Sketching a leaf using charcoal and white pastel pencil

I work a lot with Canson Mi Teintes paper. Apart from soft pastels, its surface is ideal for charcoal and white pastel sketching. I buy these sheets in bulk and then cut out the size as required, which leads to lots of leftover pieces in different sizes. Hence I use these "Leftover cutout pieces" for my different experimental and study works. I keep them all safe in a folder so that I can retrieve it as and when required.

Using one such small piece of beige coloured Canson Mi Teintes paper I created a leaf along with its shadow as seen below. It is a simple dry leaf folded and raised at one end. However due to the drying up process it has folds at several places. This leads to dramatic shadow formation at the surface which gives one the opportunity to create the folds within the leaf. It is a small sketch but a great source of learning experience.

In the shadow

Charcoal and white pastel pencil sketch on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Size 4.5" X 6"

This is my third sketch in the " Leaf "  series. I created two of them earlier. CLICK HERE to view one of them.

 A beautiful quote.

" There is no greater harm than that of time wasted." Michelangelo

Fading away - Sketching of a single leaf.

As an artist we are always looking for beauty in small ordinary things around us. My last 

leaf sketch inspired me to do another one.

This particular leaf had developed a few cavities between the veins which added to the interest. 

The lower edge had curled up. As the leaf was in its drying up stage the veins stood out 

prominently creating slight depth around it.

What I enjoy about doing these sketches is the "Instant Gratification" that it provides. The 

sketching of this kind requires the use of just a few pencils and an eraser. There is no mess of brushes, oil, palette, water etc. My work area remains  clutter free. In a very short time the 

suspense gets over. The final outcome is either as per the visualization that you made up in the 

mind OR it needs little working on it or change of technique. 

Fading away

Charcoal and white soft pastel pencil on Canson paper.

Size 4" X 5"

 "The only time I feel alive is when I am painting."  By Vincent Van Gogh

A dry leaf and its shadow

When I started with my landscape paintings in 2014 I realised that needed to work on tree

anatomy, mountains, sky etc as these are some of the major elements in a landscape painting.

Therefore I went on to do a whole lot of tree trunk sketches on toned paper which 

eventually helped me a lot. 

Similarly doing a " Leaf series" has always been playing on my mind. So the the recent " DPW challenge " Explore your Garden" challenge kind of helped me achieve this desire too.

I took out one of my toned Canson papers and created a simple sketch of a curled up leaf

which is in its initial stages of drying up. I decided on the view as seen from top so that

I could capture the shadow as well which made a very neat composition with sharp edges.

Sketching this leaf reminded me so much of my still life works. I followed almost the same

step by step procedure using a charcoal pencil and a white pastel pencil. The movement of

the pencil on the smooth side of the paper gave me the desired texture that I wanted.

Curled up

Charcoal and white pastel pencil sketching on Canson paper.

Size 4" X 5"

A beautiful quote

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home" By Twyla Tharp

I draw, sketch and paint on a regular basis. I decide on the "Subject" that appeals to me. There

is no rule, no regulation, no routine that I follow. What I follow is my heart. My mind speaks

to me. Decisions change in a few moments. Sometimes I sleep in the night after having

programmed myself for a pastel work but in the morning something catches my eye and I go

on to do a different medium altogether.

Today I am sketching a leaf but I know there are two pastel paintings which are in progress. 

However that can wait. It will all happen at its time. A hasty approach to a painting can

ruin it right at the beginning. I will be posting another leaf sketch soon.