Medium: Graphite pencil, leads, 2B, 7H, 6H, 5H and 2H
Paper: Goldline Bristol Board 220 gsm
Size: A2 (23.4″ × 16.5″ – 594 x 420mm)
Duration: 10 − 12 hours
This is a commission graphite sketch I've just completed (in time for someones Birthday in December 2011), of Teasel a beautiful and very energetic Beardie. The whole process has taken me between 10 − 12 hours or thereabouts over a few days. Completing this sketch was a real challenge and I think I was pushing the envelope out a bit, as there was a lot of white and grey fur in this dog, so I ended up using a lot of the higher hard pencils H4, H6 and H7 as well as the usual softer 2B.
I also used quite a load of embossing with the embossing tools I have and even found them useful for some tufts of hair in the dogs coat (especially on the thigh and chest areas). For the subtle grass background, I again used the embossing tools and filled in the spaces delicately with a 3mm 2B lead, that required the unadulterated use of lots of patience and and then even some patience! But I'm happy with the finished effect it gives the subject.
