I’m still struggling with getting the drawing correct. But I’m only on the fifth one…
I may do 100 of these, sounds like a good goal. But, I think I will need to throw some charcoal drawing in there as well. I don’t want to lose any of the skills I’ve gained there by spending months away from it.
I purchased a tube of Gamblin burnt umber and I’m thinning it with linseed oil for drawing. I’m using an older bristle brush where the hairs are worn down a bit so that it’s more stiff and “easier” to draw with.
To save as much money as possible I’m keep wiping out each monochrome painting after I take pictures of it. The gessoed paper that I’m painting on is more than strong enough to take many uses.
Also, the build up of dried linseed oil on the gessoed paper starts to make the surface slick like a oil primed canvas. Which is much nicer to paint on when done right.
I guess any skill takes constant practice and constant development. Even riding a bike, while we may never forget the basics of getting on and pedaling, the skills of going fast, or methods we may have used previously, and cardio endurance go away when we get out of practice.
If Phil only got on his bike once a year for the triathlon, we would never have won the relay.