I’ve been putting a lot of work into starting to learn to draw more accurately and tackle more complex subjects. - The baby rhino was probably the most difficult complex shape that I have attempted to shade (though the slabs of hide help simplify the shape), and was a big step up from the ostrich.
I started with an outline study on newsprint paper, then moved on to the watercolour paper. Drawing freehand does mean leaving some pentimenti, like the measuring line from the horn to the ear, and I do knock those back, but I also like seeing them, as they remind me of the history of the drawing.

I defined the areas of dark and began building up tone - I struggled to get as dark as I would have hoped - I think there was some shine on my Faber&Castel pencils, which made achieving some of the really deep darks more difficult, but I was able to blend out the contours with a blending stump. The mottling was achieved by using the random pattern in tight and loose patterns, but I struggled to work with the texture of the paper - it might have been that the Arches Hot Press I was using just didn’t have quite enough tooth, but the patterning and blending achieved the desired results on its own. I actually really like this stage, how it was almost a noir rhino! 

 

Building up the face was the most challenging part - I spent a lot of time attempting to get the eye right, to the point where I was worried I might overwork the paper and had to leave it as it was. I think I struggled with my control of the very fine lines on a picture this size - 38x18cm - so I might return to a similar subject on some A2 paper and see if I can render the face with more detail.

As a finishing touch, I added a touch of medium charcoal pencil to the area under the chin and the neck fold, where I wanted to draw some attention - it was almost too dark and I had to blend it out, but it helped achieve the required depth.

 

Now all that’s left to do is sign the piece and give it to my mother - she has a space above the toilet in her downstairs bathroom and the rhino could hang there in silent admonishment of anyone who breaks proper etiquette…
…that and to decide on my next project, for which feedback would be very welcome.