Loved sketching this animated little face with the bow tie.

I  experimented with some new water soluble pencils I was given for my birthday.  They work much like the aqua pencils in that you draw or colour with the pencil and then wash it with a wet brush.  I love using my brush with a water reservoir which is ideal for this kind of work.  There are so many things you can do with Derwent Watersoluble Graphitone; use it like a graphite pencil, peel off the wrapper to use the stick whole, or break it into chunks to create broad sweeps of tone really quickly. Just add water and the graphite dissolves to create line and wash sketches. You can choose from 4 wash strengths from a light to a very dark wash.

I used the water soluble pencils on the clothes rather than the face as I wasn’t entirely familiar with how they would work.  I was surprised at how delicate a wash one could create.  For the next sketch, I will definitely incorporate washes on the face.

I enjoyed the gorgeous little face that was smiling up at me while I went through the various stages of the sketching process.  I think it is what I enjoy so much about sketching children. Their natural character is usually always revealed to the camera.  They haven’t learnt to mask their naturalness yet. And it is this essence I try to capture in my sketch.

Close-ups of the final sketch.