Charcoal drawing - a streaming path

Walking around our favourite woodland last month we came across this path only to find that the heavy rains had turned it into a stream.

I loved the look of the water describing the shape of the path and the structure of the trees to the side. I didn't have my sketchbook because of the weather but I was able to take a series of photos to get the scene. The images nagged me, and called to me and so I've had to have another go at trying to draw water...

Getting the background tree structures in was fun and relaxing to do. I was building up to the water challenge...

Here I'm starting to tackle the textures showing through the water...

And here are the first tentative marks of flowing water, its so difficult to know just how dark or light these marks need to be.

If I darken them I can always take away again with a putty rubber...

Time to take a step back now and have a think about this.

Rainy charcoal challenges

The New Year brings the promise of new work and looking at things with a new eye, maybe!
The weather has certainly had its influence on the way I've been looking at my landscape. Everywhere is so wet, either flooded or standing in water. Paths and places that I am familiar with are turned into streams, and are changing their shape. The work over the next few weeks will have a different feel... I'll have to get my head, and my pencils/charcoal around drawing water, good to have a new challenge.

A softly trodden path through trees which had a dreamy look in summer has taken on a new sodden character over the last month.



 

Interesting how some images contain very neat compositions within them isn't it.

 

 

An interesting irony that charcoal - made by fire/intnse heat - can capture water.