Experience the Landscape

It is more than just a drawing.  I experience the view through my pencil. The air is crisp, the wind is calm and the view is spectacular. 

Serenity I

Graphite

6 x 9”

Arches Hot Press paper

When choosing a landscape to draw, I tend to select scenes that generate a mood.  This mountain scape just embraces relaxing and calmness.  My heart rate lowers, I breathe deeper and slower, my mind clears of all the chaos and hustle of daily life.  

The first step in this drawing this was to create a even tone background shared by both the sky and water.  This was done by applying crosshatching lightly across the entire page then using a chamois to smudge the graphite to a smooth finish.  To create crisp edges, I use a small t-square and mars eraser and erase the overage to a crisp edge.  As long as the crosshatching strokes and chamois-smoothed graphite is lightly applied, the graphite sits on the surface of the paper and can be easily erased.  The Arches hot press paper lends itself well to this technique.  

The next step is to remove areas of the graphite for highlights by using a kneaded eraser.  The mountain is rendered using vertical pencil strokes starting at the edges with firm dark strokes tapering to lighter ends.  And the trees are used in dark strokes forming the pine tree branches and the bushes.  The water is so calm that the tree reflections almost mirror the trees but are slightly less defined.  Gentle breaks in the tree reflection show slight waves of the water.

Coastal Weathered Tree - Part Two

This beautiful tree has been shaped by it’s environment as the Oregon coast is rugged with strong winds.  Even though the reference photo is heavy in black silhouette, lightening areas of the needle bunches and branches adds depth to the tree. The sun is glowing through the tree and reflected in the water.  The grass and broad leaf plants are textured in the foreground.  

Reference Photo by Karen Hendrickson, Oregon coast

 

Coastal Weathered Tree - Part One

Step one:  Shading the sky is the first step to a landscape.  Applying the graphite in a light cross-hatching layer and then using a chamois to create a smooth even tone.

Step two:  I use a t-square and mars white eraser to remove the graphite on the edges, creating a crisp, straight border.  

Step Three: Cloud formations are created by using a kneaded eraser to lift the graphite from the paper.  Additional applications of light graphite, blending and lifting of graphite are used to build the clouds.

Step Four: After the sky is established, the middle and foreground areas can then be started….

Small Sketches

 

My blog has been neglected for way too long!  The last post was over 6 years ago.  Over the past few years, I have focused my attention to smaller drawings and sketches.  This collection is a sampling of these.  The smallest is approximately 1-1/2” x 2” and the largest 3-1/2” x 4”.  Using a smooth paper in a sketchbook called “Minimalism Art”, I am able to shade a background with graphite and then smooth it with a chamois.  Now the entire surface is an even tone base to start building up the darks, shapes of trees , textured grass and reflective water. A kneaded eraser is used to lighten areas of clouds or the sun.

Derwent - Drawn to Perfection

Derwent's new marketing communications includes 'Drawn to Perfection' 

reflecting its commitment to the artist community with the 

creation of innovative high quality art materials.

Here is my artwork 'drawn to perfection' 

with Derwent Graphic Pencils.

 

(viewable on pc only)

Derwent - Finished Work

Derwent - Graphic Pencils

finished work

Derwent - Work in Progress Cont.

I am totally loving these Derwent Graphic pencils! 

From the smooth laydown of the graphite to paper to the improved core strength allowing the sharpest point and crisp edges of the softest 9B are a shear delight.  Here are progressive scans of my current work in progress.  The light branches against the dark interior is usually a real challenge. But using a sharp tip of the 9B worked magically filling in the negative space between the thin branches.  The branches were then shaded using the HB.  The thin weeds were indented into the paper using the 9H and then a layer of 9B was applied.  This allowed the finest lighter lines to show through the darks.  The 2B is a beautiful mid-tone layered on the main barn boards.