RANDOM Drawing TIPS

Random TIPS:

* One of the last things I do is add fine, stray hairs, if applicable, to the edges of the hairline. I also take a sharp F or HB pencil, and make very small and short hairs along the forehead, where the hair meets the forehead (if required).

* Whenever I think I'm done, I sleep on it. Invariably I notice something I swore was not there before.

* Most every artist signs their work, in some form or another, but my dad gave me the idea to DATE each one as well, so that I could remember the order that I drew them.

* I also use a "workable spray Fixative" by Krylon, to seal the drawing when it's complete. It prevents smudging, keeps them from yellowing and also takes down the shine from the darkest areas of graphite.

* When I use clutch pencils, I no longer use a hand sharpener, which I used to string around my neck. I use a "Lead Pointer Tube" sharpener, which also holds the shaved graphite.

* I use an old paintbrush to remove graphite dust, etc from a drawing surface. It keeps me from rubbing it off, or spitting on the drawing when I blow it off. I didn't notice one time, and accidentally spit a minute amount on the surface, and when I rubbed over it with my blending stump, it smeared, and I could not remove it!!

* Taking Photos of your work. After a drawing is complete, I use a digital camera to take a photo of it. I first used scanners, but they lighten the drawing, and you cannot see as much details. I take the photo in the daytime, in natural lighting, on the floor in front of a window, careful NOT to put it directly in the sun. After I take several shots, I upload them; pick the best one, which is usually the one where my name and date are IN FOCUS. Then I crop out the borders, and I also REMOVE the SATURATION, which removes any color that the camera picked up, turning it back to pure black and white.

* The brain can be fooled to believing that what it THINKS it sees is real. One of the best illustrations of that is when I noticed that blurry, out of focus backgrounds, in some portraits, made it look like a photo.