Jumping Again

As often as I've done it recently, it is no surprise that I've jumped again! This time I'm laying aside the balloon piece to work on some small scratchboards. I did some of these last summer, then couldn't get the boards. I didn't get much practice in before I ran out of them, so I'm still in practice mode. I enjoy this immensely but need to work on control of my scraper! Here is my first one, nearly completed, posted so I have something for comparision when I begin to improve:)

Raising the Balloon

Well, I'm not sure what the technical term for this would be, I'll have to research before I finish this piece so I'll have a better title. This is from a photo I took several years ago at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. I actually started it several weeks ago on another color paper, a pale yellow. I soon realized I wasn't going to be happy with the finished result so I put it aside. Yesterday, I finally decided I'd waited long enough and began again on this mid-grey Fabriano Tiziano. The results are much more pleasing and I'm moving right along--at a snail's pace!

More Graphite Pencil

Decided to play with some graphite while thinking where to go on the colored pencil of the "hat lady". This is on Fabriano Tiziano which is maybe a little too textured for solid coverage. I did these beads in colored pencil at one time and it was fun to see the shapes come out!

More Portraiture

It took me a bit to get started on something new; I couldn't decide between graphite and colored pencil! That's the problem with working in more than more medium--not only does it take me forever to pick a subject, then I have to decide which pencils!! I only have a few hours in this one so far; I've enjoyed doing the hat, but as before I am having trouble with the eyes, so will need to rework those a bit.

This is approximately 81/2 x 11 on a sheet of frosted vellum called Sheer Heaven.