In February 2018, I was contacted by Adrian Best about drawing one or two illustrations for a book he was writing. After these first 2 creations, we worked together again and again until June 2020, ending up creating 12 illustrations for that first book. Some were made from scratch or based on reference pictures and some were graphite renditions of existing concepts. During the editing process, only 5 were included in the book. It was published in January 2022 and Adrian gave me the permission to show these 5 drawings as well as all the others, except one that will be used for the next book and I chose not to show you 2 of them (concepts). So, a big thank you to Adrian for letting me publish them on my website.
Here are the book details: Adrian Best, God’s Great Embrace: Discovering Deeper Intimacy with Jesus (Port Orchard, Washington: Ark House, 2022) - website: www.godsgreatembrace.com
Disclaimer: This is the 1st time I publish drawings that deal with religion, and they are published in the "Commissions" gallery only to show you what kind of artworks I can work on. They are not shown in the order they were done. The first drawings we created together were "regular" illustrations and when we got to religious ones, I made it clear to Adrian that I was not a believer and he didn't mind working with someone who didn't share his beliefs. So, please be as open-minded as we both were when you look at the drawings, whether you share the ideas expressed by Adrian in the drawings or just enjoy my work in general.
All the drawings were done in a photo realistic style, using graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper. The size of paper was 26x36 cm or 30x40 cm. All the licences needed for the use of reference pictures were dealt with by Adrian.
Drawings published in the book
The following drawings are protected by copyright

"Woman within cross"
Graphite replica of the image on the book's front cover

"Amelie's Portrait"

"Infinity Triangle"

"Jesus showing compassion"
Depiction of Jesus showing compassion to a woman in need

"Hudson Taylor"
Drawing of missionary Hudson Taylor writing to his sister in England (setting is imagined)
Drawings not published in the book

"Orphan and the Prince"
Based on my drawing "I would have gone with you to the end" (Aragorn & Frodo)

"Sanctification timeline"

"Jesus suffering in Gethsemane"

"Jesus sharing himself with us"

gift
Thanks to Marie and her goddaughter Sophie for allowing the publication of the drawing.
style: photo realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 50 hours
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Thanks to Angélique and Ludovic for allowing the publication of her portrait
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 15 hours
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10 months old - gift
Thanks to Nelly & Yann for allowing the publication of the drawing.
style: photo realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 45 hours
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Thanks to Vanessa and David for allowing the publication of his portrait. Nolan is the little brother of Mathéo who you can see below in the gallery
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 16 hours

2 months old - gift
style: photo realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 45 hours
Candyce is my niece and the little sister of Alysson and Lucy that you can see below in the gallery. Thanks to Nelly (my sister) and Yann for allowing the publication of the drawing
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Thanks to Shatha and Ahmad for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: detailed sketch +
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 17 hours
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Thanks to Susanne for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 19 hours

Thanks to the family for allowing the publication of their portrait
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 23 hours

Thanks to Vanessa and David for allowing the publication of his portrait
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 14 hours

Thanks to Mauricette and Jean for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: semi realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 35 hours
This year, Mauricette and Jean, my maternal grandparents, are celebrating their 60th anniversary of marriage. This double-portrait was commissionned by my whole family on this special occasion. It was made from 2 little IDs taken about 35-40 years ago, at the time they met most of their sons-in-law and daughters-in-law and the family started expanding.

10 months old - gift
Thanks to Nelly & Yann for allowing the publication of the drawing.
style: photo realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 45 hours
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Thanks to Emy's family for allowing the publication of her portrait
style: detailed sketch
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 12 hours

2 months old - gift
Thanks to Nelly & Yann for allowing the publication of the drawing.
style: photo realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 50 hours

In Step #3, I scanned the drawing with an unfinished eye to show you an other example of what the step 3 of the tutorial "How to draw an eye" could look like at a better resolution (300dpi) and beside you can see the finished eye at the same resolution. (click to enlarge)
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Thanks to Gaston and his daughters for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: a little more detailed than semi realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 35 hours
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Thanks to Dee for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: semi realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: about 40 hours
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Original drawing
Thanks to P. Keridan for allowing the publication of the drawing.
style: realistic
colored pencils on bristol paper
Time to draw: about 40 hours
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Thanks to Dominique for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 49 hours
The concept of this commission is to draw Dominique the way she could have posed a few years ago, hence the title. To do so, Dominique took a picture posing the way she wanted to appear in the portrait (see below) and I changed her features a little to make her look younger. Then, she chose the clothes, the jewels and the hairdo that she liked in some magazines/shopping catalog that I then used to complete the portrait.

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Thanks to Dee and Sian for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: semi realistic
graphite on watercolor hot pressed paper
Time to draw: 29 hours
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Portrait of a character created by P.Keridan and whose description is based on Alan Rickman. Thanks to P.Keridan for allowing the publication of the drawing
style: photo realistic
colored pencils on Bristol paper
Time to draw: 51 hours