charcoal pencil in that moleskine



I've got some very cheap charcoal pencils that I bought - a dozen for £1 ! - they are a bit waxier than a true charcoal pencil but I rather like them. They don't smudge quite the same as a true charcoal pencil. Some charcoal pencils can be a little scratchy and I don't enjoy using them. These are definitely not, they create lovely rich blacks.


This is a very quick sketch trying them out in the moleskine - the slight waxiness means that though normal charcoal doesn't work at all with the slightly waxy feeling paper, these do.

I considered sketching the tree in last Wednesday's post again yesterday, as I left work, as the leaves were now partly open and it was a haze of spring green, blowing in the icy gale from the north .......... which made me decide not to stop!

Kurt Jackson did a long series of small sketches of a little hawthorn tree. He took his daughter to her ballet lesson and didn't have time to go home before picking her up again - so he looked at this little tree every week at the same time in different weathers, watching it change with the seasons. It's a lovely series. It would be interesting to do something similar.

on the subject of Kurt Jackson - Katherine some of his books would be suitable for your sketchbook reviews. The Tinners Way for instance, following an ancient route and painting at intervals along it and there are others - exploring the mines, following a valley down to the sea and painting at regular intervals on the way.

Oh and he's got a new one out on 24th March - The Thames Project - it sounds good and right in your back yard! It's on line here http://www.kurtjackson.co.uk/Kurt_jackson_books_publications_theThamesProject.htm and you can flick through the pages of the whole book :D - I shouldn't be spending - but I've ordered a copy. He seems to be following the whole length of the Thames, from small stream to the sea. I've always wanted to go round the coast of Britain doing a similar project.

Comments

Making A Mark said…
That's interesting about Kurt Jackson and the Thames - the day after I've decided that I had a theme (The Thames) creeping up on me so I might as well go for it!

As you say - sounds like the books might be good topics for a book review. Does he always paint plein air or does he do the works in the studio?
1:06 pm
vivien said…
life's not fair is it ;) - yours will be different so I'd still go for it - you've already got a lot of sketches done for the London Thames.

He works plein air a lot - remind me to bring some of his books to the Cotswolds and you'll see.

Recent work though (as his reputation grew and more people copied his style) is huge. Monet's waterlilies at the Orangerie type huge. He said people can't copy that!

He can afford it too - I watched a gorgeous gorgeous one about 7ft square or so, sell in front of my eyes for £28,000 at a private view. The show was a sellout
7:02 pm
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