-N- – Page 390 – Ink, Yarn & Beer

Squash

Today I have a lot to do, so I thought the best way to start the day would be to do another watercolor pencil drawing. As I have little to no experience using them, the only way to learn is to use them. I am making a pencil sketch in a sketch book, and then filling in layers of color before beginning to wet the colors laid down. The idea is to replicate glazing to a degree. When I reach a point I like, then I wet a brush, and move from light to dark, maybe moving the brush in a given direction, or not. Then, more colors, more wetting, and so on. Below is the final result.

I am not sure that by themselves watercolor pencils are capable of strong contrast. It seems lines – ink lines – may be helpful. Or, the pencils themselves can be used in conjunction with other water media, such as watercolors or acrylics or gouache.

Here is the series I scanned in as I moved along. Click on the pencil drawing to start the series, beginning to end.

Morning Frog

I decided to do a quick watercolor pencil sketch before I got ready for work.

First the shape, then the laying down of colors. The point of this was to be quick! I just chose colors I thought would work – about 5 or 6 pencils.

Final result. I used a small round, and worked the lightest areas and moved into darker. Where I needed more contrast or detail, I used the pencil in the watery areas.

Total time: about 20 minutes from beginning to end. Below is each step.

Layered watercolor pencils

Final sketch

“He’s Only Sleeping”

Remember the Monty Python skit of a man in a pet shop complaining about the parrot he just bought? I saw it again, and that led to this, and other drawings of our feathered friends.

Here is the rest of the motley crew!

Weekend Sketches

Some random sketches from the weekend in pen and ink. Cats just make me laugh. People, not so much. Well, yeah, they do, but cats are infinitely more amusing.

Sky

Pewter Inkwell, or Distortion in the Morning

This morning I was feeling restless and unfocused while I was drinking my morning coffee. I wanted to do something, but have felt all scrambled this week, partly because routines have changed in the later part of the day and are rather disruptive of the normal routines. So, something mindless. Then I saw my ca. 1810 pewter inkwell with its ceramic insert. The decision was to draw it using the dip pen sitting nearby. Well, grogginess and a general inability to draw circles are the result – ovals are even harder – and perspective? Well, the results speak for themselves!