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.

"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?)

"PENCIL PORTRAIT OF MUHAMMADU BUHARI"

For the first time ever, I’m so glad about who became the current president of my country. Finally, light at the end of the tunnel, after a 16 year rule of the “you know who” party. Things have never looked so good; the election went smoothly and transparently. Felt like I owed the great retired military strategist a portrait. (If only he could see this). Used a 4b pencil on an A3 paper, took about two weeks.

"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.