Graphite drawing of Ruth Ellis. She was the last woman in Britain to be hanged, in the 1950s. British justice was no where near as sophisticated then, as it is now. I am convinced that the overwhelming mitigating circumstances would have saved her life. Her confession was never examined or questioned. Today she would have received a manslaughter charge at most. Such a tragedy.
Final drawing 6 of 6. Here I fine tuned the piece. Spent some time on the shirt and wrinkles. Added little details like moles and neck creases. Finished up areas of shading. I had a heck of a time on his right eye. It’s the one area I couldn’t get quite to my liking but it is what it is. Overall, I like how this came out.
Progression 5 of 6. At this point his face is nearly done and I’ve begun to fill in the shirt. There is still more shading and fine tuning and details needed on to finish off his face, but at this point in a drawing I like to begin filling in the other details to keep some cohesion to the overall piece.
Progression 4 of 6. Here the drawing starts to come together. I built on the layers I put down in the earlier portions of the drawing. Spent some time on the beard and mouth.
Progression 2 of 6. Spent some time here in the hair, beard, and eye. The transition in the hair from light to dark was done mainly by not adding in graphite in heavy amounts and using the pencil eraser to define the hair.
Unai Emery. Arsenal Football Club Manager. I think I could have put another hour or so into this and worked the finer details, but overall happy with how it turned out.
Tobin Heath, US Women's National Team. I find her very photogenic and interesting to draw. The way she is half bitting her lip is what caught my attention and I thought it a good challenge to draw.
