‘YungBlud’ amateur drawing

September 13, 2025September 13, 2025Leave a comment

Hi there! 😄 My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur ‘YungBlud’ drawing 💖 Hope you enjoy 💕

I printed off a photo of YungBlud at the library and blew it up to A3 size. I used my A3 light box again to trace the outline of my subject, and used Fine Art sketching pencils to sketch. The chosen image was definitely more complex than the previous Keanu Reeves portrait I drew, and it’s quite quirky, but I built it up bit by bit, trying also to visually portray YungBlud’s energy. The wild hair was quite tricky, and some of the other shading I found fairly difficult too. I feel the black and red checkered background, and contrasting green ‘halo’ aptly portray YungBlud’s bold rock star personality. Also, the black promarker outlines add a pop art effect, to which I am a great fan of… and here is the finished piece:

I admire YungBlud aka Dominic Richard Harrison, very much for how he uses his platform to spread love, of course he also is a very talented musician 💕 From my home town too, woop woop 🥳🥳

I don’t have a next portrait planned as such, but I have 5 diamond arts still to complete from last Christmas haha 😲😲🤣 So it might be a good idea 💡 to crack on with them, also we have a ‘Wicked’ Halloween 🎃 themed pub painting in October, so please do keep a look out… 😄😄

Thank you as ever to take the time to read/view. Many thanks, Lauren xx

Amateur Keanu Reeves drawing

September 6, 2025September 6, 2025Leave a comment

Hi there 😊 My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur Keanu Reeves portrait.. 💗💗

First of all, I used my A3 size light box to trace the outline of my blown up Keanu Reeves photo 📸 I sketched with Fine Art sketching pencils, predominantly 2B grade. I incorporated a Keanu Reeves quote I resonated with, and seemed apt. For the background, I chose two different shades of purple twinmarkers, pink for a love heart and slightly at the bottom and a black promarker to outline and distinguish the subject, quote and to create a block square background. Here is the finished result:

I have so much respect for Keanu Reeves. Not only is he a great actor (admittedly, not in all roles!), appearing for example as the protagonist in many action films, he uses his platform to help others and raise awareness of varying issues, a supporter of many charities. A philanthropic, wonderful human being, deemed as one of the most influential people on the planet. Hence why I was eager to draw a portrait of him 🥰🥰

With regard to the artistry of the portrait itself, I am only amateur, however I hope that with practice I can become over time more photorealistic, and back to the level I was many years ago… YungBlud will be my next pencil portrait, someone else I admire not only as a talented musician but as a kindhearted person 💗💗

Please keep a look out for my next post 😜 Thanks as ever for reading/viewing. Much love, Lauren xx

‘Robyn and Matty’ amateur couple portrait

March 1, 2025March 1, 2025Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur couple portrait.. Hope you like!

First of all, I used my light box to outline the two subjects (such a cheat! 🤣). I shaded using Derwent professional sketching pencils. The background I incorporated red love hearts ❤️❤️ to fit with the romantic theme, and used a professional colour marker pen to turn the whole background dark purple. I also outlined Robyn and Matty and the love hearts with a black promarker pen. I am a big fan of pop art, and love this sort of style.. and here is the finished piece:

Matty and Robyn are a new couple, and great friends of mine. They paid me £20 to do this portrait of them, to put towards my fundraising for Alzheimer’s Research (I am doing a 5K tough mudder in July in loving memory of my beautiful mum)

Although admittedly I am only amateur and not professional, and I made this clear to them, they were both chuffed with the drawing, and are planning to photocopy it so they both have a copy each. I believe also they are going to get them framed 😁😁

For my next UnicornPostbox blog post, I have started an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed diamond art and the Easter pub painting is a bright colourful Easter bunny 🐰 So that will be fun! We also have theatre shows coming up in the next few months 💕💕

Thank you as ever for reading/ viewing. Kind regards, Lauren xx

Valentine’s Day amateur couple portrait

February 16, 2025February 16, 2025Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur portrait of me and my boyfriend Aaron, as a surprise gift to him for Valentine’s Day.. hope you like! ❤️❤️

