The length of time depends on the size of the drawing, and the difficulty of the subject. For instance, a single portrait of size of 11″ x 14″ takes me about 6-12 hours.
I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I have experimented a bit with acrylic, oil, watercolor as well as several other mediums. When I started using soft pastels and pencil, I realized that this was when I began to really enjoy portraits. They gave me the soft look that works really well with people and animals.
I did take a few art classes both in high school as well as private lessons as a young man. I graduated from a commercial art school before I finished high school. There is so much free information and so many online tutorials about any aspect of drawing, from time to time I will watch some of them to keep up.
I do not draw from live models. To get to the level of realistic detail that I like to achieve in my portraits, it would be very time consuming for both myself and the model. I prefer to draw from a picture, and then I can take my time to capture all the fine lines and the facial expression of the subject as realistically as possible.
Unlike when I use a brush, I have total control over my pastels, I can do very detailed work with a pencil and pastel, and it feels like have more control. I am able to achieve some awesome realistic works with pencils, pastels, erasers and some blending tools. I feel that I still have a lot to learn and accomplish. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my artwork.
Yes, if you would like something other than a portrait created please mail or email a photo so that we can discuss what It would take to create what you need.
I will try to make as many corrections as possible to the drawing until you are satisfied. If all my efforts fail, I will retain the deposit for the work I’ve done, and you are not obligated to purchase the portrait.