I created this graphite portrait in honor of my grandfather’s 80th birthday.

I chose to do it in black and white as both a challenge to myself as well as to give the piece a more sophisticated feel. However, I had to be careful to still keep the piece bright by staying on the light end of values. I focused particularly on the texture of his skin and the glow of his eyes.

Dimensions (H x W): 20” x 16”