

Serval

onlypencil — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:22:25 +0000

Starting on the hair, which will take me a while to complete. This one has been really tedious, i don’t have much but from what i have done i can tell you that its going to be a long project. The fine hairs is what will take the longest. I don’t mind taking long to complete because i know that it will be worth it in the end. Well i hope to put an update soon because its been a while, but its been a hectic life with other projects. Thanks for the support and for following my artwork.

Update: 12/16/2008-

I have began to work on the hair around the face. This drawing will measure 11″x14″, which will allow me to add lots of detail. One thing that i have learned from drawing smaller drawings is to take my time and to dedicate the necessary time to get the right results. With larger drawings, all i do is work in sections, each section is a drawing in itself and i take the necessary time until im satisfied with the results. The section that you see is about 2.5″x3″, so its just a small section from the whole drawing. Im using the same technique that i have used in other drawings. This one will take me a while and i don’t want to rush it, whatever time it takes until its just right. Well hopefully you can follow this one and let me know what you think. Figure 1.

Update: 12/20/2008-

It looks like i haven’t done much from my previous update but just that bit of section has taken me quite a while. When working with detail, i usually work in layers. First layer i indent,second i bring out the outlines with 4b pencil. I then start to add value by blending in the shadows. Once i have that i start to outline the clumps of hair that will give the illusion of layered hair. Its a slow process but the effects are great. This is going to be quite a large drawing with lots of detail so it will be a long project. With each new drawing that i do i tweak and change things that i learned from previous drawings. In this one im using a carbon pencil to produce much deeper darks. I first put down the carbon pencil and then run 4b pencil over that to make it much deeper. The results are really noticeable and makes drawing much more dramatic. I will be finishing off the right side and from there will move up to the ear.Figure 2.

Update: 1/2/2009-

Now that things are calming down from the holidays, i have been able to work on it a bit. I have spent quite some time working on the ear. Servals have large ears and having long hair within them has taken me some time to get the right look. Its still not complete, im working to add layers to give it some depth. There isn’t much impact at the moment because i have yet to add the background which will be dark. Well i hope to have the ears done by the next update and hopefully start working down the body. Figure 3.

Update: 1/4/2009-

It’s taking longer than i expected to get the right look on the ears. The reason for this is that i want to have a layered look to it. This will give that area much more depth. I’m indenting quite a lot on this drawing, because of the fine hairs. The hair on the ears are much thicker and longer than the rest of the hairs so im indenting with thicker stylus. After adding the value and outlining some hairs i then used the kneaded to give the effect of clumped hair. This will be the same technique that i will use for the rest of the drawing. Its a long process so it will take a while to complete. Figure 4.

Update: 4/13/2009-

I have progressed a bit on this update. Much of the progress has been on the hair and as you can see there is quite a bit of it. I have been using the same technique on the hair as all my animal drawings and even though its a long process its one that i wouldn’t change. One i have finished the hair i will begin to add detail to the grass. This will give the drawing much more depth and will start to bring everything together.
Figure 5.

Update: 4/17/2009-

The hair on this cat is basically complete. I might add some fine details as i go on but what you see is what the hair will look like in the end. As you can see from this update, i have started to add detail to the grass. The grass will be a bit dark because a shadow is being cast by the serval. Hopefully my scan is able to capture the fine details. I have also added a video below for you to see some of the progress on the grass. You can watch me finish this drawing and other demonstrations by going to Live Drawing. You can chat with me and i’ll do my best to help you out with your drawings.Figure 6.

Update: 4/24/2009-

So fare i have finished the grass on the bottom section of the drawing and im moving my way up. Before i started this drawing i decided that i was going to add as much detail as possible. There quite a few grass blades that i need to work on. They are not difficult to draw and add detail, its just repetitive. As the drawing starts to come together i will either darken or lighten areas to add more contrast. Hopefully this drawing will be done soon and i can move on to the next one.I’m working on this drawing live on my blog so if you’d like to see me work on it you can check it out here, hope to see you there.Figure 7.

Update: 4/30/2009-

This is a pretty significant update. I have progressed quite a bit on the background and from here repetitive work. The background as you can see will be quite dark and because of that will make the cat jump out much more. There are still few grass blades for me to finish, but will not take a long time. The black background will take me a while because im layering to make sure that its completely black. I first add a layer with 8b pencil and then blend that. Over that i add a layer of 6b pencil,blend and keep repeating until its completely black. I’m also darkening and lightening areas as i go along. So far its coming along great and im happy with the results. Next update you will see the background completely black and from there i’ll just add detail to the remaining grass blades. If you have any questions please leave a comment or contact me.Figure 8.

Update: 4/5/2009-

Well,finally finished this drawing and im so happy with the result. This was a long drawing and all the fine details that i added were worth it. I took my time on the hair and it really paid off. I wanted to get a layered look on the hair which adds dimension to the body of the cat and doesn’t look flat. The dark background really makes the serval jump out much more. I would like to thank everyone that has followed this drawing and for the compliments. If you have any questions please contact me.Final.

Tiger Lion Hybrid

onlypencil — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:33:30 +0000

This was more of a practice drawing than anything else. These are two cats that i enjoy to draw and so i thought why not draw them in one. I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy movies, like lord of the rings. They interest me because of the creative monsters and animals that are portrayed in those movies. I have always wanted to combine different animals to create a new one. This not only allows me to make something new but also gives me the opportunity to understand and compare the differences between the two animals. In the case of a lion and tiger i found that the tiger has a wider face and finer hair. I know that there are already ligers which look more like giant tigers, so i thought id make a drawing that showed the two animals easily recognizable. Even though they do blend in, you can tell where the tiger and lion is. It was a great project and hopefully i can work get to do more work like this. Well i hope you enjoy it and if you have any questions please contact me.