A New Year

I have an art resolution for this year - to do more work in 2D.  Last year I was really focused on 3D work and on my Etsy shop, but now it's time to "make time" for getting back to basics - drawing and painting. 

I've just finished Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" so thought it would be appropriate to continue my series of Jane Austen cat heroines.  Accordingly, this is Catherine Morland.  She's very caught up in her Gothic novels, and she'd better be careful that her imagination doesn't run away with her and ruin her chances for true romance!

I'm using the same mixed media approach that I've used in the past with varying degrees of success.  But there's a problem involved, which is that I have no clear idea of the role of the various media, which include pencil, watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic.

My "problem" is just that I so much like to draw.  In the old days, I'd carefully draw out my line drawing then transfer it to good paper and go from there.  But I'm now confident enough in my drawing skills that often I'll just start drawing on the good paper.  And then, enjoying the drawing, I don't know when to stop.  Before you know it, I have a pencil drawing well under way and am left with the choice of completely covering up all the nice pencil work or proceeding to make what is, in effect, a tinted drawing.  Hmmm.  Confusion. 

Anyway, that's where I am with Catherine here.  I've done a fair amount of pencil on the face, and have added just the first wash or two of watercolor.  It will be stumbling forward from here!