My method involves the careful application of white and black pencils to museum quality, acid free black mat paper. I use several types of white pencils to create each original illustration. Using white hard lead pencils I achieve a duller white appearance on the paper. Contrarily the white soft lead pencils create a brighter white appearance. Black pencil is applied to create animal marking, as in the spots of leopards, and to extract the dimension of depth. I apply white acrylic paint to the eyes of each animal to accentuate its personality and to enhance the mood of the rendering.
I work mostly from my own photos and have occasionally purchase the rights of an image from a wildlife photographer. I enlarge the photo in black and white and then manipulate and recreate on the image for dramatic effect by exaggerating the lighting, highlights and shadows
The mat paper is unforgiving and therefore will take little erasing. Only limited guidelines in graphite can be applied therefore each line must be sure. The soft white pencils leave dust on the paper. I remove this residue with a feather so as not to streak the white pencil onto the artwork.
This technique presents an exciting opportunity for me to create portraits in terms of their highlights.
J. R. Julich
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