Back to Basics

Didn't wait quite as long to post this time but could do better.

I decided it was time to work on the basics and get back to drawing and sketching. I think, overall, this will help my painting, giving me a much better starting point from which to work. Oh, and how I am enjoying this! Drawing was something I used to do many years ago, much more than I ever painted. Now, I have rediscovered working in graphite and, while I am not abandoning watercolors, feel the pull to work with pencils for a while. Recently, I did some plein aire sketches of trees with pen, with varying results but, no matter what the result, it was fun!

The more I draw, the more I realize how important being able to draw is to a finished piece of art, no matter what the medium. No shorcuts of projecting images and tracing them, good, old fashioned drawing is the basis of all well rendered art, in my opinion.

Posting a graphite piece of a Goldfinch. My son took a photo while he was visiting and I used that as my reference.