Here is what is on my drawing table. I've been working on this commissioned portrait for a while, and I think it is far enough along to share my progress. I am enjoying this special project, and though there is a long way to go, I'm seeing the likenesses emerge: one lovely, and one cute!
An aspect of this piece that has been quite time consuming is the large amount of white and near-white areas. I am again drawing on the gray Pastelbord, which is requiring a lot of layering with the light colors to achieve the right values. Some might wonder why I didn't just use a white drawing surface for this one, and maybe save myself some work! Well, I happen to really like the effects of the light colored pencils on the mid-toned gray. It seems to give energy to areas that might otherwise be flat and lifeless... a wall, for example. There is something about the way the gray plays against the pigments of the pencils as it peeks through that I think just works!
(16"x20", colored pencil on Pastelbord)
