Fritillary in Coloured Pencil

Fritillary Snake's Head
Derwent Inktense Pencils on grey paper

It's a year since I've sketched anything in my little multicoloured Fabriano Artist's Journal. I had resolved to use it to record everything that bloomed in our garden. Well the garden's blooming away and I'm way, way behind! I have painted a few flowers since but usually in watercolour sketchbooks.

I bought a tin of 12 Derwent Inktense pencils quite a while ago because so many people love them. I've hardly touched them since because they always look so gaudy to me when I add water. I was so disappointed in the sketch above I was really regretting that it was in my garden journal. I think I've rescued it slightly by adding some touches of white gouache.

Does anyone else have reservations about these pencils, or is it just me?

Pears Two Ways

Pears - watercolour sketch Clairefontaine 7" x 9"

Pears - Derwent Inktense pencil sketch on Canson

We're having a heat wave! It's an effort to lift a brush, but the two little pears I thought would be pretty to paint were ripening at a pace, so I did a quick watercolour sketch followed by one with my new Inktense pencils. Now I'm going to eat the dear little things.

Does anyone else do this - eat their subjects? Fortunately I'm not working on portraits at present!