Royal Mint designer spent week sketching Queen Elizabeth

OHMYGOSSIP — A Royal Mint designer spent one week sketching Queen Elizabeth for her latest coin portrait.
Jody Clark, 36, poured hours and hours into the drawing to ensure it was spot on, and his original design and initials have since appeared on every coin minted since 2015.
He said: “I got to dress her up in what I thought would work best.
“So, I researched what she wears and when she wears it and decided to go for the crown she generally wears to state openings and state visits, as I thought that was quite appropriate.
“It took me about a week to sketch the design and put it on the computer, and another week and a bit for the 3D model.”
But before the 91-year-old monarch gave her approval to his first effort, the Royal Mint asked him to draw the royal without her necklace on.
He said: “I agreed with taking the necklace off – it makes for a neater design, and I had the option to add my initials, so I said yes, I wanted that.”
Jody admits he didn’t quite appreciate “what a big thing” it would be seeing his sketch of the queen on recent coins, but his friends and family often give him gentle comic reminders.
Speaking to BBC Wales, he added: “I got an email through from the Royal Office which just said ‘Design H has been approved’, so I think that means she liked it.
“I returned from paternity leave the day before the design was unveiled in London, so it was pretty intense coming back to that.
“To this day, I don’t introduce myself as the man who designed the Queen’s head, although my friends or family normally jump in and say it now to embarrass me.”

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