Drawing from the well

This is taken from the sketchbook I had to submit for my portraiture assessment last summer.  I used a ballpoint pen to do a quick sketch from a newspaper photograph.  The papers were full of pictures of Olympians which provided lots of drawing opportunities.  This is Louis Smith before his 'Strictly' fame.  A relatively unknown gymnast who had just won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.  

 

I used conte crayons and a white ink pen to do this drawing of Jeanette Kwakye. At one stage I had been thinking of doing a theme on Olympians  for my course sketchbook so it does contain quite a few drawings of athletes.  

I did this sketch of Patrick Stewart while watching him on the television.  It was an exercise in patience, waiting for the time when he was on the screen longer than a few moments!  But also a good exercise in getting a likeness when your 'sitter' isn't actually sitting. 

At the time of preparing for the portraiture course assessment, I was drawing and sketching in this book on a daily basis  as I needed to have a significant amount of work for submission (it's amazing how a deadline can focus the mind!).   Finding my 'fashion' pencil drawings today has given me the impetus I need to start sketching again.