From my recently completed charcoal drawings I have chosen to create coloured versions of the cub and the vixen. Here are images comparing the progress of the colour drawings with the charcoal versions.
For the vixen I decided to concentrate on the head and shoulders as I really wanted to focus in on her expression. I just wonder what she is thinking!
Whatever it is, I still have a long way to go before the coloured drawings are finished.
There was a time when it was rare and therefore exciting to encounter a wild fox!
This was a drawing of a red fox that I did earlier in the year:-
Now they are so common and therefore easy to watch. I can see them when going out for a walk in the evening or even during the day.
A neighbour has been feeding them making it easier to photograph them. Numbers vary from a patient solitary fox to about seven depending on the number of cubs that are born.
Here is a gallery of the best fox images that I have managed to capture on camera.
These images are being used as the inspiration for charcoal sketches.
Here are the sketches I have completed so far!
I will continue the foxy theme for a bit longer as capturing different aspects of Fox behaviour is a challenge that I cannot resist. But, I will also try drawing a couple in colour.
I am really enjoying using charcoal!
It is great to go in light and smudge away or go in heavy and create that depth of shadow.
Having completed my drawing of a fox cub in charcoal, I have now added a drawing of the vixen plus a horse called Chester and a Red Deer. The Red Deer was very “obliging” by looking back and pausing long enough for me to photograph him.
None of the reference shots are ideal but good enough to sketch from.
Here are my sketches in charcoal and down below are the reference shots that I used.
I like to take a camera wherever I go but lugging around a large camera, long lenses and a tripod is for me, not ideal. My preference is to have a camera that I can fit into my pocket.
Although the camera in my phone is extremely good, I still prefer to have a separate mini compact camera that has some form of zoom lens.
I accept that it is not going to give me the results that a DSLR is going to give me but the weight and bulk of carrying a DSLR is at times not practical.
For me the ease of portability creates the opportunity to capture the moment.
Yes, I will get shots that are blurred, which will be viewed by many as poor reference material but it is then up to me to translate what I have captured onto paper.
For this, I will initially use charcoal and start off lightly to begin with and at this stage all I am aiming to do, is to capture the form of the subject. That involves teasing out what the blurry lines mean. It may take a lot of erasing before I am happy with the final form but that is OK.
Here is a drawing of a young fox that has been taken from a blurred photo.
It has come out well and I will now go on to review all my recent photos to select the ones that have enough detail from which to work from.
Where need be, I will use other reference materials to refine the details. Eg. the shape of the nose or maybe the mouth.
Once I am happy with the results I will go on to create versions in colour.
I am looking forward to seeing the young fox in colour.
Recently, I completed another trip in the Campervan up to the North West Coast of Scotland. The area explored was from Tayvallich in Argyle to Mallaig, North of Fort William. An area of beautiful coastlines and stunning hillsides and Lochs.
Sadly, all too soon it comes to an end and you have no choice but to come back to “normal”.
Here is my gallery using just white on black:-
I have got lots to learn about using this technique.
That will have to wait until after my next journey.
Having now completed my Barn Owl, I am continuing with black backgrounds. There are a number of reasons for this:-
Here is the deer that I completed and a Badger that I have started:-
Should have a Hare and a version of the Barn Owl to add to this little gallery.
For interest this is the completed Barn Owl
After having been out enjoying the warm weather, I have now finally finished my Tawny Owl and very close to finishing the Barn Owl but I have another dilemma. As both owls are nocturnal, I decided to use pan pastel to create a night time background for the Tawny Owl. Despite the use of several layers of the black pastel the background has come out a bit too patchy for my liking. I am considering whether it is worth going over it again… but would a uniform black be authentic as the night air is not a constant black. Should I just leave it patchy?
Coming to a decision has implications for how I decide to finish the barn owl. I am now wondering if I should just leave the barn owl on the dark grey which is the colour of the paper!
Is a very black background too black and a dark grey more accurate?
What is worth pointing out is that looking at both images of the owls on my screen it would almost seem as though there was no difference…it may vary with different viewers screens… therefore perhaps I am worrying about nothing and the important outcome is that whatever I decide… I should be consistent!
With fine sunny weather it was important to make the most of it. The campervan was packed up with all the necessary essentials plus drawing materials and my partner and I headed for Port William on the Galloway coast, Scotland. With extensive rocky shores to explore, it was difficult to fit in any drawing time.
There was an array of colours and textures to record but little time to sit and draw them. As always I had my trusty camera to capture these views and store them in preparation for sketching when there is more time … probably during cold, dark winter months.
