What Coloring With One Graphite Pencil Taught Me

I was tired after Christmas, but not tired enough to fall asleep.

Watching TV is never enough for me on its own, so I either doodle, draw, write, or...you get the idea.

But I was determined to take the day off, so as I was watching The Sopranos then The OA, I picked up one of my own coloring books and a pencil.

At first it was a bit like doodling on a newspaper or magazine, and I had no predetermined outcome on my mind. I just wanted to relax.

Then I got into it.

Picture as seen in coloring book.

Colored with one Pentel GrapGear500 0.3 2B lead

The pencil is a mechanical is a GraphGear Pentel 500 with 2B 0.3 lead. You can buy it here: Pentel GraphGear 500 Automatic Drafting Pencil Brown (PG523E) 

The book is Coloring Dreams. It is printed by CreateSpace and has 14 one sided images. You can buy here:  Coloring Dreams: 8 x 10 Version with Borders

 I learned that using just one pencil is not only enough to color, it is super relaxing. (I found it to be even more relaxing than using colors, and can be just as striking.)

I learned to appreciate the images in a coloring book as art, and how to use shadows and light to make the image stand out, and even look beautiful.

I learned that 2B lead has a huge variation in depth of color, and that I love to use softer lead.

I also learned that if the lead is thin enough you can use a softer lead in a mechanical pencil and get a big variety of results.

I am not saying to get rid of your colored pencils, but maybe to give this a chance.

I loved it.

Fancy March Giveaway

I don't know about you, but I feel like I need a little pampering after such a gloomy winter.

Wouldn't it be nice to sit a warm, scented, candlelit bath and sketch with a new set of pencils? Well that is just what I did the other day!

I want everyone to have a lovely afternoon like I did. Although I can't give the lovely afternoon to everyone, I can give it to one lucky winner of this month's giveaway.

The winner will receive a Muse candle scented in pomegranate and citrus, Farmhouse Fresh shea butter body cream, and a drawing set of eight graphite, pencils, three charcoal pencils, one sketch stick, two charcoal sticks in soft and medium, a kneading eraser and a white plastic eraser. 

The pencils are basic, although I like them very much, I did not want to have to worry if they fell in the water. I think you will like them too.

Start sketching!

I had no preconceived notions of what I would sketch, but got some great ideas! Yes, the paper got splashed a few times, but it was fine. The ideas were worth more to me.

So enter here!

xo

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