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| 11/5/26 photo reference (Derwent Drawing and Prismacolor pencils in S&B Zeta sketchbook) |
November has been mostly dry so far, but colder than I like,
at least for sketching. I get out for walks, but I can’t get motivated to stand
on the sidewalk for a half-hour, which is how long this small (about 4-by-5
inches) sketch took – in the comfort of my toasty studio. Sigh – I’m not sure
how much on-location practice I’m going to get during Pencilvember (weather
is the main reason I’ve done this challenge exclusively from photos the past
few years). At least I limited my time on this one to be realistic for on-location
work, and it is the type of scene I would and could sketch from life under warmer
conditions (unlike the one I practiced from a photo the other day).
While I usually try to limit any palette to five or six hues,
this colorful foliage scene was too much to resist, and I ended up using a
whole rainbow. During my first couple of layers, I kept forgetting that I was
using non-soluble pencils and expected to deepen every value and intensify hues
with water. Then I’d remember and go back in for a few more layers. I love
these pencils so much, though, especially on Stillman & Birn Zeta paper,
that it was a satisfying and happy-making sketch.
I've seen other artists do this, and it's a great idea, but I rarely
remember to do it: Make swatches of the colors I use right next to
the sketch.
Incidentally, this type of scene made of multiple layers of foliage fascinates and challenges me no end. I took the photo a few days ago from my upstairs deck. I had photographed it last May, too, thinking it would make a good study someday. I think it’s easier now with varying hues; the all-green look is even more challenging. I’ve included both photos below just because I always find it interesting to see seasonal changes of the same scene. I hope you do, too.
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| May 2026 |
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| November 2026 |
The textures and colors you achieved in this sketch are wonderful! If it’s not too much to ask, how did you start this sketch? How did you begin the layering?
ReplyDeleteI almost always start with the most prominent object, which in this case was the tall fir tree. I first blocked that in lightly, then started blocking in all the other shapes around it. This is just to get all the pieces in the general locations for the composition I have in mind. Once I think everything is in the right place, then I just put in more color. Next time I sketch from a photo, I'll try to remember to take process photos at different stages so it will be easier to see what I'm explaining. Thanks for the question, Cathy -- I love thinking about process, and this gives me a great idea for a post!
DeleteThanks! Your pencil sketches are so interesting with their depth of color and texture.
DeleteDo you work on all the parts a little at a time? Or do you sometimes do the COI ahead of the rest of the sketch? You did a wonderful job on this one.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do tend to work the whole composition at once and add more and more color everywhere. That helps me to keep my eye on all the values at once so that they stay relative to each other.
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