Study following Linda's Snow Leopard tutorial

[Laurene]

Well, this is my first go at coloured pencil, inspired by Linda's tutorial!

Linda, I used what I had at home so this is done with Prismacolor Scholar pencils. I had a box from who knows how many years ago, but I chose colours that I thought were similar to the ones you used in your tutorial. I also used Strathmore Toned Tan 80 lbs paper. I spent about 2 hours on the drawing.

First thing to report is that I had great fun with this! It works up very quickly and I loved layering the colours. I did find it frustrating though to have to stop so often to sharpen the pencils only to have the tips break in the sharpener , grrrrrr. I realise that's probably due to the lower quality of pencil that I was using, so tools matter. The other thing is that I couldn't get finer details so I pulled out a .5mm mechanical pencil for fine hair and whiskers and worked out well.

I'll definitely be trying again!

[LindasPencils]

What a sweet little chipmonk! Or is it a ground squirrel? I can never remember which has the white eye stripe... This is a lovely drawing and a very successful first try of the technique. Well done. A couple of points:
- Using graphite as tone and sharp line is fine, but you need to be careful as it can smear with some waxy pencils. I actually used a Uniball fineline white gel pen to create white whiskers - but I think chipmonks have dark ones? But you could use one to add back a white highlight to the eye to give it more life and make it pop.
- You say your pencils are very old, this may be why you had trouble sharpening them. The wax can be affected by heat and cold and become very brittle with age. Some people say to put them in the microwave for a couple of seconds but I have never been brave enough to try that.
- Prismacolor make a harder wax pencils called Prismacolour Verithin. These can be sharpened to a real point and hold it well. If you are looking to buy a new set a 24 box might be worth investing in. They are the same colors and range as the regulars.
- I love how you have used all the blues and layered your colours to get the overall hues. Well done.
- Just a little concerned about the rear foot... I get the impression you did not really understand the form. Feet on these critters are very tricky - but - they are also very similar to yours, just with extra long toes. Sort of an elongated human foot with claws at the end.
- Don't you wish that Stathmore came in a heavier weight! but 80lbs/130gsm is pretty good and it is robust enough to take layers. I like the tone of the paper too. It is a good all rounder for this, but I am going to use some Art Spectrum suede pastel paper next time and see what that does.

This is a great drawing and I hope you do more in this technique. I'll look out for them! Ask me anything...

[LindasPencils]

I just googled feet and found a squirrel skeleton drawing - squirrels are quite similar to chipmonks. As well, a drawing of a human foot. You can see how very similar they are!

Whenever I am in doubt about the structure of an animal part I will look at the skeleton and basic anatomy and compare it to a human one. Mammals in particular have general similarities and you can often extrapolate from a human skeleton!

squirrel skeleton.jpg

Bones_of_the_Human_Leg_and_Foot_39467.jpg

[Laurene]

Thanks for your feedback Linda. It's very helpful! I've already ordered a box of Prismacolour Verithin, 24, from Amazon and will be trying again soon.

You're right about the feet. In fact I didn't attempt them because I had so much trouble with the front paws since my pencils kept breaking that in the end I did those with a graphite mechanical pencil. The mix of coloured pencil and graphite made a bit of a mess with those hands though, so I just left the feet alone.

The anatomy comparison is very very useful. I've already downloaded these pictures and they will definitely help with the next drawing!!

[Laurene]

Oh, I forgot to mention that my sister tried the Strathmore 400 Series Toned Tan Mixed Media Pad. It's 184 lb (300g/m2) mixed media paper, acid free, vellum surface, wet and dry. Much more robust but just about the same tone of beige.

You can see it here: https://www.amazon.ca/Strathmore-Toned- ... 219&sr=8-1

[LindasPencils]

Strathmore 400 Series Toned Tan Mixed Media Pad. It's 184 lb (300g/m2)

Oh! excellent. I haven't seen it in my favourite art supply store - will enquire. Or get online. Thank you.

[PogArtTi]

It's very rare I can see you Laurene drawing with colour
Actually I'm struggling remind myself your latest one
All I can say you're very good with colours
Even if worked with left over colour pencils

When Linda did mention the foot, and after I went through the conversation, it has reminded me myself and the latest painting of the Grey Wolf I did.
- The main subject of that practice piece was the wolf, it was obvious to me.
I did my best to get the Wolf's details done as best as I could, so I didn't care much about the rest, I mean the tree behind and the bottom rock shelf he's standing on...
It didn't pay, because those weak points were often mentioned by the other artists watching the painting

Linda has just made me aware how important is to focus on everything around.
Everything is matter, isn't it?

- Do you remember the other digital piece I did "Hope" ?
One artist pin pointed to me, that the hand raised is wrong side and akward, the fist is facing wrong side...?
I went - how's that...?!
But at the same time I realised, that the artist had mistaken the whole body position, as it was front of the chest facing the viewer not her back!?
I did explain to that artist she's wrongly taken the body, but she's repeated it's not her, but my shading has made her confused...

Well...
It's another example to me of importance of the details...
I thought I did paint enough of details and shading to mark the girl's left shoulder blade just enough, also the dark shading on the raised arm where the jaw is resting ...
One person was confused - it means I need to focus on those details much more in future

It's good lesson to me your post dear Laurene and Linda - thank you.