Work in Progress: Living Room Christmas Tree (Update 1)

It was another cold night in the Hoke/Kimberley household, but I still managed to get some work done.  Using a soft brush I laid out areas of light and dark (something I probably should have done right at the beginning.)  Objects are beginning to feel more solid and space more understandable. I've lost quite a bit of detail in the tree,  but that will come back in a later stage.

Work in Progress: Livingroom Christmas Tree

I began a new drawing last night of our livingroom at Christmas time. I was huddled on the floor in a blanket and several layers of clothes (our house was not built for these temperatures!) in front of the warm glow of the television. It's my first stab at a holiday-inspired image, but these materials may not be the best for interpreting the warmth of the season...

Work In Progress

Some of the work I'm most proud of lives in the pages of my sketchbook.  Over the past several years I've tried to recreate the qualities of those drawings in various ways including projecting transparencies on canvas and photo-etching.

Below is my latest attempt, and, in my opinion, my most successful.  In these new pieces, I'm working on toned gessoed boards with pen and ink, using paper towels and water to create atmosphere and a feeling of history. The greatest advantage of this medium over my previous attempts is that, like a sketchbook, it's transportable.  I can work directly from my subject matter (as I do in my sketchbook) rather than using reference images.

Pen and ink on gessoed board.