May 12, 2017 |

Artist Interview - Kevin Hayward

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Kevin Hayward and I’m a secondary school math teacher and commissioned artist!

Why do you do what you do?
Drawing has and always will be a passion of mine. I am all about self-improvement and drawing certainly contributes to that! It also helps me relax.

How and when did you get into art?
I started drawing when I was young. It began with cartoons then progressed to footballers and cars and eventually to wildlife and pets.

How has your practice changed over time?
I’ve always started with mapping out features and drawing outlines. That process hasn’t changed. My appreciation of graphite, the materials I use, and the techniques I have honed have meant my practice has changed considerably.

What’s your favorite piece of art that you’ve created? Why?
My favourite piece of art is probably my pencil drawing of Wisdom. Firstly elephants are one of my favourite animals. Secondly I think it’s because it is the first time I’ve drawn an elephant, stepped back from the drawing and realized this was the level of quality I longed to produce when I first started.

What’s the best piece of art advice you’ve been given?
The best piece of advice I’ve been given is to make mistakes. That’s how you improve quicker.

What’s one art tip/technique you can share with us that you find really helpful?
To create realistic drawings you have to learn how to manipulate graphite. Be patient and layer graphite. Even the darkest tones in my drawings start off with layers of 2H pencil.

Do you have any secret tips or techniques you use to salvage a piece when you make a mistake?
Always start again! There are no secret tips. I’m a perfectionist so I wouldn’t want to send out a piece of work knowing there’s a mistake in there somewhere!