PENCIL SKETCH OF THIERRY HENRY

I so wish I had a lot to post right now, this is all I’ve got for now. Will have to work double time to keep up, it’s the yuletide season, merry Christmas and happy New Year in advance. I’m a die-hard fan of Arsenal football club and a true fan of the legend known as “Thierry Henry”. The Frenchman aided the team in the historical year of the 49 unbeaten runs in the English Premiership League. Used 8B pencil grade for shading, on an A3catridge paper. I’m usually criticized about my shadings being light, not my fault. I guess it’s my signature, most times I feel I’m defiling the face if I press harder with the soft pencil. Still waiting on my Faber-castell color pencils to arrive so I could start paining as soon as possible. (Don’t mind crayons for now though).  

PENCIL ART ASSESSMENT

To truly be great and awesome as a self-trained artist, I assess myself every month by setting an exam involving drawing from a reference photograph. Such a photograph must contain details of art that I haven’t yet encountered or that scares me. Photographs that would naturally make me say “Hell no! I can’t draw this without it looking wacky”. So, It was Halloween season and I saw this really nice picture, used 8b pencil grade on A3 paper.

CHARCOAL PENCIL ART OF 'NEYMAR'

This was my first ever made portrait using the grid system, I have always and will always be in love with free-hand sketch with ink. but you have to admit, grid does make everything easier. While searching for a reference photo,I came across an article on one of my favorite athlete, 'Neymar'. The star Brazilian soccer winger that currently plays for Barcelona, really liked the picture they used, I used charcoal pencil and a bit of 2B pencil on A3 paper. Was fun all the way, never did sold it, kept it for myself.

"MICROPHONE ARTWORK"

I was inspired on my birthday by a microphone reference image I saw in a newspaper, decided to test my skills as I so much love challenges. Lo and Behold....! a 3D art emerged. drew this free-hand on an A4 sketch pad with charcoal pencils. (You could almost grab and sing eh?)

CHARCOAL PENCIL ART REPLICA OF "MONA-LISA" PORTRAIT

I never ever thought the day would come whereby I would have to make a replica of a great artist’s artwork, not to mention the all-time greatest painting made by Leonardo Da Vinci. I was working in my art studio and then I overheard my step-grandma reminiscing her visit to France, Louvre museum to be exact. How she wished she could purchase the painting (like hell would that ever happen). So, I thought about making her a replica, monochrome form of course (it’s still killing me that I haven’t learnt painting yet). I got to work, took me a month due to my very busy schedule of teaching and working for my NYSC state magazine group, Ibadan, Nigeria. Used a combo of pencils and charcoal pencils, eventually I finished. Then my granddad saw how good it was and claimed it for himself (The Joker’s chuckle). Now I have to make another one, (sigh).

"CHARCOAL ART OF JOHNNY DEPP"

So after graduating from college, I just had to keep on practicing art even though the idea didn’t fair too greatly with my parents, (don’t want to make God angry by hiding your talent now, do you?) I was always a good cartoonist but evolving into human art wasn’t easy, portraits wasn’t easy, funny enough I never liked pencils, it showed flaws,  always preferred pens whereby you had to be perfect. But thanks to eBooks and videos, and of course almost daily practice coupled with support from friends and my lovely twin, I achieved my aim. This was my very first charcoal portrait, hadn’t even heard of kneaded eraser nor blending stump by that time. It’s always fun getting paid for what you love doing, it’s not called work but fun.