Step One Using an HB pencil, I lightly draw a circle for the head; then I add the body, limbs, and tail, making the body wrap around a tree. Now I draw the facial guidelines and place the features, making sure the nose is low on the face. Then I add the triangular ears.
Step Two I refine the drawing, adding soft lines to indicate some of the fur. Then I draw the individual fingers and toes, noting that the second finger is shorter than the others. Next I add branches and leaves to the tree. I also add a few lines to the tail to indicate how the fur changes as the tail curves. Now I work on the eyes: Starting with the original circles, I draw several more circles that get larger as they go outward; then I add the pupils and highlights. I also refine the ears, nose, and mouth.
Step Three Now I transfer the drawing to the smooth side of a gray-toned paper (see “Transferring a Sketch” on page 18). This paper will provide much of the gray fur for me. After the lines are transferred, I indicate fur on the head and body with short, firm strokes of cool gray 90%. I use the same color to lightly outline the nose, fingers, and toes; then I create the light ridges inside the ears. After covering the highlights in the eyes with white, I fill in the pupils and outline the eyes and the fur around the eyes with black.
Step Four I adjust the ear on the left, turning it so more of the outer part of the ear shows. Then, using dark indigo, I lightly shade areas on the ears and paws, as well as under the chin and along the underside of the tail. I use the same color to shade the undersides of the branches and both sides of the tree, making the right side darker to suggest the direction of light. Switching to black, I add more fur, indicate the mouth, and lightly shade the irises. I also use black to fill in the fur around the eyes with firm pressure and short strokes.
Step Five I lightly apply kelp green to the leaves; then I apply a light layer of henna to the nose, tips of the digits, and inner ears. I add color to the tree with dark brown, using vertical strokes for the trunk and horizontal strokes for the branches. Next I firmly apply short strokes of French gray all over the body and head, changing the direction of the strokes as the fur curves with the body and tail. Then I apply cool gray 70% to the fur on the body, creating darker areas with cool gray 90%. I also apply cool gray 90% to the tops of the ears. Next I go over the henna on the nose, digits, and inner ears with peach. I lift out some color along the highlight of the tree trunk with a kneaded eraser to give it a rounded look. Next I apply chartreuse to the lighter sides of the leaves, as well as to the left side of the bush baby’s body and right forearm. Then I fill in the irises with Tuscan red, using medium pressure and strokes that radiate out from the pupil. As usual, I leave white highlights in each eye.
Step Six I add a little more henna to the nose and around the eyes; then I brighten the irises with a small amount of poppy red. Using a white pencil with firm pressure and short strokes, I create white fur on the face and body, leaving some gray paper showing through. Then I use the white pencil to blend the colors inside the ears, as well as on the paws. Next I add slate gray to some shadowed areas under the forearm and chin, as well as areas behind the tree. Then I add black to the tail, toes, and shadowed areas of the tree. To finish, I brighten some light areas with firm strokes of white.