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Saturday, July 17, 2010

Pencil Study, Lady with Turtle, Bubble Fairy


"Lady with Turtle" 9x12 5B pencil on Strathmore sketchbook paper.

Now that I've got a little knowledge of composition, I thought I'd try making more complex studies when I'm ready to start a new painting, instead of my usual rough thumbnail. I like the way this one has ovals within ovals. The right leg was too strong a diagonal thrust, so I faded it out. This composition also has a lot of negative shapes that I like, and I'd like to explore that idea further in future.

Next time I do one of these I'll use cold press watercolor paper and a harder pencil. I love pencil, because I find it easy to improvise with shapes and images. Love erasing, too.

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Sold this painting the other day. "Bubble Fairy" gouache on 5x7 illustration board.




6 comments:

Lee Pierce said...

Love your Lady with a turtle :D

Jessica McKelvin said...

I love the softness and surreal quality of the whole sketch.
Also I have to say erasing is wonderful and one of the big things I miss when not working in pencil.

Unknown said...

I think Leonardo da Vinci was your Grand Uncle...really.

Theresa Taylor Bayer said...

Thanks you guys, what wonderful comments!

Coreopsis said...

I've always thought all of your compositions were really interesting. I too really like pencil, though I don't have a whole lot of patience for "studies"--I'd rather just jump right in, which is not really a very good idea most of the time. This is a LOVELY drawing!

Theresa Taylor Bayer said...

Thanks for you rcomment! I don't have much patience for studies, either, so I thought I'd try it out. I found that once I got started I got into it and then I didn't have to be patient. Most of the time I don't do complex studies, just thumbnails, and those are really worth it for me to do, because that's where I get the composition in place.