Charcoal

 

I rendered this lovely Wren with charcoal. The result is good but the process not so good. I don't know why but, as I was drawing, I felt like it would never be over. In fact it took 40 minutes. And as you can see the image is lovely. I do on occasion draw with charcoal pencils but this is really only the 2nd or 3rd time I drew with willow. During the entire project I never felt I was getting it right. But I did. I suppose that it really is the process not the result that matters. 

I won't be working with charcoal again, I don't think. I packed it and all the other media and materials away in boxes in my closet and if, at some time, I think I need it or have some desire to try again over the course of the year, I'll shop in my closet. 

I've packed away my Pan Pastels as well but this morning my Sister in Law asked for a portrait of her dog for Fiona's (that's the dog) 15th birthday. Mary has many portraits by me but she likes to commemorate. So I agreed to a pastel portrait because I'm not painting with anthing anymore. I did a painting this year for a nursery and it was lovely and fun and pure torture to complete. Painting is gone. Except for the classes I teach at the library. 

My focus is graphite. Except for this time. Mary created an AI protrait of Fiona so the AI portrait is my reference photo. Art imitating science imitating art?

And I'm drawing again.

 ...this time with white pastel on black paper. Not that that's new. Take a look at the top of the blog page. Every time I look at that image I know I can't give up this medium. I love it and what I love most is the comic sense. My tiny stint with drawing with wire brought me here. So here is the first piece, an Asian baby elelpant. Isn't he/she adorable. Not all Asian elephants have tusks.

I completed this drawing with white pastel pencil, a monozero eraser and a black pastel pencil on Canson black paper. I was aiming for humor; almost cartoonish, a bit, only a bit, distorted. I think I'm ba

I packed away my wire wrapping tools into my Betty Book lunch box and set it under my drawing table. I can see me making the odd piece when inspired but this is my medium. And I can relay attitude and humor with white pastel on black paper. Nothing to distract. No color getting in the way. No hyperrealism backing me into a corner. All free hand

This is a 9 x 12 inch drawing and it took 50 minutes total including the initial fidgeting. The video is up and running. Just click HERE to watch it.  

Thank you.

 

y.. ck.