What would be a good anniversary gift?

Lots of wedding anniversaries come up in June. It can be hard to decide on a good anniversary gift.

When a couple's been married a long time, they probably already have many knick-knacks and really don't need any more to dust. A pencil portrait of the couple when they first met is a nice idea for an anniversary present.

I've done portraits that were double portraits - meaning, that I drew the couple on the left side of the paper as they looked when they became engaged, and on the right side on their 35th anniversary. Another idea is a portrait of all the grandchildren, or even a portrait of the couples' pets!

If the couple is approaching their first anniversary, did you know that the traditional First Anniversary present is paper? So that makes a pencil portrait drawn from a photo (drawn on paper, of course!) a perfect 1st anniversary gift!

House portrait in pencil

Here is a house portrait I recently completed in graphite pencil. This artwork is 14"x17" on Strathmore Bristol paper. The portrait will have the address and the dates the client lived there handlettered and centered in the grass area. It really had a lot of details - stonework and bricks.

The more house portraits I draw, the better I am getting at drawing plants, trees, bushes, etc. It's always a quandary what to do with the sky. I don't worry over that so much anymore. I have learned to just use the side of the pencil and a soft touch, gradually building up graphite. Then I use my chamois to blend it so it's soft, followed by the kneaded rubber eraser to lift out the clouds.

You might wonder why someone would want a pencil portrait of a house...I think people just love the look of architecture, and some clients like to create a wall full of art of all the houses they've ever lived in. It's a nice housewarming gift, and a nice momento for people of the home they lived in as a child. There are as many reasons as there are people :)

Click here if you'd like more information about my house portraits. Every house is different, and I'll be glad to give you a quote without any obligation to order anything. Maybe you're just curious what I'd charge. That's okay. Email me anytime.

About

My name is Darla Dixon. I live in Snellville, Georgia, which is considered part of the Metro Atlanta area. I have lived in Snellville about 17 years, and have been in Georgia for 28 years. I grew up in Michigan.

I've been married for 25 years, and we have 17-year-old fraternal twin girls, a 7-year-old boy, and another little boy who just turned 5. The dog in the photo with me is Sasha. She is a mixed breed dog (we think she's a Spaniel/Sheltie mix.)

This blog is about myself and my art.
My website is pencil-portrait-drawing-artist.com

Darla Dixon
Darla Dixon Portrait Art and Illustration
PO Box 1755
Snellville GA 30078
770-736-1584
e-mail: darla@pencil-portrait-drawing-artist.com or darla.dixon@gmail.com
Or use my Contact Form.

Please also feel free to connect with me through any of the following social networks/channels:

Hurry & Reserve Your Portrait Order!

It's hard to believe it's almost November already. I am getting close to my order limit. Please contact me to ensure I will have enough time to draw your portrait from photo. Place your order soon to ensure that your pencil portrait can be done in time for Christmas. I can rush and still do good work, but I would rather not rush, and be able to do even better work for you! If you have any questions, please feel free to send a message to me through my contact form.

Homes of the Billionaires

If you could own any of these billionaire's homes,
which one would you pick and why?

I like Paul Allen's home (pictured here), I kind of like its' Frank Lloyd Wright sort of look.

I'm not taking any amenities into account, just going by the look of the outside of the house.
Of course, the yacht isn't half bad either.

See all the homes here and come back and comment and let us know which one you would live in! LINK

my house portraits in pencil drawn from your photo: LINK