On The Drawing Board for March 2022.
I have been working with black paper using white charcoal. This Aspen tree was started as a demonstration piece, showing that you can combine the white charcoal images with color. I found the harder pastel pencils work better on black paper then softer sticks. The dust from sticks can take time just housecleaning the background. I use a kneaded eraser to pull up the dust particles. The white tissue is a trick I use to keep from smearing the pastel where my hand touches the surface.
I start to work by checking my references either photo, leaf, or in plein air. I pull the colors that look like they are a match. I take the time to sharpen all the pencils before I begin to work. This gives me solid working time. Usually by the time I am ready for a break it is time to refresh the pencils.
Colors can fool you, especially on something like bark or leaves. They may look like they just have a couple colors but as you look closely you discover there are always at least three, light, mid-tone and dark. I am currently on layer four and five of the leaves. I won't go through all the colors but light sap green and dark blue will help with definition. White and high intensity yellow will be the last colors I add to make the leaves pop with light. I was always taught that to make those light areas pop you need to have a dark beside them. That is when dark blues and dark purple come into play. Enjoy, experiment, make what you love.
If you have any question email me and I will do my best to answer. You will find the finished piece posted on my social media pages, in the newsletter that goes out once or twice a month. Hopefully it will be finished by next week. Heading into the studio to work on it as soon as I finishing posting this blog.
Take care, be kind and safe. linda hp
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