Tuesday 25 February 2014

Dartmoor Trees

I was immediately attracted to these lovely trees on Dartmoor, all covered in moss and with their trunks all twisted and gnarled.  It almost looks as if the moss is flowing over the base of the trees and the rocks.


Because I usually get bogged down in the minute detail in a landscape I decided to use a different support which would help me to work a little looser. I got a friend to make me up a box using MDF and some 2"x2" struts on the back for support, rather like a box canvas. I then primed it with lots of coats of Gesso which I sanded down until I got a surface I was happy to work on.
I like the way the texture shows through the pencil marks, and I was not able to draw in every little  detail as I usually do. I am very happy with the results and have already got some ideas for more similar pictures.

Title: Bark and Moss. 
Measures 15" x 15" and I used Faber Castell Polychromos pencils.

This is my accepted entry for the 2014 Annual UKCPS exhibition to be held at the RBSA in Birmingham from 28th April to10th May. If you have a chance to visit you will see some amazing coloured pencil art on show.


6 comments:

  1. Lovely work Bev (and very interesting subject). Its hard for us coloured pencil artists to 'loosen up' isn't it? Love the way the texture shows through and I assume this saves on framing? Are you going to Birmingham?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sue, congratulations on your two getting in, love them both especially the gorilla, such a wonderful expression!

    No, sadly I wont be going up. Would love to though.

    ReplyDelete
  3. congrats on getting into the exhibit :) the gesso does give the work a very nice texture, adds to the surface of the tree :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just happened onto your beautiful work. I so love your art. It is amazing what a pencil will do in the hands of an artist. Will be stopping back to visit. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you Debbie, thanks for popping in, hope to see you again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Bev, I love your tree, these old characters are soooo evocative. Is it Wistman's Wood? I believe that is where Alan Lee got his inspiration for the net drawings in Lord of the Rings. Congrats on getting this into the exhibition

    ReplyDelete

Pencil on toned paper

Here are a couple of experiments using graphite pencil and white coloured pencil, plus a touch of white gel pen on grey paper. I am reasona...