Colour

Yesterday, I bought a gorgeous Czech green glass necklace (circa 1920's), two bright Cerulean blue glass candlesticks, a turquoise blue glass bowl and a lapis lazuli Middle-Eastern necklace. From these purchases, I am reminded once again of how much I love colour. A frottage drawing using colour, however, has been quite challenging to make. The technique is the same frottage technique I've used in previous graphite drawings shown in this blog, but this time, I've used the new (to me) medium of chunks of coloured pencil. Unfortunately, coloured pencil just doesn't show the subtleties that a graphite stick can convey. When I work with graphite, the pressure on the stick dictates whether the feeling of the form is tenuous or more solid. With graphite, wisps of forms can quietly dissolve off the paper - the forms 'waste away', as if somehow aging or wearing thin. However, sticks of waxy coloured pencil seem to be uncontrollably either 'on or off', which makes sensitive markings difficult to achieve. I wonder if using sharpened coloured pencil points, rather than chunky sticks, could achieve a more delicate effect? Or maybe, just maybe, this day is better left to a glass of port, a handful of almonds and Sudoku. Back to the drawing board tomorrow.