When creating a work in pencil, I start by completing the subject's face since this is the most human part of the drawing. The eyes, nose and mouth must look convincing before I move on to complete the rest of the drawing. With every drawing, I work in a predetermined order: from top to bottom, and from the middle out to the edges. This helps limit accidental smudging of the graphite by keeping my hands away from completed portions of the work.
After completing the face, I fill in the figure's outline with an undertone of graphite which I smudge or soften to a uniform tone - a paper napkin works well on large areas, a cotton swab for tighter work. I proceed in small sections by adding shadows and occasionally using a kneaded eraser to remove graphite and create highlights. Then the new strokes are softened again and work proceeds until the whole piece is completed. Once the drawing is finished, it is signed and sealed with a fixative for protection. A completed piece may take five hours of work.
The end result of all this labor gives the impression of realistic, continuous-tone gray. While some people refer the rougher appearance of raw pencil strokes, I like the more finished look achieved by using the smudging technique. Sometimes the subtle shades of graphite are lost during the process of reproducing the work as a limited edition print. So if you own an original, take time to enjoy the piece - you can be sure the details are richer than what you would see in a reproduction.
