Techniques - Value Studies

This beautiful, magnificent Palm Tree resides in Prospect Park, in Redlands, California.

Sometimes, I thoroughly enjoy doing portraits of living things, from animals to plants. Doing these monochromatic drawings helps me understand where my weaknesses are. Are my drawing skills weak? How about am I seeing the light and shadow properly? Am I painting too slow, and the sunlight area changed? Should I speed up my drawing/painting process? How about the composition? Can this stand on its' own, or does it need a supporting cast? Most importantly, what is the story I am trying to tell. Every painting has a story, does this one have one? Will it hold the viewers attention? Because that is what I want, one that will hold the viewers attention.

So you see, learning to draw a full landscape in black and white helps you in so many ways track down your weaknesses, and in the future helps you create a much better painting.

This was drawn/painted with a sketch and wash pencil. These are great. Sometime in the future I will have to show you how to pack a simple kit.

Live, love and paint,

Terry