Drawing Process: Greeting a Weary Traveler

This post is a little backwards, but I thought I’d recreate the process for how last drawing was put together.

I first sketched out the drawing loosely in pencil making only large blocked-in shapes and measurements for where things were to be placed. I then refined the drawing with a blue colored pencil. This drawing is to size, 18×24″.

Next I photographed the drawing and used Photoshop on this file to create a careful line drawing over the sketch.

I then saved that line drawing into a separate file and printed it out in sections on letter sized pages that I later taped together into one large sheet. That was then taped to the back of the Artboard sheet, and placed on top of a light-table to begin inking.

The line drawing is very simple so as to not influence the shading I’ll be doing with the inking. I want to keep that more spontaneous; although, I did have the photograph in front of me as a reference. Those lines are used mainly as a guide to know where the edges will be and where to stop.

Drawing Finished: Greeting a Weary Traveler

…and here’s where it stops. I have a couple ideas about the background, but for now I’ll just leave it blank. 18 x 24 inches, ink on Multimedia Artboard.

Update: I uploaded a better scan of the full-sized image.

Drawing Update 5: Greeting a Weary Traveler

Almost there. So close I can taste it…

Drawing Update 4: Greeting a Weary Traveler

Here’s a little bit more of the new drawing. I’ve gotten her right leg and basket drawn in. Slowly but surely moving down the page…

Drawing Update 3: Greeting a Weary Traveler

Not too much more to show this time, but I mainly wanted to upload a better pic than was in the previous post. I’ve gotten the rest of the man’s shirt drawn in.

Two points I’d like to make regarding how I’m working this drawing. First, when trying to reproduce forms such as these, even if not drawing clothing, it helps to imagine these solid forms as though they were woven out of fabric, and I’m drawing the threads. This helps me figure out where the lines go. If you were to drape a sheet of fabric over a chair, you could rotate it in any direction or angle and the threads would still follow the form of the chair. Make your lines behave the same way.

Secondly, I’m benefitted greatly here by using a small quill nib on a large sheet. There’s a lot of space to cover, but I’m able to shade more finely than I would if I were using a larger point. The flexiblility of the nib allows me to vary the thickness of the line where necessary.

Drawing Update 2: Greeting a Weary Traveler

A little more progress to show on the new ink drawing. Here I’ve gotten her travel bag drawn in place. This area is about 8 x 12 inches.

Drawing Update: Greeting a Weary Traveler

Had to take a few days to try and earn a little extra spending money, but I’m back on track with this drawing again. Here’s the progress so far. This drawn section is about 6 inches square.

New Ink Drawing: Greeting a Weary Traveler

I’ve started a new ink drawing. It is on a sheet of Multimedia Artboard, 18 x 24 inches, in India ink drawn with a crowquill nib. The head area closeup here is roughly 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

This is a scene of two friends of mine hugging it out, she pretending to be arriving after a long trip. It’s based on a frame of video I shot some time ago. I often like to use video since it tends to capture people in more relaxed poses instead of trying to hold a frozen position.