The String of Pearls Portraits

Just a handful of sketched character portraits that I’ve been working on whilst I review the (seemingly) never-ending list of names featured in The String of Pearls narrative. I figured I’d produce these every now and then (once I’ve fixed on the look of a character) and use them as a guide for later work.

Ha ha, I realise that it’s been a while since I’ve uploaded any Sweeney Todd themed work… yeah, I’m only sorry these are nothing more than quick scribbles really. Nevertheless, here we have (from left to right) Johanna Oakley and Mark Ingestrie, the two lovers from the original story, their designs finally fixed upon (Mark was a pain in the butt to design… I wanted a really dashing Jack Harkaway kind of look, but he was often rebellious about it); Sweeney, Toby, Mistress Lovett and Mr Fogg (you already know), the Beadle (a kind of bungling character in the original book… and easily scared too) and Crotchet, who is an ex-mugger and informant to Sir Richard the Magistrate.

(Artwork © Leona Preston 2009)