100 days of drawing 100 year old Sir David Attenborough-

Sir David Attenborough has inspired me as a busy mum of two, to slow down, by spending a hundred days on a hyper realist portrait leading up to Attenborough's 100th birthday. Working on my peaceful harbour on Exmoor where all I can hear is the birds and the waves. Despite sir David Attenborough's life long career of hard dedication to our planet, his birthday wish would be for bigger change.

There is a lot behind somebody's eyes, and whenever I draw a portrait, the soul is normally always portrayed though the eyes. So to be able to convey such a powerful portrait with his eyes closed shows what an impact he has had simply by who he is. Pencil work and graphite is such a perfect delicate medium to produce hyper realism, meaning you can softly and respectfully portray such a subject. Sir David Attenborough has worked so hard to portray to the next generation the importance of every living thing for our ecosystem, in drawing so tentitively and paying close attention to every inch of detail it is an excellent form of mindfulness, when we live in such a scary world and unpredictable future.

Holding after school clubs, and teaching children how to draw realism in pencil, I wanted to show them that I could also challenge myself and do something impactful that takes time.

Laura Gallant, photographer, gave me permission to use her photograph, she had captured him in a powerful sombre pose, every wrinkle or sun damaged mark on his face has made me think about what he's seen and where he's been and how it has affected him. You never get to examine somebody or something as close up as you do when you draw each individual wrinkle, hair or fold. When my 10-14 year old students chose to draw wildlife portraits for their final project and were struggling to perservere through hours of single hair strokes I decided to bring my portrait of Sir David Attenborough. They could see if they dedicate hours and months into one piece and persevere like they needed to throughout weeks of drawing their pieces then the result can pay off with something they are proud of.

One day while I was drawing him sat on the harbour, a bug walked across his hand and I found it quite emotional. This big impressive portrait and this tiny bug summed up everything for me.

So here he is, Sir David Attenborough 22"x30", in progress. And his 100th birthday happens to be approaching too, so now I am making it my aim to draw him within 100 days. Paying such close attention to his every mark and fold in his mature skin, I can’t help but have in mind everywhere he has been and everything he has seen throughout his incredible career. Thank you Sir David.