Sketch of the Week

Though most of my art supplies are in storage right now, I did find a stash of drawing tools that I'd apparently left behind in Maine at some point, including a box of willow charcoal. I used it to draw this terra cotta hummingbird feeder on my parent's porch. It hasn't been used as a feeder for years because it's nearly impossible to clean, but it's a great object that has a wonderful sense of texture. And just look at the lion! The things at the bottom of the page are plant leaves.

I don't use willow charcoal often because it's messy and ephemeral, but that's also its strength. It's a liberating medium, one that encourages energetic, devil-may-care kind of lines. Really, it's not surprising that it's the tool of choice for gesture practice in introductory drawing classes.