Donna's Daily Works - I call these my Apple A Day Works - much like an apple a day helps to keep us in good health; a work a day helps me learn and become more aware of the color, design and shape of my art. 



This week I'm preparing instructional materials for charcoal classes. I've been cleaning out tins and my box that I store sticks and other things in to get ready, and have what I need on hand. Although I use a variety of sticks and pencils, willow and vine charcoal is what I turn to most often. I appreciate their mark, and vine or willow are so much easier to lift than charcoal pencils. They're typically what I use for initial stages of a drawing or sketch. I can purchase a variety so I have a working range of values; light to dark.  I use these sticks with pencils and compressed charcoal sticks which give me rich, dark values but are not as easy to lift away.

This case is great; a Winsor Newton product I found on clearance. I carry it out with me most days. It came with a kneaded eraser which I tried out, but the General's works better for me. I find the other much too sticky and lacking structure for what I do.

I've posted portrait images below, completed in pencil and vine charcoal. There's also a quick demo sketch from a class. For me, vine lends itself to a looser interpretation, while I can get some nice detail with pencil. I enjoy both, but do rely upon vine much of the time.

Charcoal Case - I take this almost everywhere

Willow and Vine Charcoal Sticks

Portrait using Charcoal Pencil

Portrait using Vine Charcoal

Form - demo sketch using Vine

I'm still catching up, here's my post from Monday's 30 in 30 challenge, day 21. This is a full view of one side of the lake just around the corner from my home studio. It was a quick demonstration and a lot of fun to paint. A couple of painting knives helped make this one go fast. I limited the palette to pthalo blue, terra rosa, cad yellow, ultramarine plus white. This was a bright early morning. I think more pinks and lavendars would be nice -

6 x 12 oil on linen panel

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by and have a good day. :) Peace and Health -