I’ve found that occasionally selecting to draw solidly and roundly, modeling my forms as though I was working in clay, painting with the graphite pencil, tone for tone, edge against edge and texture for texture, that I have my most successful moments. I am constantly reminded of the extremes of thinking embraced in the simple word “drawing”.

For whatever reason, I can not do anything simple, but I have the greatest respect for those artists that can. Over time, however, I found it best to be who I am  and not get too far past my own universe.

Before I attempt to actually do a graphite drawing that I will consider a completed and acceptable piece of art, I like to do several studies that may or may not wind up being in the finished work. In other words, I am a student of my own art and seldom satisfied.

The drawing to the right is a segment of the drawing that I am working on in the larger picture being drawn at the upper left.

I work slowly when attempting to be realistic, completing about nine square inches over a three hour period (in this case) – which is about all I do in a day. This means I will be on it for a while since the size of the drawing is 432 square inches.

This graphite drawing will be fanciful since it represents a fantasy character, however, the details surrounding it are realistic with a somewhat abstract feeling.

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