Custom piece requested as a gift for the father of the newborn baby. 11x14" - on 100lb. acid free vellum - using graphite pencils, powder/brush, and a white gel pen.
Started out with a grid for this piece. I have a variety of methods I use to begin drawings, if I have plenty of time I will often go freehand, but utilizing a grid does help with the accuracy when drawing from a photograph. If I do use a grid, I try to use no more than 4 indicator lines (horizontal and vertical) so that my guides are used as minimally as possible, as I prefer free hand.
The image that was used as a reference.