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?