GRAPHITE SKETCH OF "WILLIE"

This morning I awoke at 6 AM and stayed in bed for an hour drawing this sketch of Willie Nelson. It was so nice and quiet and a great way to start the day before rushing around.

While I was in Texas I bought a magazine with the most amazing photos of Willie Nelson celebrating his 75th birthday. He is a big hero in Texas, beloved by all. He has the most amazing face and I have been collecting images of him. The photographer is so talented and created some very unusual photos. The detail and camera angles are incredible. I like to draw very detailed graphite sketches in an Aquabee sketch book. I cannot see this kind of detail without a photograph. It is just for practice and fun. Working from someone else's photographs means I can't display or sell any of them, but I find great joy in the process of drawing. The magazine has a website with a video interview with Willie. You can stop action the video. I plan to do that and draw from the "still". Website is texasmonthly.com. The photographer is Platon. I went to his website and loved, loved, loved his work. He uses a slightly distorted camera angle much of the time. My new Photoshop Elements 6 has a feature that will distort in this manner. I think I can get some of my photos to have this same effect.

If you want to improve your drawing skills, there are no shortcuts. The old "practice, practice, practice" still applies.