I used a light box (cheat lol) to outline me and Aaron. I drew with Derwent professional sketching pencils, mainly HB and 2B. To keep with the Valentines theme, I incorporated red love hearts, made bold with a black promarker pen, I also drew a black line around me and Aaron, to make the images ‘pop’ (I’m a big fan of pop art). To finish, a professional blue colour marker pen coloured the entire background. I also purchased a lovely red frame to display…And here is the end result:

I took me a few days to complete, which isn’t too bad to be fair ❤️❤️

I am advertising if anyone else would like an amateur couple portrait, to put towards my fundraising for Alzheimer’s Research (I am doing a Tough Mudder in the summer in memory of my beautiful mum who sadly lost her long battle with this awful disease) 😢

My next blog post is a travel blog of mine and Aaron’s first Valentine’s weekend in Sheffield 💕💕

There is a new Easter bunny themed pub painting in March, and no doubt I’ll soon be on with another diamond art 💎🎨

Thank you as ever for viewing/reading. Much love, Lauren xx

Amateur portrait of Robin Williams

July 14, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur Robin Williams portrait.. hope you enjoy! 😄😄

Firstly, I used my light box (cheater ha!) to outline Robin Williams’ head, then started to shade around the eyes, ears area, etc. I love the film ‘Dead Poets Society’, so I incorporated a very poignant famous quote into the design. I then created a square grid, and used blue, purple and green promarker pens to brightly colour the background. Also, I used a black marker to differentiate the squares, the quote and Robin. A yellow bubble around the quote, and a space at the bottom for my artist signature…I very much like pop art and I feel this has a resemblance to the movement..and here is the finished piece:

I am very pleased with the way this one has turned out! I think I have captured a likeness 😊 I intend to draw more celebrities/ actors/ actresses/musicians I like etc, and build up a portfolio 😊

I have a gorgeous Peacock diamond art to start 💎🎨 and a new pub painting at the end of the month, so watch this space! 🥰

As always, thank you so much for reading/viewing..take care, Lauren xx

Amateur Amy Winehouse portrait drawing

June 29, 2024June 29, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur Amy Winehouse portrait drawing – drew as a gift for my lovely sister 💕💕 Hope you like! 😊

I started with famous lyrics of Amy Winehouse’s popular song ‘Back to black’ placed around where the portrait of her would be. I focused on the darker shading first, and spent quite a while trying to perfect her iconic beehive hair. I am quite proud of the likeness of the face I have managed to achieve of the wonderful late singer. I cut up some flower and butterfly 🦋 outlines from an art therapy book, using my light box to transfer onto paper. I used multiple promarker pen different colours to colour the butterflies and flower. I then used a black marker to draw around and intensify the subjects. I am a big fan of pop art 🎨 and I definitely feel this is of the style 💕 To make it ‘pop’ I contrasted the grey shading with bright pink lips 💋 And here is the finished piece:

I am really happy with the end result. I am trying to get back to the standard I was capable of years ago at school. I definitely think that practice is improving my art 🎨

My sister absolutely loves it! ❤️ Having watched the new biopic at the cinema 🎥 she has practically become obsessed with the late songstress 🎵 Watching loads of documentaries of Amy’s up and down lifestyle, the joys along with the addiction battles, and the tragic love affair with Blake. Amy, a musical icon, part of the cursed ’27 club’, authentic, relatable, and a beautiful troubled soul.

My next pub painting class ‘sun-kissed river’ is next month, and I have a ‘sunset’ diamond art 💎 🎨 to start… I may draw some more celebrities I like/admire – Keane Reeves maybe (what an incredible person), the late Robin Williams, Muhammad Ali, Simon Pegg, Joan Jett, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Norton? Any suggestions??

Thank you as always for taking the time to read/view, all the best, Lauren xx

‘Portrait of a family friend’ Amateur pencil drawing

June 19, 2024Leave a comment

Hi everyone, my latest blog post is progression photos of an amateur pencil portrait for a family friend, hope you enjoy 😊😊

Unfortunately, one of my dad’s very close friends – his dad has sadly recently passed away 😢 So my dad asked me to draw a portrait of them both…

My first attempt was not up to the quality I would have liked..

