Learning Patience

This was today's effort.

It's a practice piece; an art book I bought called Drawing: A Complete Course by Jenny Rodwell has this as a study of shapes in charcoal and chalk, to be done on gray paper, so as to automatically do medium tones.

I have no gray paper, but I do have a brown coarse paper, and since I didn't have artist chalk or vine charcoal sticks, I used soft pastels in dark brown and white. And a Q-tip for shading, since I no longer have a supply of tortillons.

When I copied the proposed grouping (starting with a pastel pencil in naples yellow),  the centering and balance were off, so I added another shape on the left.

The best part of this exercise was doing it in my new work area in the garage. My old work table has been elevated to a standing work station, with a tall drafting stool when I want to sit. I opened the garage door for a beautiful morning light, and loved having a wide open work area again after a year of trying to use this all-too-cluttered desk. 

Yes, that was the best part. By the time I was nearly done I was tired of brown and white, and irritated with the explanation in the text and the mistakes in the lighting of the example.

However, it did warm me back up on some fundamentals, and I had the very pleasant experience of having Bernie come out to sit and have coffee with me while I worked. I'm besotted with the work area, the more so since Bernie decided I needed better light in there and went out and bought a new ceiling fixture.

I should probably do about fifty million of this kind of practice, but I know I won't.