Sketches Snatched: Jury Duty

 

The best thing, probably the only good thing, about waiting for a case on Jury Duty is snatching a few sketches. Though I'm not sure their experience of having a person scribble on paper and staring at them increases their joy. Sacrifices must be made for art, perhaps not all by the artist. ;)

Life Drawing - Experimenting

Graphite and Colored Pencil
Cropped In a Bit (All you are missing is a few pillows. ;))

Circumstances
Yesterday I got a chance to do some life drawing again. I didn't realize how much I missed the frustration and peace of creating an image in a focused drawing session. Two weeks in a row I've gotten to do some life drawing; life can be good. So, I'm sharing my experimental drawing. :)

Technique
Well, this is the first time I've used colored pencil over a graphite drawing. The drawing ended up with rather high keyed values because I didn't want the colors to get too muddied by the graphite.

The model had a dramatic red violet wash of hair around her face, so I couldn't leave the drawing with some touches of color. I think the partially developed color gives the drawing a bit of drama. Not my best life drawing, but interesting. :)

P. S. There was a cow mooing randomly, out in a nearby field, as we were drawing. We had a sort of roll up door about 15 feet wide open to the beautiful day. Don't they moo when they are hungry? I'm still not sure. Though I've heard them moo as they were watching a truck deliver their food. Anyhow, we were all discussing this in spurts as it would moo in the most serious moments. Imagine furrowed brows, and a group of mostly older men (save me the only young woman beside the model) drawing a pretty women. But our discussion about it made the model– I can't remember her name– break her pose in a chuckle. :)

A Sneak Peak

Yes, that is silver leaf. This is just a detail close up. There will be a further update soon.

A Jaunty Portrait

Specifics
This is one of my Mom's characteristic expressions and I'm torn between describing it as effervescent and jaunty. :)

This is a very straightforward drawing without any of the distortion I've been playing with. I was thinking of using my final technique for the distortion and even the storytelling.

Technique
I found myself missing the soft waxy colored pencils when drawing this. I've never loved graphite for drawing. It smears, which means to me it is the art medium equivalent of a child that will not sit still!

I will of course be completely covering this drawing with other media.

Enjoy! :)