Lazy Days of Summer

For this Creative Tuesday theme, I wanted to do something totally different for "summer" where one might expect something brighter, using "hot" colours perhaps. Before starting then, I picked up some blue paper at the art store, providing a cooler shade for the scene forming in my head. I also had this urge to try my hand at charcoal for this piece. Using traditional charcoal sticks allowed me to draw looser, "lazy" flowing lines quickly, then all I had to do was use a white charcoal pencil for highlights and what have you.

Other than running out to grab some spray fixative, this whole thing took me about 45 minutes to draw, including the initial pencil sketch beforehand! Inspiration, I tell ya. It reminded me of the days doing quick charcoal figure drawings way back when, except this time I had no model! (Well, OK, I did ask Alexandra to pose with a broom stick briefly to capture how the boy's right hand might look; the same with the left, although no ice lolly in hand, mind you — didn't want our little Brendel jumping up with excitement!)

Speaking of excitement, today is Alex's birthday. Ironically enough for summer, we're bundling up in lumberjack shirts for a quick drive to the mountains for breakfast and a morning coffee then perhaps a walk around one of the lakes up there.  Yes, it is actually starting to cool here this week. It's meant to be 67F in the mountains with rain (20 Celsius). How absolutely divine. :)