365 Days of Drawing...Jan. 3rd

My daily drawing challenge for the year continues. Here is yesterday's effort. Drawing number two done Jan. 3rd. I started this project January 2nd.

This drawing, life size, is of a model who sat for me in my teaching class. When I have time, I take photos of the pose/sitter for a later rainy day to paint or in this case draw. How convenient now to have them to draw from for this challenge.

I am getting into a routine which is important. Probably drawing at night as I usually paint during the day, and post early in the morning.

For those of you who have emailed me or posted 'techie' questions, my technique is as follows: a mixed media drawing approach that I have grown to like and develop after first seeing the beginnings of it on the streets of Barcelona. The portrait painters there, all the street artists in fact, were humbling.

I use a quite large filbert brush, dipping lightly into black oil paint, building up my form slowing on regular thick drawing paper that can take a bit of bashing. I like the rough side of the paper some days, smooth others.

Then I use a black charcoal pencil toward the end to put some really crisp lines in. Under the nose, chin...that old Yin and Yang thing. Soft versus hard.

I will also use a white charcoal pencil for highlights, along with gouache either on its' own, or mixed with a high pigment watercolor.

For some reason, I am really enjoying the effect. My other favorite drawing way is a blue Bic pen and white chalk.

Let me know what you think. Please post. I love emails too.