Custom Portrait | Baby Otto on Handmade Paper

If you did not already know this—I am obsessed with drawing on handmade paper. Specifically Fabulous Fancy Pant’s cotton rag 250 gsm. It is such a challenge, but also a very tactile and (for lack of a better word) elegant experience. You really can feel the quality of this paper as you work with it and the entire experience has a very soothing effect on me.

Tips For Using Handmade Paper:

Despite the therapeutic effect that it has on me, this paper is a little bit tricky to work with and there is definitely a lot of pressure for each of these portraits. Erasing needs to be kept at a minimum, and larger mistakes have to be incorporated into the overall composition to avoid destroying the paper. But those fluttery edges are worth it!

Having worked with pencil on Fabulous Fancy Pants papers quite a bit in the past few month, I have found that it is best to use a harder led pencil (I often use HB) to create the contour/outline and a soft led (B or 2B) to shade and create those darker areas of emphasis. This helps me to avoid compromising the paper in an effort to create depth in the piece.

I have not explored very many handmade paper options due to my hard crush on FFP immediately after I sampled a few about a year ago—but do you have a favorite source for cotton rag papers? I would love to broaden my horizons in this area.

The Sweetest Model:

Meg is already doing a great job at balancing mom and work life—setting time aside to dedicate to Otto, but also creating quality work while sharing her process on social media!  Keep it up, Meg! You're doing so well.

In July, I had the pleasure of illustrating this little man for my friend and fellow wedding professional, Meg Bosse.  Otto is a few months younger than my son, so we recently bonded over our new lives as work from home Mamas.  Little Bosse is a few months younger than my son, so it has been extra special to watch him grow up—reminiscing over the stages that we have already walked through, the sweet times and the really really hard times!

Otto, you're giving me baby fever again!  It was such a pleasure to illustrate you.

Pin one of these for later:

I know what you’re thinking: “I would love to have my favorite person in the world featured on handmade paper in my home… maybe in a floating frame or on display on the mantle”

Luckly, this dream can become a reality! Simply click on the link below to find more information about portraits and how to reserve your spot in my calendar!