This is the very beginning of a pencil sketch that I am working on of Johnny Depp’s famous character Captain Jack Sparrow.  I have done this piece a few times on different media - a bar stool, 2 pieces of 1/8 inch cedar, an iron on transfer for a book bag. 

I have enjoyed each one of these drawings and projects.  This is one of the most famous poses you will find this character in.  I start out with a soft woodless graphite pencil and begin with the outline of his features.

I used to save the eyes for last, but I think if you begin with the eyes, you will notice the drawing “pop” earlier.

After I get the intial outline done, I take and begin with the darker corners of the subjects face and shade in those area’s - for this I used a woodless charcoal ebony, and then I use several sizes of “tortillions” to get the charcoal to move where I would like it.  I have often seen artists use their fingers, this works well if you are not working a porous surface as the above serving tray.

I begin to add a little color just to put it into perspective for myself.  In the piece above, I did not care for the shading on his nose, so I did go back through and lighten up the nose to make it more broad as it truly is.

More on the finishings to come…

Happy New Year

This is a finished copy of a bar stool that I auctioned off in 2007.  I decided to repeat the process and share with you as I go along the pictures of how I drew a pencil sketch of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow the one, the only Pirate of the 21st century! Well, I am sure Mark and Annie would have something to say about that.  This piece  had an inlaid piece of jewelry within Jack Sparrows Dreadlocks.

The piece shown is a copy that I turned into a book bag for my mommy, I again produced the stars and celestial effect using photoshop, but the original circle image is what was created on the bar stool  With a gloss finish on the top and a flat black on the legs of the bar stool, the contrast really was quite interesting.

The picture on the right is now floating around Wauconda, Illinois or a near suburb as someone’s ass end is sitting on Johnny’s face drinking rum no doubt, no horror in that ladies!

In the coming days, I will share with you the beginnings of a serving tray that I am working on with a very similar picture of our beloved Captain Jack Sparrow!

Soul to Soul

Susie