Chiaroscuro in Pencil

I have been traveling on business. This is a drawing of a corner of my hotel room in the beautiful historic Hotel Phillips in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. I used cross-hatching chiaroscuro techniques I learned in the book Art of Still Life Drawing by Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. (2006). 2B pencil on Strathmore 400 Series Drawing medium paper (9" x 12").

Chiaroscuro Plant

I drew a plant from life using chiaroscuro techniques I learned in the book Art of Still Life Drawing by Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. (2006). I first used a charcoal pencil to draw the contour of the plant , and then I applied compressed charcoal to the space around the plant. I used my fingers and a stump to create the tones. Yarka pressed charcoal and Conte charcoal pencil on Strathmore 500 Series 25" x 19" cream-colored charcoal paper. This is the first time I have used our new digital camera to photograph artwork. I love it! Before this purchase, I could only post artwork that was small enough to be scanned.

Pewter Candlestick Holder

One of my October goals is to practice drawing basic forms. This is a pewter candlestick holder that was a wedding gift, received over 20 years ago. It was a gift from Chet and Betty Pohl of Vernon, New York. We use this candlestick holder holder daily--my family has dinner by candle light every night. If we get busy and forget, my kids remind me. Candles make dinner special. I drew this in pencil and then used shades of gray Pitt artist pens (Faber Castell) for shading.