This evening yielded some interesting experiments. I’ve been playing with colored pastels for the highlights for awhile but what about using blue for the shadows  – and on sepia toned paper? Then tightening it all up with white and black conté pencils for the extremes.

Three 15 minute studies, one above and two below. Coté pencil with conté crayon on tinted pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19 3/4 in.

Here below a few 4 minute sketches. Conté crayon on toned sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm. or 13 3/4 x 19 3/4 in.

I’ve started playing with using a dark sienna conté crayon to block in areas of shadow on the toned pastel paper. The highlighted one here is on soft gray paper. I like it because it is good example of the less-is-more principle.  However, I’ve also found that warm dark shadows also work on the sienna toned paper. Then, the hue contrast between figure and ground is less strong, allowing the figure to gently emerge from the paper.

Here are two fifteen minute studies, one above and one below. Conté pencil highlighted with conté crayon on toned pastel paper.32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19 3/4 in.

A few four minute studies.35 x 50 cm. or 13 3/4 x 19 3/4 in.

I’ve decided to highlight one of the four minute poses for a change. Tonight I experimented with using conté pencil on pastel paper for the quick poses instead of cheap sketching paper. It creates more drag on the crayon, which for a quick sketch translated into a heavier more intentional line. So here, one four minute pose. Conté crayon on pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19 3/4 in.

Two fifteen minute poses below. Conté crayon with pastel chalk on toned pastel paper. 32.5 x 50 cm or 13 x 19 3/4 in.