Pencil Portraits Artist Techniques, Tips, Advice and Information  During my exhibitions with the West Gloucestershire Art Society and via commissions, a great many people have enquired about portraits in pencil techniques both colour and graphite so here are a few details, tips and pieces of information which may help when trying to find the most suitable medium of choice.Unfortunately I am not multi-medium talented as some other artists are, some can flit between oils, watercolours, pastels and a few also use pencils, although it is relatively uncommon. Some artists choose to use only one medium and find they enjoy it so stick with that. I made my choice completely by accident, I did Art at school and College and although I could paint, I did not really enjoy the looseness of it, however on using graphite pencils my eyes were opened and for 10 years I used nothing else. I produced a pet portrait for my Dad every Christmas, birthday and Father's Day for nearly every year, usually of his current working spaniel or game birds (he has a large collection now which are still hung at home covering all my Mum's walls!!!). However, one Christmas I decided to go for broke after buying some Derwent colour pencils and tried them out, of course his portrait was of his two spaniels, Brodie and Charlie, and low and behold it worked out well. Since that day I've never looked back.  The Pencil Portrait Drawing Process  Although colour portraits take a huge amount of time to complete it works well with my methods and techniques, I simply draw out a basic outline and then fill it in. Due to the lack of drying time and with Derwent colour pencils being almost smudge proof I am able to work any area of a portrait I choose. Some artists are able to work in layers, putting down light colours first and then building up in darkness of shades, I do not have the foresight to do this, I need to see areas completed to know I am achieving a good likeness and to see I have the colours correct. I have no drying times to accommodate and I know within hours if something is wrong shapewise, colourwise, sizewise whereas with other mediums this would not be visible until a portrait is almost finished. I begin both graphite portraits and colour portraits the same way, by sketching in the outline and basic shapes with a 2H pencil as this is a slightly hard pencil giving good clear lines but does not leave too dark a line on the portrait. I draw a rough boundary to accommodate the size of portrait a client wants to prevent the portrait becoming too small or big. I stare intently at the reference image which must suitable (see portraits in pencils photo tips), looking closely at the shading and colours. I draw my outline by shape, I do not do any shading at all during this stage. I block areas of dark and light shades and colours so my basic outline looks similar to a ‘paint by numbers’ board. I find this easier as it helps me keep everything in proportion. I work up to my boundary, as my sizes are for the portrait size, not the finished framed item (all sizes are approximate) This stage can take up to about 6 hours and although my portrait looks like a mass of squiggles and pencil lines at this stage, I can ensure everything is placed on the portrait where I want it. This to me is the most important part of my portrait process as this has to be correct before any filling in can be started. I sometimes put a mount onto the page at this point just to double check everything is in place and if so I continue onto the next stage.      Filling in Portraits in Pencil I always begin by filling the eyes, these to me are the most important part of any portrait, they are the most characterful part of any subject, both animals and humans. If these are not correct I will start again as they are the focus of any portrait. This is the same procedure for both graphite and colour pencils. Once I feel the eyes are accurate I will then start to build up around the eye area. With colour pencils I will put down the lighter colours first just around the eye areas, with graphite pencils I put down the lighter shaded areas around the eyes. This is where the advantage of pencils show for me, watercolours are quite loose and do not suit my style but oils although they can be as accurate as pencils do require drying time preventing the layering being built up as quickly and so inhibit my style of work. Although colour pencils are fine and probably do take as long to produce overall as oils, I can work on a portrait until I need a rest rather than having my work time dictated by drying times. See pencil portraits from photos in progress Continuing around the eye areas, pencils enable the direction of fur to be detailed as such that it looks real, this is what I find most satisfying about pencil portraits, the realistic quality they give. I then work my way across the portrait from right to left, as I have explained before, I am left handed so this is the most logical way for me to work, it prevents my arm smudging across pencils but allows me to see all completed areas so I know I am working correctly. Once I have ‘finished ‘ the main part of the portrait, I will go back to put in additional highlights, lowlights and shading to give a more 3d effect. This is when things start to look more like the reference image. If I have an animal with a