The slow process of pencil-shading, mechanically

Mechanical pencil– mechanized shading therewith. It’s a 0.5 lead, and much as I love working with it, I realize I’m attacking fine art with an architect or engineer’s tool. What’s one to do? One begins with, then becomes comfortable with, and finally attached to one’s media. (It’s a pencil I found in the Pratt library about twenty years ago. The mere fact I still have it makes it somewhat mystical.)*

Above is a  pencil drawing I started two whole weeks ago, then left to languish during times busy in other ventures. – Still or again in progress, however slowly. (I lost the printout of  my reference photo somewhere along the way, so I’m winging it– but the damnable pouffe is so textured! One and one half hours so far on the pouffe alone!)

I’ll finish it soon, though, as I am longing to begin something new. Keep the eyes here for next phase and the next drawing.

(When you click on the image, you can see the original photo I started from– it’s taken many departures, clearly. His ears have become surprisingly less Charles-like, for example. He’s become a whole different boy in the process…)