Featured Artwork in New Book

"Different Strokes - Pencil"

By David Poxon

This is a unique drawing instruction book as it gives 15 side-by-side demonstrations of the same subject by two different artists. They are very complex subjects and offer very good insights on the different approaches taken on the same subject matter.

And I had the wonderful opportunity to contribute a step-by-step demonstration for this book!

ISBN 10# is 1-60058-054- 8

ISBN 13# is: 978-1-60058- 054-3

It is available for purchase at Amazon.com

Diane

Mabry Mill

March 3, 2008

Many times I will have more than one piece on the drawing board. This is one of those times. While I am working on the Nature Scenes, I have been working on this beautiful scene of the Mabry Mill. The photo I am using as a reference was taken by Gayle Swanson of California.

I was taken by this scene due to the wondeful lighting. Something that I am attempting to improve in my artwork.

Nature's Talons

I took the plunge and punched up the values throughout the scene. I have textured the rock and made a few angles and crevices.....

I've done a lot of messing around with this one. I've pushed, shaded, highlighted, textured and basically over-worked this piece. I might try this one again, once I figure out just how to contrast the rock and tree roots textures.....

Nature's Talons

This is a drawing that I have started over at least 3 times. There are a number of challenges in this piece....I want to really capture the strength and depth of the roots as they wrap themselves around this rock. I want to contrast the textures of the rock and tree bark. I really want to create/use the lighting for more drama and finally, I want to make the background very atmospheric. With all these criteria, this one has developed the farthest. I'm not sure if it will be the final version...but it's getting closer. This is difficult as I am making subtle changes from the reference photo to my drawing image. Something I am continuing to strive for. I am free-handing the objects to allow my 'vision' of the scene be more interpreted. I am finding the lighting to be the greatest challenge. The reference photo has the sun behind the tree causing most of it in shadow. I am attempting to pull the sun to the right to create cast shadows of the roots onto the rock to create more drama and depth.

Piute Mountain Series III

Continuing on my Nature Series of the Sequoia National Forest in So. California, here is another view.

This drawing is 8.5 x11" on mellotex paper. I am still trying to get use to drawing on this smooth surface. Creating smooth skies is a breeze as well as drawing rocks and pine trees. I am challenged by the bed of pine needles that cover the ground and drawing grass. I will have to keep working on develop different techniques on this paper.

Enjoy!

Piute Mountain Series II

Here is the completed drawing. I worked on the movement of the branches in the tree. I attempted to keep the area between the branches more open, leaving more of the sky and background visible. The area on the bottom left had me stalled for awhile. But I decided upon added a few rocks to keep the area simple allowing the focus of the drawing to be in the middle plain.

Here is the completed drawing. I worked on the movement of the branches in the tree. I attempted to keep the area between the branches more open, leaving more of the sky and background visible. The area on the bottom left had me stalled for awhile. But I decided upon added a few rocks to keep the area simple.

The tree branches are a challenge. I am trying to make sense of the tangled branches. Using caution not to be too organized but still control the flow and direction of them. The rocks behind the tree still need some work. The two dark ones next to the tree need a bit of adjustment as they ended up being the same size and look like two eggs instead of rocks.

Doing a preliminary sketch first and then sketching out the scene for the final drawing is providing me with an extra opportunity. This allows me to exaggerate limbs or slightly alter the placement of objects freely on the paper. Something I rarely do. This drawing is approximately 7 x 9" and is again on the mellotex paper.

The sky is done by laying down a light crosshatching of "F" .5 mm pencil, then chamoising smooth. The next foggy layer was done with a dirty tortillion and the distant pines are done using a 2B .5 mm pencil with short strokes and a tad of blending with a tortillion.

The rocks and tree are boldly shadowed by 4B .5 mm pencil - something I rarely use right off to bat but seems to be working well.


Continuing on with my nature studies, here is the reference photo. This is another view from the Sequoia National Forest in California. We visited our son and took a day trip through some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Below is a sketch I did to get a feel for the scene.

Piute Mountain Series I

I have darkened the rocks on the left and lightened the black 'halo' around top rock. I have also darkened the foreground and gave more definition to the foreground rocks.
This drawing is 7" x 9-1/2".

I have adjusted some of the rock edges. Making them a bit less straight and more angular. I extended the path all the way to the top of the ridge and I 've been working on darkening the path.

Is this a retake of a previous drawing? Well in a sense. I am trying out a new paper - Mellotex created in England. It is an ultra-smooth, ultra-white paper with a matte finish.

I think I may have overworked some areas but this is really giving me a great opportunity to play with textures. It has a wonderful flat matte feel to it that I enjoy. I can layer and layer and layer. And I can create the mid-tones easily, which is something I have always struggled with.

I still have a bit to do with this scene yet. The foreground and the path needs some work yet.

Enjoy!

Nature Study

I think I am finished with this study.....

I've finished the tree (although I think I need to do some more shading for depth on top.). I starting to work on the small path between the rocks. I've blocked in the rest of the rocks on the left as well.

I'm progressing on the pine tree in the background. It is more of a silhouette than much detail. I should have toned the sky before I started. This would have allowed the highlights in the rocks stand out more. I'll call this one a nature study as I really am just experimenting with textures and shadowing.


This is the first WIP. I am still experimenting with trying to capture the rocks. Between the fluid cracks and the subtle shadows and textures, they are a real challenge to do.

This fall we had a wonderful opportunity to visit our son in Tehachapi, CA. He recently moved out there to work at Scaled Composites in Mohave. We spent one day in a delightful trip to the Sequoia National Park. Taking a narrow, mountain road we reached the top at 8,000 feet elevation. This was one of the peaks. I was thrilled to get a number of great photos of rocks and trees.