Postage Stamp Portraits

Reducing the scale: Producing life-like, realistic drawings become’s exponentially more difficult the smaller you attempt to draw. Large scale drawings, say greater than A4 (210x297mm) ultimately allow for more control. In short, these larger scales simply offer more space. More space to execute fine details and blend pencil values. Like many who take up the hobby of drawing this was Xander’s starting point. Over the course of five years Xander used his technical drawing background and adapted his skills in an attempt to produce life-like, realistic drawings (examples of early work can be viewed within ’drawing archive’)

Over time, and through much trial and error, Xander felt he had reached the level of proficiency and realism he originally set out to achieve. However a new question, and ultimately new goal, began to form. How small could an image be drawn and still retain strong levels of realism and likeness? The size of a postcard? Playing card? Passport photo? To answer this question Xander began testing, taking the skills and techniques he’d learnt and modified them for use at smaller scales.

This again resulted in much trial and error, but the tests we’re successful (‘drawing archive’) Xander adapted his drawing technique down to the size of a passport photo (35x45mm) However he still felt smaller size reductions were possible… Specifically, could a realistic portrait be drawn on postage stamp? (British first class - 20x24mm)

Ultimately, the answer was yes! Drawing at this miniature scale not only involved the adaptation of drawing techniques, but also the use and adaptation of equipment. Pencil lead’s, pen tip’s and eraser’s are only available down to certain sizes. To achieve certain fine details at this scale (hair, eyes etc) some extra creativity is required. From filing pencil lead’s to an even sharper point using a wooden block (sometimes after each drawing stroke) to cutting erasers to exact sharp points with a craft knife, and even dipping metal pins into ink to achieve fine black details. These are are just some of the adapted techniques used to draw at this scale.

The British first class stamp has now become Xander’s signature size of drawing portraits. Bespoke portrait commissions at this scale are now open. To register your interest please visit the ‘commissions’ page to start a conversation.