Same Time Last Year

I found this in my sketchbook today. I remember drawing it because of all of the rumors leading up to January 6th. It got cut off in the photo, but underneath it says Listening for the Riot.
 

Learning

I think that one of the causes of my recent case of the art doldrums is that I've been using tried and true techniques, and frankly, I've been bored. This little piece is far from resolved, but just because of the new materials I'm using, and because I don't always know what to expect out of them and there is an element of discovery of process, I feeling a glimmer of hope that my current will pick up speed.

    When Covid hit, I switched the color portion of my classes over to colored pencils because they are clean and tidy to use and students have an easier time adapting to them. One result of that change is that I have enjoyed using them as well. 

     The colored pencils are changing how I work with color. As a painter, I use a very limited palette and usually mix the colors that I need. Mixing can be done with colored pencils as well, but often, there is already a pencil of the right color. I'm in the process of identifying the pencils that create the effects that I would normally mix.

     Another new element is the surface I am drawing on. On paper or illustration board, it can take a bit of hand strength to build up the necessary layers of color to achieve the desired tones and hues. This piece is drawn on drafting film, which is a slightly textured translucent plastic. The colors are much easier to apply, and they can be blended easily with rubbing alcohol. It is also easy to erase on this surface, so I am enjoying the freedom of making mistakes and correcting them until something good happens.

   The Tombows are great on this surface as well. Even though I would still love to have built in erasers on each pencil, the pack I bought came with a wonderful eraser tool that has a very thin drafting type eraser in a clickable pen form. Since I also like to work reductively, that little eraser is a big help as I discover this new process in the New Year.