Drawing in the Highlights

In my series of large scale figures that I have been working on recently I used color paper and pencil or graphite. I did not add highlights with white charcoal or color pencil. So now I am beginning that process. To do that I am completing some sketches on a smaller scale. This drawing is only 18 x24 inches. The drawing above is the first experiment with highlights. I need to see what medium will work the best as a highlight: color pencil, white charcoal, white conte, etc. The top sketch is the first several hours effort. There are no exterior contour lines yet and just a little color pencil highlight. In the bottom drawing, the pencil dark values and the white color pencil value have been more fully developed. I have not addressed the rock yet. The arm is turning out well.

Thoughts on Life

When I am drawing in my sketch books my mind wanders. Here is something that came to my mind while I was drawing recently.

Life is coffee, outside in the morning enjoying the breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees.

Life is birthdays.

Life is riding with your son in the car, when he suddenly bursts out laughing and tells you a funny story.

Life is waking up late in the summer.

Life is summer camp in the NC mountains.

Life is reading a comic book.

Life is sitting alone in a museum in front of a masterpiece.

Life is a song so beautiful ti makes you cry.

Life is homemade chocolate cake with M&Ms used to write the words.

Life is a roller coaster and tube rides with all your friends.

Life is sleeping under the bed or in the closet when you are eight years old.

Life is watching a TV series with your son.

Life is two people doing their different hobbies in the same room at night.

Life is sitting outside in the summer, listening to the cicadas and tree frogs battle of the bands.

Life is watching humming birds and bees fly around the flowers.

Life is listening to the rain.