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Section 2: DETAILED OBSERVATIONS OF NATURAL OBJECTS: Exercise 1: DETAIL AND TONE

Fallen Leaves Study.

For this the subject is 3 dried leaves which I found during my walk, all three in varying stages of decay. I used colored pencils and oil pastels. I left the majority of the page white as I wished to capture the intense light and the lovely colorful shadows that the leaves cast on the crisp white paper that they were perched on. I enjoyed the success that I achieved with the papery delicate feel of the leaves and it was only till I had layered the oil pastel on top that the drawing "popped". What i learnt here was not to be "precious" with your work.

Detail 1.

Detail 2.
 And then I cropped it. I think that the composition is better here. There is less negative space and the longer format works better with the length of the leaves and the horizontal lines that they present.



Some practice  - Lemons in conte crayon


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