Yes. It's just about four mushrooms. I'm currently working on four mushrooms, evenly distributed in the area. This is the first one. There are no hands in this pastel/graphite drawing.
Half-Eaten rework
There is a reason the hands I'm including in the drawings are monochrome: They support the composition. They must be a strong element, but won't take protagonism. I'm afraid of overworking them, which might overpower the idea and become a hand drawing instead. There is a purposeful level of simplicity and stylization. To achieve the effect, instead of the traditional method of drawing all mid-range tones, darkest areas, and light with only graphite, I'm using common cotton swabs to "paint" and thin pencil erasers to create the illusion of highlights. I'm trying not to add, or only use tiny amounts of highlights, maybe avoiding using white pastels on the hands altogether and relying on the erasers instead. I reworked this avocado piece because I fell victim to comparisons; In the previous work, I chose a style, and It made me very upset to realize how the avocado hands seemed a bit flat. Although that was the whole idea. So I succumbed to the stylistic pressure and had to add some grayscale volume. Now I'm happier and there is no turning back because it has been sprayed with the fixative layer.
Half Eaten
As mentioned in other posts, all the veggies I intend to use for my art were bought for our consumption. I'm not throwing anything away after using it for art. This may take long. I know. So far, I have another piece. My wife saw me contemplating the avocado I took out of the fridge and wondered why I looked at it so deeply. I told her it was art. She understood better after seeing this newly finished piece; a half-eaten avocado. This can be art too. After this, I'm doing four mushrooms.
Five Jalapeños
Finally, after waiting so long to put this art project together, I received the last things I ordered, such as the uncut mat covers, the backing board, the mat cutting knives, the ink pad, and the fixative spray.
I have stamped, titled, dated, and signed the work. At this point, all that remains is to complete the framing and have it ready to be hung on a wall.
Where the finished work ends; an art shop, an open market, a gallery, or another place, will set the commercial price.
I will concentrate more on uploading the art as a gallery rather than blogging only.
Framing details and adjustments
The wood framing looks good. I like it. However, the white mat is too small. Next, I'm going to have to buy mat cardboard and a mat cutter and make my own mats to fit the artwork.
I have already ordered a logo stamp and once it arrives, like in one week, I will sign and title the work.
I'm making them available for sale until I have completed enough pieces to make a coherent series.
This one is done
I'm happy with the graphic simplicity and overall results. The style I picked is perfect, and the possibility of continuing this as a series for future exhibits and sales energizes me.
I will sign the work once I order and receive my logo stamp and am ready to frame it.
Soon I will add a new tab to my blog as a gallery for completed works.
About to finish this one
I'm surprised I'm working this efficiently after so many years of neglecting classic art. This means I still have it. The results I'm achieving are encouraging. I may jump into acrylic-on-canvas art; that's what I plan to do, but only after I complete this series on paper.
Once I complete enough drawings/paintings I'll try to get a local gallery or a type of place, like a restaurant or a hotel, to exhibit the pieces. I'm thinking $700 ea. Unless the gallery/place thinks otherwise.
Moving fast
Before I started drawing, I had to adjust the working area. I applied art tape to cover one inch inside the paper (bleed area), taking into account the framing and protective mat which may cover half an inch or a full inch of my paper.
Then I proceeded to use the "invisible grid" method, which implies locating the area where the subject is, then, I'll make tiny pencil marks to start drawing the objects/subject with more accurate proportions.
I'm ready to go!
Keep visiting my blog for the painting process steps.
Medieval art techniques
Believe it or not, using grids to draw is a medieval technique. Albrecht Dürer made good use of it. Since I’m an academy-trained artist, I also tend to use drawing techniques. My favorite is the grid. There are well-trained artists, capable of tracing anything just by simply giving a good look at it, but I’m not one of them. I have to use a technique, a process.
Today, we have computers and design software. I employ these advantages to isolate my subject and trace a grid around it. In this case, my grid corresponds to my Strathmore paper size at 11 x 14 inches. This is my visual reference.
I just received the graphite pencils. This kit came with some pastel pencil samples and some charcoal pencils and sticks. They look in good order. Nothing is broken.
The 12-inch geometry set and a T ruler for tracing my grid will arrive tomorrow; as well as the 48 pastel pencils. That should be all to start working.
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