Well, my sister got married on Friday in Knaresborough. The day was amazing. This was only my second wedding and I have to say the whole thing felt really bizarre to me, like the event was kinda surreal. Odd. It's funny, I didn't cry on the day but then yesterday when I got home I was thinking about the service and the incredible speeches and the love and bond my sister and brother-in-law (!) share I couldn't hold it in. Once I got to visualising the First dance again it got intense. I've not cried at a song for a damn long time, but-

Leona Lewis' version of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face [link]

-really is the most amazingly beautiful and touching song I've ever heard. Now every time I listen to it I see them together and I cry. And I think about the times I've let my sister down. Man, this is getting weird....


Ok, so moving on, I met my aunty (well, close family friend) Alison who I haven't seen in at least 8-9 years. She's great, she sang Walking on Sunshine with the band that played in the evening. Facebook Video link to come! I wore a skirt for the first time since primary school and my brother met a girl.


My wedding gift to them I hope to be a framed pencil portrait of them together on their wedding day. They're on honeymoon in Bali and Hong Kong for two weeks, and while I certainly don't expect to be finished by then I want to have completed a good part of it before they get back.

Now, I realise I'm not really at a super-competent standard and it either will work or it won't (I'm gonna try hard at this, but if it doesn't, I'll look at other options). I would like ANY AND ALL scraps of advice and tips anyone can give me whatever it is as long as it is regarding drawing improvement. Particular things:

1. Paper type? I don't really know what I'm doing here. I haven't really decided on full length portraits or just faces yet, but I think I can safely say I will need fine detail.
2. What size should I stick to? I don't want to go huge, but not small either. Perhaps A3?
3. Do I appear capable of using shading pencils well? If so, what tips can you give me on using them?
4. Line art then shading like my usual preference? Or work on one area at a time as I see higher standard artists do?

Any input welcome. Thanks for reading.