Thank-you Carlos, Alex and Peter for your kind comments. It is such a nice break to be doing charcoal, and to actually have it working.
Carlos, the estate sale just advertised they had some art supplies for sale. The box had a mixture of sticks, but they didn't seem to be that old, or at least, not different from new sticks.
Alex, I am not sure what the study (studies) will evolve into. I did have the idea of doing another South African Woman, but what is interesting me is the combination of light modeling and darker modeling to create the effects of light and composition. I want to work on balance of tones and try and do something more exciting composition-wise. I think I would like to make a scene of figures on stage with different brightnesses of light. I think I need to become more deliberate in my compositions and narrative - not so apologetic.
Peter, I have sculpted but what excited me most about doing the sculptures was doing the drawings of them afterwards. I love the illusion of space and form - sculpture, for me, takes away that illusion.
I have posted the sculptures and drawings on this forum. If you are interested, this is the
link .