Detective Portraits : Sherlock Holmes

This is a rendering of Sherlock Holmes as portrayed by Basil Rathbone. I used ink and smudged it, keeping the black and white focus of the original image.

For this version of Basil Rathbone I used tipex and marker pen, trying to create new textures.

Perhaps one of the most iconic actors to play Sherlock Holmes is Jeremy Brett. Here I used neutral coloured pencils to draw him.

I used the same image as my last picture but created many layers with different paper. I added more texture by varying the ways I cut or ripped the paper.

I decided to be experimental with this image and emulsion printed it straight into my sketchbook. Where the water reacted with the paper it turned the ink slightly green but I like the effect it gives.

I made a jump after Jeremy Brett to some more modern portrayals of Holmes. This is a graphite rendering of Benedict Cumberbatch who plays Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock.

This is one of my favourite images. I enjoy using watercolours and I particularly like using text to back up my images. This quote from the TV series, in think, helps to represent Sherlock's character perfectly.

A slightly messy version of Sherlock Holmes, this image was made with oil pastels. I concentrated more on colour and texture rather than reference for this image.

This time I used fineliner (for the text) and I hand-stitched the face of Sherlock. Although I like the process and the outcome, it was quite limiting as i could only produce straight lines.

This is the back of the previous image. I was going to cover it up but I really like the unintentional effect I am left with.

I used objects I feel reflect the character of Sherlock Holmes to create stylised version of Benedict Cumberbatch.

I used soft pastels in this picture and I left out the facial features to see whether he was still distinguishable.

I used a card template to create a silhouette of Holmes with his iconic pipe. I used music sheet paper as the background to show visually his admiration of music, in particular, the violin.

I used the same shape to create a cut out of Sherlock. Again, trying to show his character with some of the characteristics most connected with him.

I used a lino cutter to etch a simplified version of this picture into a piece of lino and created a brown print. I used lines in the background to create texture.

I used the same technique as before, this time cutting out the seperate pieces and inking them up seperately with different colours.

My next portrait is of Jonny Lee Miller who plays Sherlock Holmes in the current American series of Elementary. I used a combination of pen, acrylic paint and photocopies of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' to create a layered, and rather morbid, image.

For this second portrait of Jonny Lee Miller I used just a HB pencil. I wanted to try and get his character accross in the most simple way  could.

The last actor i chose to recreate is Robert Downey Jr. I used watercolours and fineliners to creat this rather atmospheric version of Sherlock Holmes.

These images are rather iconic as the two films (Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holes: A game of shadows) are very recent and very popular. I tried to choose different materials to create completely different images.

Here I used torn pieces of magazines to create Sherlock. I tried to stay true to colouring this time, using tones i thought reflected the original image.

This image was made with acrylic paints which I then drew on top of with colouring pencils to add depth and definition. I used dark colours to try and reflect the feeling of the films and the character.

My last image was made with just coloring pencils. I enjoy using these and mixing completely different colours to create the shadowing etc. I tried to make it realistic in the sense of proportions but let his character come accross in the colour, texture, line and enhanced by the typography.