BUTTERFLY VEIL

To ensure accurate proportions, I first drew the reference using the grid technique on a 24 × 28 cm drawing with 4 × 4 cm squares.

Working one square at a time helped me accurately place the facial features, butterflies, and hair while avoiding proportion mistakes.

After completing the grid drawing, I carefully transferred it onto A3 Fabriano paper.

Before starting any shading, I applied masking tape around the edges of the paper to secure it to the drawing board and create a clean white border around the finished artwork.

The background is completely black, which creates strong contrast and helps the portrait stand out.

I applied charcoal powder using a Size 4 soft brush. Some artists prefer blending charcoal with their fingers, but I prefer using a soft brush because it produces a smoother and more even finish.

The face was created entirely with graphite powder.

To prepare the graphite, I shaved graphite sticks using a cutter and sandpaper until they became a fine powder.

Before applying the graphite to the drawing, I always removed the excess powder by blending it on a separate sheet of paper. This prevents dark spots and creates much smoother shading.

Using a Size 4 soft brush, I shaded the face with gentle circular motions, gradually building the values from the darker areas toward the lighter areas to achieve soft, natural-looking skin.

The eyebrows and eyelashes were drawn using a sharpened Lumograph graphite pencil.

For the white eyelashes and the bright highlights within the eyebrows, I used a small mechanical eraser pen, carefully sharpened with a cutter to create extremely fine lines.

I always begin adding details with the eyes because they give life and emotion to the portrait.

The eyelid lines were first drawn using Conte pencils and then softly blended with a Size 2 soft brush to create smooth transitions.

The highlights in the eyes were created with a small mechanical eraser, giving them brightness and realism.

The texture and natural lines of the lips were created using charcoal powder and blending stumps.

I then softened the shading with soft brushes to create smooth transitions while preserving the natural texture of the lips.

Unlike my previous animal drawings, I used only soft brushes throughout this artwork.

The loose hairs and darker strands were created using charcoal powder with Size 0 and Size 2 soft brushes, allowing me to achieve soft, flowing hair without harsh edges.

The butterflies were first drawn using Conte pencils to establish the patterns and darker details.

Afterward, I applied Conte powder to deepen the shadows and blended it gently with soft brushes to create smooth transitions and realistic depth.

The bright highlights on the butterfly wings were created using a combination of kneaded eraser and brush eraser.

To create the tiny white hairs on the butterfly's body, I used a small mechanical eraser, sharpened to a fine point for maximum precision.

The freckles on the forehead were created by gently tapping charcoal powder with a blending stump, producing a soft, natural appearance rather than perfectly round dots.

Before finishing, I carefully compared the drawing with the reference image, checking every shadow, highlight, texture, and proportion to ensure that no important details were missing.

After completing the artwork, I carefully removed the masking tape by peeling it back slowly at a low angle to avoid tearing or damaging the Fabriano paper.

Removing the tape revealed a crisp, clean white border around the finished drawing.

As the final step, I applied a light coat of fixative spray to protect the graphite and charcoal from smudging and to preserve the artwork.

Always spray the fixative in a well-ventilated area, holding the can approximately 30–40 cm away from the paper. Apply several light coats instead of one heavy coat for the best results.