The museum sent me a packet of information about the figures to be illustrated. Included in the information was a list of the figures to be drawn (i.e. what country and time period each figure will represent), along with information on the clothing and weapons that each figure might have used.

Knowing it was going to be difficult getting the drawings historically accurate, I decided to begin by doing rough pencil drawings. The rough drawings will then be shown to the museum curator to help him determine if the clothing and poses are correct. Detailed pencils will be done after the costume and weapons have been approved.

To help make the pencil-rough stage go faster, I take several digital photos of my son as he strikes a variety of poses. The photos are then altered in PhotoShop and printed out at about 16" tall and used as a guide to do the rough sketches.

Tip:
When doing a realistic figure illustration, most artist find it extremely useful to use models for reference. When you use a model, try to choose one that fits the part. Renting a costume and props can also aid greatly when doing a realistic illustration, and interesting light can be the greatest aid of all.

Fact:
Today's illustrators seldom, if ever, draw from a live model. Because of time constraints, and sometimes limited budgets, they are forced to draw from photographs. There can be advantages to drawing from life, however, I prefer working from photos.