Wall Flower

I have added a bit more tone now, and some shading for the wall. There was not much tone variation in the reference image, so I have tried to enhance what there was, but still I left quite a few light areas.

Slow Pencils

This week has been slow for drawing, but I have moved this image on a bit. The reference is well light so I am taking it slow building up the tones. I think it needs a contracting background too.

I am going to step back from this now to look at it fresh again later...

Fresh start

I have been drawing over the past few days but unfortunately the line work has not been working out as hoped. I have had my eye on this reference for a while now, and I feel that the key to the image is in the models smile, but while I like to draw freehand the image requires more accuracy than I currently have the freehand skills for. So I have used a reference grid on this attempt to generate the initial lines. There is still a lot of work required though to give the figure some depth.

Push up

And the final image with some extra tone. The fixative layer wasn't as useful as I had hoped, but is worth trying if a darker tone is needed with this col-erase pencil. I was interested to find I could erase part of the original pencil if I tried, so may I should have used more spray.

Pushing it out

I have finished the first draft of this and I have really enjoyed it. There was some difficulty with the eraser but I will leave this till tomorrow and review what I think. It could be a bit darker but this is a common problem with the col-erase pencil and I may try re-applying it after using a fixative if needed.

Still seem to have some scanner spots...

Push it real good...

OK I didn't keep the momentum with the last image and it started to go bit wrong as the more I worked with the col-erase on the toothed paper, the more fuzzy the picture became and just couldn't erase the mess cleanly.

Now it is the winter holidays and I have a bit of time to try and get a full picture done and some more learning. I am looking at the Loomis books again. I really like he writing style and the we he presents the information. Loomis is out of print not but his books are still available on-line here.

I have started blocking the shaded areas on this now, after doing the line work last night. I am working on smooth paper this time but with the col-erase again. I have a set of carbon pencils on order and some more pencil extenders which I am looking forward to trying. I really like the clutch pencils but sometimes the selection of leads can be limiting and the holders themselves are expensive to have a wide range to hand.

Anyway here is my latest effort.

Wonder

I have started this new image without any planning...yep, didn't I learn from last time. But! I think one of the most important things about drawing and when you are in the mood you just need to go with it, and after life drawing tonight I was in that mood. Here I grabbed a sheet of recycled card stock and the col-erase (as it was to hand on my desk), and started drawing a great reference that I have been looking forward to working on for a while. The recycled paper has a more tooth than the normal fine paper that I use and the col-erase leaves a mark with a very gentle touch so erasing is much easier, and with a plastic eraser seems to have little impact. Well here is the first step, I hope I can keep the feel of this when I carry on.