New art supplies....

 So, yesterday I had the chance to work with a new surface, for me; drafting film. It's really kind of cool and I may even use it again someday. I was able to do the background with Pan Pastels although I found it difficult to build up the color or properly apply it with my sponges. I'd received my new Faber- Castell Polychromas pencils and was itching to try them on the film and on the Pan Pastels. Beautiful. Now this is the image I drew/painted/manifested.

I have to say that I really like the way my enamel-retractable blade worked to create blades of grass and fine fur on the stag. 

If I were going to do this project again with these materials, and I won't be, I would change my approach to the background simply because I was new to using Pan Pastels on the film. I would have taken a different direction with the trees as well. But for a first time with new media I am satisfied. 

But, and there is always a but, it seems, when I began I really questioned my need for more "new" art supplies. Well the drafting film. The colored pencils are superb with the Pan Pastels and I required more colors. But did I really need that paper? Sometimes I fell that I order new materials to slow myself down; to keep myself from moving forward although that never really works because I quickly know if the materials will work for me. And I have to say that all of this experimenting has brought me to the best medium for me at this time in my life. Pan Pastels and pencils. I don't want to draw in colored pencils. I want them to augment the Pan Pastels.  And truly, one brand would have been sufficient but this brand seems a bit easier with pastels than my other brand. And sometimes they work better than pastel pencils depending on the surface. 

Now that's my real issue; finding a surface that I will always use. Seems not to be happening. But I have to admit that I just can't always use one method; one medium; one paper. (If I'm overdoing the semi colons just ignore me. I like them and I'm not writing a term paper or an article for a magazine.) But I have paper and I really could go without buying supplies (any supplies) for a year. And that is my new years resolution. I didn't even know I had one but I do. I will only buy what I run out of and then only if I will use it. The things I ordered were before I made this resolution which was just now.

Deep down I really just want to use one method; one surface. But now, almost everything I own is a form of chalk or graphite except for the colored pencils and the water color pencils which I will include in my mind as components like rulers and erasers and blending tools. Except for the qouache and water color palettes I am pretending I don't own because I don't plan on using them but it could happen. 

My next project involves my imagination I decided. Like the comics I used to draw. Graphite. I love to draw. And glazing with Pan Pastels. And Bristol board. I have so much bristol board. Beautiful vellum bristol board. I love paper. Don't you just love paper. I am so set. I went a bit wild the end of last year stocking up on drawing paper. Again. no need to shop for a year.  I am so damn lucky.