DOES receives many questions about his work, his process, the tools and materials that he uses and so on. To give you a good insight, he decided to record the full process of creating this letter ‘S’ drawing. He also wrote down a few notes that he is happy to share with you.

THE SKETCH: FOUNDATION
- Creating the base letter: the rest of the piece will be based on this letterform. After a few experiments I found the right form to start with.
– The sketch serves as the guideline for the final drawing.
– Often the colors are chosen beforehand. However they can be adapted at all times.
– Proportions and dimensions are influenced by the other letter and are also related to the previous drawings with the same format.
– The first step is to draw the basic lines.
– The basic sketch is elaborated upon and the composition is being formed.
– Now the paperwork is ready and it is time to enter the next phase.

COLORING & DETAILS
– By focusing on a certain aspect or fragment the piece is worked out and develops from there.
– The colours are numbered to decide on the transfer from light to dark, meaning I don’t have to check the colors constantly and to avoid errors.
– Achieving the satisfactory result by trial and error helps to built up confidence.
– If something turns out to be not good enough, focus on what is good and return to the basics.
– Often the color choice is made at the spur of the moment as part of the process. I always look for a certain balance in colour and shape. At this point in the process I can lose myself in details and in a sort of deep concentration in which time becomes blurred. To remain the flow I work with a high pace and change materials to elaborate on the details. I try not to question what I am doing and to keep on adding on to the work.
– I have worked for about 22 hours on the piece.
– The best times on slots to work are when the kids are at school. It means peace and quiet and the daylight is at its best. I then try to get into my creative bubble as quickly as I can. Thanks to my disciplined nature I usually manage to get into the required bubble very quickly.