Category: Art

Charcoal!

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Black and white art is cool. It’s dramatic. It’s dynamic. It’s expressive. It’s also messy. But I love it.

The top drawing is 9”x12” on Legion Stonehenge drawing paper, my favorite. The sketchbook study is in an 8.5”x5.5” Stillman and Birn Alpha softcover.

It took numerous sketches to find a look I liked. With the Blue Jay drawings, I finally found it. I started with a very blurry vine charcoal image, blended it out with a brush, refined it with erasing, and added details with a carbon pencil. The softness comes from blending and using a touch of powdered charcoal with a brush. I use a white charcoal (chalk or pastel) pencil, too, but haven’t yet found one I like.

Numerous quick sketches filling my Stillman and Birn sketchbook. These are all from my reference photos.
The Saw Whet Owl sketch turned into an attempt to use charcoal on canvas. If I try it again, I’ll need to add more coats of gesso and sand it down to have a smoother surface. it’s difficult to tell, but the owl was only about 7” tall!

Categories: Art Pastel Pencil

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Oil Pastel Sparrows

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12”x16” oil pastel and colored pencil on Stonehenge illustration board that I gessoed first.

I let it sit for two days and decided it needed more detail with the birds, shadows everywhere, and a bit more bright color. Today, I spent an hour doing all three things. Is it done? Probably not, but when I start “fixing” things but then wish I hadn’t, it’s time to stop.

Four stages, with the top left being the completed version but with sunbeams from the south window.

Categories: Art Pastel Pen