Apollo Cast Drawing

Here is my first cast drawing. This was a lot harder than copying from the flat. I attempted to use the sight size method but found that my cast was too small . In the end, I had to do my best and I scaled my drawing up as you can see in this first photo. Here are a few links for sight size method when you have good size cast:
Sight-Size Method by Ben Rathbone.

Here's my process...
1. I usually start with drawing a center vertical and horizontal line to help with measurements. I start by roughing out the form with straight lines on a lower quality paper in graphite. Straight lines like some of the first plates in the Bargue exercises. I like to use a low quality paper to make all my mistakes and make sure to get the proportions right. 

2. Second I'll start to smooth out the hard lines and put more detail defining as much line work as I can. Sometimes I'll block out shadows with graphite on the drawing to help me get a feel for shadow shapes. At this point keeping everything pretty light. Filling in some shadow might cause me to see something I missed and I can correct the line work.

3. Next, I trace the graphite sketch with tracing paper. Now I'm ready for the final piece and bring out the higher quality paper. I transfer all the line work from the trace to the high quality paper using graphite transfer paper and a red ball point pen. I use a colored pen so I'll know what I've gone over. Be carful with the transfer paper cause it can get graphite everywhere.

4. With a clean outline I can now start with charcoal. I usually start pretty light at first and lay in the charcoal a little at time. First block in mid tones then come in darker. I've tried vine charcoal but don't really care for it. Its too messy. I like to use general's charcoal pencils (form 2H ext hard to 6B ext soft), lots of blenders and kneaded erasers. 

Apollo Cast: Charcoal 18 X 20