Watts Atelier_Head Phase I_Skull, 3/4 view

Once again, I'm having fun drawing Skulley II.
This assignment is fun, the 3/4 view is a more relaxed view to draw.

Off to a decent start, while Skulley II looks on...
He seems fairly happy...

I started by blocking in big shapes, then working my way smaller and smaller.
Then I bounced back and forth between details and large, general shapes.

Laying in major shapes, and beginning to map shadow shapes.

Then, as I mapped out the shadow shapes, I laid in light areas of tone to separate light from shadow.

In the end, I laid in many areas of different value, still being careful to avoid getting overly caught up in rendering.

Mapping shadows and edges, filling in some tone.

 To finish off, I went back and revisited the linework with 2B and 4B, and strengthed the major overlapping lines.
At the very end I also knocked a couple dark areas back a bit - they were a touch too strong.

Almost there...

 I'm fairly pleased with this exercise, and I know I will come back to it again - and again!

:)

The final study. Skull, 3/4 View,Wolff's Carbon pencil 2B/4B on newsprint.

Pigment Pandas at the Devil's Backbone... Plein Air fun...

Yesterday's trip with DIS Plein Air Club - affectionately calling ourselves Pigment Pandas - took us to Devil's Backbone (west of Loveland.) It was well worth the trip... even though, with my late start, I easily spent twice as much time driving as painting. Still, in the course of an hour or two, I was able to get a quick study, and take some photos.

And what a cool place! You can see from the pictures, it is simply breathtaking.  

Can you see it? Can you spot the human skull?

On the way up, I saw a rock formation that - to me - looked like a profile of a human skull. I'm glad I took a couple photos, because on the way back, the light had changed, and it sure didn't look like that any more. LOL

NOW can you see it?

The Keyhole, where we were situated, is a very scenic spot,
very popular for photographs.

My main focus, given the limited time, was to work quickly, and not waste time on extraneous details.

I picked the view that had the highest initial 'Woo' factor (when you look at something and go: "Woo!") and got down to it.

I picked my view....

...and got to painting!

Clay paints while the rest of us keep a lookout
for Rohirim and Imperial Walkers...

And here's the final study.

Devil's Backbone Gouache, 9x12"

There was lots of great scenery, very other-worldly... yes, almost Tolkien-esque...

On the way back, Preston hears Warg Riders approaching...

Hm... looks like a good spot to build a hobbit-hole...

View along the ridge... and this is just one section...

Alpaca sighting near the trailhead....

The area is very scenic. I definitely want to return to this area for more drawing, painting, and photos. Plus, it's just a cool area to be. :)