This was my first attempt. Although it was nice to have the two of them together in the drawing, I don’t think it was quite up to scratch… As there are two subjects, it’s more difficult to achieve a likeness as the reference photo is smaller and hence you can’t get as much detail. I also bodged up the hands, and the shading just wasn’t impressive enough… here is the new drawing progression photos:

I was much happier with how this turned out. Being able to concentrate on just one subject with a larger reference photo, it was much easier to shade and achieve a likeness. I particularly like the wavy hair and bold eyes…

I would still class myself as an amateur artist. When I was at school (not to blow my own trumpet) I was excellent and my portraiture was so realistic. I feel like I’ve kind of lost my gift over the years, but I have completed this to the best of my ability 😊😊

My dad’s friend was over the moon with the drawing of his dad 😁😁 I am so very pleased he likes it, and will cherish it forever…

My next blog post will be progression photos of a ‘Doorway to Italy’ pub painting, so watch this space 😝😝

Thank you as ever for reading/viewing.. much love, Lauren xx

‘Gentle Joan’ amateur portrait drawing of family friend

April 18, 2023April 18, 2023Leave a comment

Hello again everybody! The latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a now unfortunately deceased family friend, Joan 💙💙

I increased the size of a standard photo at the library, to A3 size. I then used my A3 light box to outline Joan on paper. Working from photographs, I carefully sketched and shaded.. I also incorporated some paw prints, with a purple border – Joan absolutely adored dogs, they were her life 💜💜

Joan was my mum’s best friend who unfortunately died suddenly three years ago 😢 She was an incredible kind woman, and helped me so much when I was looking after mum, she was a god send 💕 I’ve kept in touch with Joan’s husband Merv, and visit him regularly, this is who the portrait is for.. He has a bullmastiff Spencer, who mum loved, and I always say to mum I gave Spencer a big kiss from his Auntie Debbie 💕

Merv was very happy with the portrait 😊 I am only an amateur and I know I’m not the best in the world, but I think I am improving with practice..and it’s the sentimental value too isn’t it..

Here is the finished piece, framed:

Thank you as always for taking the time to view/ read.. I might start another diamond art soon🎨 💎

Much love, Lauren xx

‘African animals’ amateur marker pen original art

April 14, 2023April 14, 2023Leave a comment

Hi everybody! My latest blog post is progression photos of an amateur ‘African animals’ amateur marker pen original art 💙💙 Hope you enjoy!

I started out sketching the outlines of my African animals; giraffe, elephant, lion, rhino and buffalo.. the style of drawing is like subjects from art therapy books; pretty, brightly coloured, patterned and detailed 😀 As well as colouring the animals vibrantly with marker pens, I bordered the subjects with a black marker pen to make them stand out and ‘pop’ 🥰

I would love to visit Africa and do a safari/ construction and renovation volunteering in Zambia.. I feel like Africa is really special 💙 hence why I decided to do this artwork 😜

My next project is an amateur portrait drawing of a wonderful woman Joan who passed away three years ago.. she was my mum’s best friend and a god send, helping me look after mum (my mum has early onset alzheimers) 😢 I have stayed in contact with Joan’s husband Merv, that’s who the portrait is for..I will maybe draw her dog too Spencer, she adored dogs..I thought that would be a nice thing to do 💕

Thank you again for taking the time to read/view.. lots of love, Lauren xx

‘Grandson and Grandma’ amateur drawing

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of an amateur family portrait drawing for my lovely friend Sue, who has unfortunately just lost her grandson in a tragic road traffic accident 😢

I printed off a photo of Sue and her grandson with my printer, and enlarged a copy to A3 size at the library. I started using my A3 light pad to get an outline of them both, then took my time shading. I included calligraphy ‘Torn apart, but together forever in heart’, as I felt this made a nice sentimental quote.

I realise my drawing is amateur, and not so professional as it once was while I did my art A-level many years ago, I’ve kind of lost it…however, the most important thing for me was for Sue to like it, and she is absolutely over the moon, which makes me very happy 😁 She can cherish it forever, as another friend said

And here is the finished drawing…

Thank you so much for taking the time to read/view my post…

Next, I might use my specialist marker pens to create something colourful, but I’m not quite sure yet, so please just keep a look out 🥰

All the best, Lauren xx

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Category: Drawing