Recently, as I was recovering from Covid (for the first time), I flicked on YouTube and came across a video on Faber Castell Water Soluble Graphite Pencils. I had heard of Watercolour and Inktense pencils before (and have some of each), but had never heard of the former.
I watched the video, then some other videos on the subject and became quite interested in them so I jumped onto Amazon and saw that a Faber Castell set of 5 pencils, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B and a Brush in a lockable tin was 32.00 AUD. Without the tin it cost $15.43 AUD. Once bought, I knew they would probably never go back in the tin so I purchased the set without it.
Below are my first two attempts with them.
I’m happy with the first two attempts though obviously have plenty to learn in terms of e.g., what are suitable subjects for these medium; how should I best use the pencils, and increasing my skill level. Looking forward to practicing with them to see what I can come up with. 🙂
My creative journey
Began with a camera
This went on for many years
I was an enthusiastic amateur
Joining and starting camera clubs
Was so much fun
I made many friends
My creative life had begun
I entered competitions and exhibitions
Sometimes I won
All in all
It was just good fun
Along the way
I became a Photographic Judge
Which gave me a different perspective
It gave my photography a nudge
Briefly, in the Nineties
I started to sketch
Though photography remained King
I felt the itch
I took a basic drawing course
In two thousand and ten
Three years later
My photography business opened
The business ran
For a couple of years
Then I decided
To do something else
In the meantime my love
For sketching and painting had grown
It was battling photography
For the Title and Crown
Oil painting at that time
Was my preferred expression
It became my ‘go to’
My new expression
Joining Art groups
Has helped me to foster
My desire to create Art
They helped my creativity to prosper
Then I returned
To the first painting medium I tried
The one that had captured me
That reminded me of Slides
Line and Wash
Then caught my attention
It became part of me
A lifelike extension
A Watercolour sketch-a-day
Would give me loads of practice
It continues to this day
Feeding my Inner Sanctum
Oils too
Remain a passion
For me, I think
They’ll always be in fashion
Photography still
Has a special place in my Heart
It started my creative journey
Of me, it will always be a part
Though at this time
Sketching and Painting are my direction
They will for a long time
Have my attention
I love the freedom Sketching and Painting gives me.
One basically starts off with no image on canvas or paper. You might have an image in mind and then you set about creating it from your imagination or a memory, or indeed a combination of both.
If you are using a reference photo you already have a basic framework though, generally speaking and unless you are into Photo Realism, you will come up with an interpretation of the image at hand.
The Photographer has a scene before them. Certainly, (they can create an image in Photoshop from other images) but they don’t have to create shadows or the image when they are ‘live’ to a scene.’ Many scenes are already presented.
They choose the composition and begin shooting.
The Painter on the hand has to sketch/draw (mostly) the contents of the image, creating the effect of shadows, light, shape, texture and form with essentially 3 things, canvas, brush, pigment and a skilful hand.
Painting en Plein Air is the closest relation to Photography, I feel. Both the Painter and the Photographer have a scene in front of them and it is up to them what they distill from that scene, composition-wise to come up with an image.
The Photographer manipulates through camera, lens, lighting, angle, filter and later Photoshop or similar, using their imagination as well.
The Painter manipulates with their choice of canvas/paper, brush, pigment, line, angle, light and uses their imagination as well.
Back in the studio both can finish off their piece.
I’m not trying to say that Painting is better or is more creative than Photography though as each medium is irreplaceable. Painting cannot replace the immediacy of Photography. Photography can capture that ‘moment in time’ in less than a second, Painting cannot.
On a personal level, I have been photographing since the early 1980’s, although not as much these days. Sketching and Painting has certainly taken over, particularly in the last 2 years.
One of the things that I love about Sketching and Painting is the freedom it gives me and also the challenge of creating an image using basic tools.
In an article a while ago I wrote called, ’There Are No 36 Megapixel Brushes’ I wrote about how someone can take a photo with something as simple these days as a phone camera and, due to the technology available, come with a technically decent image. Composition/imagination is another story, however.
As a Sketcher/Painter, we cannot go out and buy a Brush and Pigment that will give us a technically brilliant sketch or painting.
Yes, there are electronic Sketching and Painting apps but you still have to have the technical and artistic skill to create the image.
I still love Photography but it takes up a different place in my life these days. Equipment-wise, I’m heading towards Mirror-less cameras and a high-end compact that I can take anywhere.
I’m thoroughly enjoying my journey in Sketching and Painting and I can see myself continuing this journey for many years to come.
Communicating Creatively 