Something new

"Man with Spear"
4 1/4" x 8" - graphite on found paper
2009

Just thought I would post the drawing I started last night and finished today. It's a graphite drawing. I haven't done one in many years, and never one like this, from my imagination. I was trying to see how my recent imagery would translate to another medium. For a first attempt I'm pretty happy overall (almost quit working on it though). Lots of room for improvement of course, but it was a fun experiment. Might try some more of these drawings with dark backgrounds. For a small drawing it ended up being more detailed than I expected. I noticed a few differences between this medium and the ink I am accustomed to using. First off, I don't feel quite as tense when I am working because pencil can be erased whereas ink can not. My hand also was not sore at the end of the day because overall I use less pressure with graphite than I do with ink. While the building up of tones is pretty much the same with both mediums, I noticed how much longer it takes with pencil. Not as much quick coverage like with ink wash. I do like the soft look the graphite creates though. There are things I enjoy about both mediums, and I look forward to more experimentation. I'm still easing back into color, but don't quite have the guts to tackle acrylic or gouache full on just now. Maybe soon. Also, I'd like to do some collage in the near future. It's something I'm familiar with, but haven't done in a while.