It's called "Zeke Nudges Coffee Bean". If you notice in the lower left corner there's a little finger... well that's my 2 year old son. When I was taking pictures he was being a very big help, and in fact I got some great shots with him, too. In this particular shot he was very concerned that that little coffee bean might not make the picture, being so far away from the rest of the pile, so he kept nudging it closer to the bunch. The memory of that made me smile so I kept the final piece with his little finger included! I think it adds human interest :).
Anyway, water soluble graphite is a very interesting kind of pencil, and I'm definitely going to practice with it some more. I have no experience with watercolor, and there's some strategy involved with mixing these pencils and water to make a good finished piece, so that's where the learning curve comes in.
I'm also procrastinating on my latest graphite piece, the first in my Poker Face series. This is Antonio (gotta figure out how to reduce that flash glare):
I've always liked the "unfinished" look in some of the pieces I've seen from other artists, but whenever I try it mine always come out just looking... well, unfinished. I've still got work to do on him, I've just been lazy about it.
Lastly, I'm working on another project that I'm not going to talk about just yet.. too early. But it's exciting, and I really hope it comes out the way I'm envisioning!
What sort of camera are you using? The simplest way would be to not use the flash. Use the natural light from a window, although try to diffuse direct sunlight, or a bright but cloudy day would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteYou might also try not shooting from straight on, but from an angle. A simple tripod could also enable you to avoid using the flash and a longer exposure without the fear of camera shake.
I've been getting into some photography lately.
Just some thoughts,
Allen
Thanks Allen! I have a digital camera (4 megapixels, 6x optical zoom) - it works well for some things but has its limitations. I'll definitely try it some morning in my back patio - lots of sun back there but indirect sunlight. I tried earlier in the week to get a good picture outside but there were too many lawn mowers out there - flying grass isn't good for my art (not to mention my allergies)!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions!