I produce portrait commissions on request.

Prices:

Graphite ~ A5 - £20 per face (around 5 hours' work)
               ~ A4 - £40 per face (around 10 hours' work)
Coloured Pencil ~ A5 - £25 per face (around 7-8 hours' work)
                          ~ A4 0 £45 per face (around 13 hours' work)
Oil Paint ~ Canvas sizes on request starting at A5 - £60 (around 15-20 hours' work, and to cover the cost of paints)

This is a highly detailed, photorealistic portrait created using 6H, 3H, 2H, HB, 2B and 8B graphite pencils or high quality Faber Castell Polychromos and Derwent Coloursoft pencils on fine grain paper, or Winsor & Newton oil paints on high quality canvas. Each piece is a labour of love, taking many hours to create. I am happy to do portraits of friends, family, yourself, celebrities, YouTubers, video game characters (human or otherwise) etc.

I draw from a photo reference, so if you wish there to be more than one person in the image, be aware that I have never attempted a composite drawing before, so I would find it much easier to draw from a single reference containing all of the people.

If you are interested, email me at enigmaticdoodle@gmail.com, telling me the size of drawing you would like, and attach a good quality reference image. I would like payment upfront, so once you have confirmed what you would like I will invoice you on PayPal (you do not need an account for this) and will begin the piece when I receive payment. If you would like the original drawing sent to you, additional postage & packaging charges will be added to the price. Otherwise, I will email you a high quality scan of the finished piece.

I joined deviantArt almost two years ago, when I was 15 and just starting to seriously get interested in drawing. I loved drawing portraits (and still do!), and I saw other people sharing their work on deviantArt, so I thought "Why don't I try that?"
Well, I did, and here's what followed...


This is the first drawing I ever posted on deviantArt, and it was drawn from a YouTube tutorial (www.youtube.com/watch?v=B94TvK…). I watched a lot of tutorials then, and they were so helpful in giving me direction and instruction in my art. I study art at school, but we are taught very little technique, so I have always considered myself 'self-taught', and those tutorials were a very important part of that!
I didn't think anyone would even see it. I thought it would get lost under the incredible masterpieces on deviantArt. But then, suddenly, someone favourited it. I couldn't believe it, but it was all the encouragement I needed to keep submitting my drawings!






This is the first portrait I uploaded. I had drawn several others before it, and each one was better than the next! I couldn't believe how much I was improving just by practising! The drawing may be small and sketchy, but I was so proud of it (and still am)!





This drawing came considerably later. It was the first time I had tried blending and smudging, and it became my most popular drawing. It was definitely a turning point for me, when I felt like I had taken my art to the next level, and the positive feedback from so many lovely people encouraged me and motivated me even more!





This drawing is a big deal for me. I put even more effort into it than I had in previous drawings - it's larger, I spent much longer on it, I worked in more detail, and the tones are more subtle. It took me around 6 hours (the longest I had ever spent on a drawing), but when I submitted it, I realised just how worthwhile it was. To this day it is still my most popular deviation, and I am so grateful for the overwhelming positive response that I continue to receive ♥ It is such a confidence boost!






A few months ago, I decided to try charcoal for the first time - this is that first attempt. I looked at other artists on deviantArt, who I admired greatly, and saw the detail and depth of tone that they could achieve with charcoal. I suddenly felt inspired to try it, and it has definitely been the next step in progressing artistically, so thank you fellow deviants for inspiring me to constantly try new things and seek to improve!





When I was about 10 years old, I received a small set of 4 Conte sketching crayons - one black, one white, one burnt umber, and one brick red. I knew then, that these were professional tools. I wanted to use them, but I knew that I wasn't experienced enough, and I would never achieve the effect I wanted. I didn't want to waste them, so I decided I would wait until I was ready. I waited 7 years, periodically pondering if I should try them, until one day, 3 months ago, I finally used them. After trying charcoal and loving it, I felt ready, and I knew that I had waited long enough and gained enough experience. I'm so glad I did wait, and I'm also glad that I decided to use them when I did. I am aware that this drawing isn't perfect, but I am also aware that I will get better because, thanks to the encouragement of my fellow deviants, I have already come a long way!






So I've arrived at the present. I've done a few other drawings and experimented with new media, but I don't want to bore you any more!
This is my most recent drawing - a self portrait for my Advanced Higher art course, in white pencil and pastel on black paper.
I have come such a long way during my time on deviantArt (you can easily see the difference if you look at my earlier self portraits!), and I know I will go even further! When people ask me what my best drawing is, I reply, "my next one", because deviantArt has shown me my own ability to improve and grow as an artist.



Joining deviantArt was such an amazing decision, and I know I wouldn't be half the artist I am now if it wasn't for the encouragement, advice, and inspiration which I have found here so thank you deviantArt, and I hope you celebrate many more birthdays in the future!

I have just go back from attending an 'Old Master's' workshop at the Academy of Realist Art in Edinburgh. It was an amazing week, and I've learnt so much!

The workshop involved producing a mastercopy (a reproduction of a painting by one of the old masters), and mine is 'The Virgin in Prayer' by Sassoferrato. Obviously, a week is not long enough to complete an oil painting, but I'm going to keep working on it at home, and there are more pictures on my Instagram of it at different stages - needless to say, I can't believe how much I have learned and improved, and I would never have been able to do anything like it a week go!



The Academy is an incredible organisation. Here is a link to their UK website: www.academyofrealistart.co.uk/ and I highly recommend checking them out (they also have studios in America)! I was blown away by the level of skill, and the immense knowledge of the two people taking the workshop, Ewan McNaughton and Zen O'Conor - they are my new inspiration!

I finally caved in and got Tumblr. Now I'm even less likely to get things done...
enigmaticdoodle.tumblr.com/