Piranha

[PogArt-Ttoo]

Thank you, this is just to give you an idea, that when you get familiar with your powder technique, the area you may will want to cover will look nearly like airbrushed...
Obviously you may still achieve the same effect when making pencil strokes!
It's just all about mastering those strokes and applying them very evenly one by one, side to side...
I bet I saw that Mike has video tutorial, where he's using the technique, where by applying side to side pencil strokes he's covering professionally the area, and Mike is also using circular motion with the tip of the pencil, and it allows him to do smooth shading ...
I'm sorry I don't know where to search for that videos, but it's well worth to master the above, before going for lazy technique of applying the powder instead
With a bit of practice and patience you will develop great skill just with the pencil as you do!
I'd say the *powder thing is just to achieve same goal, but cheating way
Good luck!

[kwheller]

Hi PogArt: Thanks again for your comments! So helpful! I agree with the pencil use. I have seen Mike (either via video or in person) on applying background and have his book where he goes into Tone drawing (e.g., how to avoid banding and using the circular method) so I appreciate you bringing me back to that. When I do a solid background, you are correct that it isn't easy for me, but it usually appears solid in the end if I take my time and use his techniques.

I think the issue with this piece was my lack of planning on the background. I was thinking how people put pictures of rocks and things attached to the back glass of the aquarium so maybe I would first apply a lighter shade of dark (2B) and then shape the background with softer pencils as I figured out what I wanted, My next thought was to maybe just have indiscriminate lines (like water flowing, although that isn't very realistic). So then I went through 2B, HB, 4B, 2B, 6B, 2B (and wish I had just used 6B and burnished with 2B and worked with making subtle shapes in the background). Anyway, I then saw my 9XXB and wondered what that would do, which resulted in very dark black which I started adding here and there. (Not that happy with it- I know it just looks like pencil marks everywhere). I really didn't want a solid black background, but I don't think this is what I wanted either. Once again, a lack of planning. In the future, I won't make that mistake again. I just purchased a photo editing software (Affinity Photo) that I hope will help with my manipulating photo references and trying out different things. Do you or others use a photo editing software and find it helpful?

Thanks so much for your comments and encouragement. I still have so much to learn! I really appreciate all of your (and everyone else) insights and suggestions!

[PogArt-Ttoo]

Lol, I'm crap regarding planning myself
At first I think I know what I want, then ending up with something else, that's making me confused then, whether I like what I achieved or not, lol
I have editing software but I'm very spontaneous, and usually I go ahead with my strokes, then I'm worry afterwards with the results
Yes I keep the reference photo next to me, but I don't stick to it 100%.
I let myself some free flaw, freedom of making mistakes to correct them later ...
Keep doing what you do, this is how we gather experience, and improving ourselves.

[kwheller]

Thanks! I really appreciate your insights. None of my friends are artists so this is great getting feedback and learning from you and everyone!

[kwheller]

Although this isn't the best picture (there is reflection on the right side and you can see my reflection in the picture), it shows the matting coming up into a sign. As previously mentioned, the client had a piranha about 50 years ago with a sign in the aquarium that said this and the sign was funny at the time. He was so excited about the sign as part of the matting. I was going to make it more realistic, but just decided to go with simplicity since it's not part of the actual drawing. It does seem to offset this asymmetrical drawing.

[PogArt-Ttoo]

I like it very much!
It is complete art now, and with this sign this drawing achieved some kind of memorable attitude...
I like this drawing even more now!
I'm not surprised he likes it so much...
Well done

[Laurene]

I can see now why you’d have the piranha in the top third of your drawing. It works very well. I truly enjoyed watching this develop!

[kwheller]

Hi PogArt and Laurene: Thank you both so much for all of your help!

[Mike Sibley]

Late to the party! I've been following this but not had anything useful to add. And then I took my eye off the ball

I think your drawing of the Piranha is perfect. And the addition of teeth was essential - but you've done it so subtly that having to look for them adds realism.

I, too, am not a fan of adding colour to graphite - probably because I dislike drawings of dogs with coloured eyes, which was a fad at one time. In fact, it's not only a difficult trick to pull off, most who try fail (just my opinion). Except... I've just invented a new word to add to the dictionary "Lindaesque". Except, if you're Linda, who does it superbly well. Your use of colour is very Lindaesque - enough said

And, you're correct, the sign does add balance as well as humour. Overall, it's a really lovely drawing.

[kwheller]

Thanks so much for your kind comments and feedback! I've been away a bit, but ready to rejoin and see what others are doing and learn!
Kathy