by Lisa Larrabee
I haven't had much experience drawing on toned paper. However, I always begin my paintings on a toned surface, so this feels like a natural transition. I chose the sepia pencil as an experiment because I usually work in graphite or charcoal. I discovered that when I blended the sepia the color felt warmer - like a blush. It makes sense that, if left more granular, it would appear darker and more brown (even when applied very lightly). Also, it is very important when working with white pastel to take care not to blend the white with the other media. The idea is to let the toned paper show through the mid-values. Mixing the white and sepia creates an additional color. The most important tip: just draw. You will learn a lot as you go. This piece was certainly a learning experience for me. And, it was fun!
- Lisa