particularly shiny coat I will also burnish the pencils (colour pencil portraits from photos only) which involves either using a white, light blue or burning pencil to go over the top layers in certain areas, this assists with the blending and adds a sheen to the surface and when it catches the light it almost shimmers looking very real. This is my favourite part of a portrait as I really feel as though progress has been made at this point. With a graphite pencil portrait the same basic techniques apply, sometimes I will use a blender to smooth small areas of graphite pencils, this also gives the appearance of a sheen which is good for fur that is particularly shiny. I use a retractable pencil in 2B for most works as this always gives a good point which is essential for good quality portraits, for colour pencils I always have a pencil sharpener to hand.Once I am satisfied with the subject I begin work on the background.  Portraits from Photos backgrounds This is down to individual choice, sometimes a client wants their subject as the main focus of the portrait and sometimes a full scene is required.  Gypsy the spaniel, shown below left, always sat on her wall and her owners wanted this on her portrait as it had become a big part of her character, sometimes a plain but lightly coloured background is most suited to prevent any portraits in pencil becoming too busy as these are portraits with a subject to focus on rather than an image such as a photograph creating a full scene such as the portrait of Tarn below right. However that said, it is a choice made on an individual basis. Once I have completed a background and I tweak any areas I feel need a little more details, the portrait will be sprayed with a fixative spray to prevent any smudging.         Choosing the mount For graphite portraits I would generally recommend either a black or cream mount as this is in keeping with the portrait, for colour portraits I will select a complimentary shade from the portrait, something which discreetly frames the portrait without being overpowering. Sometimes a client will request a certain colour mount to fit in with their décor and I do my best to oblige. Choosing the frame If you collect your portrait, I will frame your portrait, this is again entirely the client’s choice. Milly, the parsons terrier, was framed in an oak frame with a cream mount and you can see the finished portrait above  If you are receiving a postal commission, your portrait will detail the frame size you require. You will receive your portrait full mounted inside a cellophane sealed bag and inside a hard backed padded envelope to prevent damage during transit. On receiving your portrait, it is wise to leave the portrait inside this cellophane bag until you are ready to frame it. On framing, please ensure you wash your hands, most of my portraits are on creamy white cartridge paper and will pick up any dirt or grease from your hands which you will not be able to remove easily. After you have chosen your frame, first clean the glass with a glass cleaning product. At this stage pay particular attention to the inside of the glass, you really do not want to frame your portrait and then find a dirty mark inside the picture!! If using a glass cleaner, leave the glass to dry completely before attempting any framing as some solvent could get onto your portrait, luckily most evaporate so this should not take long. To frame it is best place the frame and glass face down on a firm surface such as a table without the backing, this will help no end and will mean you do not need to touch the glass whilst putting you portrait in. Place you mount and portrait face down into the frame, you can move the portrait but pushing it on the back with your fingers very lightly, again so you do not need to touch the glass. Once you feel it is in the correct position, replace the back of the frame and secure it properly. Turn your portrait over and inspect, if it is not as you want simply turn the frame over again, remove the backing and move your portrait, again do not touch the inside of the glassed. Once you are satisfied the portrait is framed correctly you can clean the front of the glass again, you should put any glass cleaning solution onto a cloth, NOT onto the glass direct as some may creep behind the glass and discolour your mount and portrait. Once you have achieved this you are ready to hang your portrait. Hanging Your Portrait Most importantly you must ensure you portrait is adequately secured. Some frames come with small hooks to hang them with or little taps can be fixed to the wall. These really are not strong enough, the best way to secure a portrait is with screw in hooks, these can be screwed directly into the wooden frame, and then use doubled string. Although this sounds old fashioned and untidy if done correctly the string will not be visible but your portrait is less likely to suffer a fall and be smashed. All that remains is to find a wall to hang your portrait on, although pencils (both colour and graphite) are highly pigmented they can suffer fading in direct sunlight, therefore it would be advisable to hang your portrait on a wall at right angles to your windows. All that remains to do is dust your portrait every now and then with a duster but no chemicals and your portrait will remain a focal point for many years to come.