I did this sketch with three pencils; a Terracotta, a chocolate color, and a black. This picture took about 6 hours on and off. It really is more of a doodle than a portrait. I was very interested in having the dark background bring the white shirts forward. I was happy with the shadows and highlights. The particular pencils I was using do not lend themselves to fine detail except with a lot of frequent sharpening of the tips, and then they wear down quickly. Because of the problems with the pencils, I was not as pleased with the portraiture part of the picture as usual. It was a good practice drawing. I enjoy working in the limited colors and feel more able to appreciate all the things the wide spectrum of colors can do.
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