Hedcut portrait of Rowan Atkinson

Here I tried new pen sizes, as I tend to bolder hedcuts last time. Two days since receiving mail package with Pigma Microns. I was thinking what face to test, finally I stopped on Rowan Atkinson as Walter Goodfellow from 'Keeping mum' (2005). First of all I needed vivid and contrasted features. For another thing I knew that in process of subduing new pens I may be have to redraw the hedcut, making corrections etc, so I didn't go wrong and chose face that wouldn't annoy me.

Finally I liked the result with bolder pens, they are press-sencitive and I could vary the bolndess of the stipple without changing the size. Though I'm not sure I will use these concrete sizes for the hairs, I need something more delicate I suppose,

Stipple portraits of Shaun Evans and Roger Allam

Portrait is clickable

I had some free time and drew new hedcut. If you ask me what I call 'true detective' I wouldn't tell you about stylish criminal drama with haggard Matthew Mcconaughey. What I think first is british TV series about young inspector Morse and Fred Thursday with amazing actors Shaun Evans and Roger Allam respectively. Here they are, 'Endeavour' stars stippled by me on group hedcut portrait.

Some time ago I decided to continue my exercises with crosshatching. Usually I use only dots/stipples on hedcut, even on suits drawing, and very few lines where it needs, for example on hedcut contours or curles forming. On this artwork I did crosshatching on coats and it was interesting to play with lights and shadows on folds. I think I will continue with this technique, in some cases it's much more effective than stipples.

Here is a larger fragment.

I didn't spend much time on background, I'm sure it should be subtle and non distractive here.

Philip Seymour Hoffman hedcut

Recently I had rewatched 'Happiness' (1998) and again enjoyed how genius Philip Seymour Hoffman played perverted sociopath. Right after the movie I was drawing his portrait: such an expressive and textured face is really great for stippling.

Stanley Tucci hedcut

I had some free time between corporate stipple portraits and drew Stanley Tucci hedcut for my personal pleasure. His photo was laying dusty and looked at me with some reproof about a month or so and finally I did it.

Usually I use dots for the head and shoulders both but this time I applied crosshatching lines somewhere. I use lines less often than dots, and if I need to make line bolder I just put row of dots on it. So crosshatching is a kind of challenge and I will definetely come back to this technique one day.

About Katya Shulzhenko

My name is Katya Shulzhenko, I'm freelance illustrator. This blog is about engraving, line art woodcut illustrations and especially about hedcut, special graphic method of creating portraits with stipples and lines developed by Kevin Sprouls for Wall Street Journal columns.

I draw stipple portraits for about 14 years.

If you want to commission woodcut illustration or the portraits feel free to contact me via email katya.shulzhenko@gmail.com