Whale Dream

The plexi was off-cuts from a place I worked at back in the day. They would recycle hundreds of pounds of the stuff during some runs. I probably should try to peel the protective paper off the couple of unused bits I have left - the paper may have bonded to the plexi by now and turned removal into a nightmare
I once cut pieces down with a table saw, but I got rid of mine once I had the studio built (it was enormous). Next time I'd just use a circular saw. The edges - you fire up a blow torch, the flame kept at a low intensity, and just run the flame around the perimeter of your plexi. Works like a charm
I use vinyl erasers - I sometimes wash the vinyl w soap and water if it's nasty. I also cut it down with my handy Swiss Army knife to give it a nice sharp edge for when I want to cut across the graphite with a clean line of white, or a narrower band of pale across existing pencil. Gum erasers, kneaded erasers, and I have a few small-bore ones that work like mechanical pencils. I also bought some that are encased in wood like a graphite pencil. That one I sharpen a bit then finish the tip with a 120 grit sanding block I keep at the drawing table. The small-bore and wood encased erasers I like in part because I can use them to redraw over existing graphite and make negative lines with them. My compressed air can I bought at an office supply store (the kind that computer techs use to clean out machines) is handy for blowing off eraser bits my brush might miss.
I do a push-me pull-you thing these days where I draw, erase, draw, erase. I find I sometimes overwork elements because I have yet to learn to do it simply and correctly the first time.

exhibit A re negative lines in the figure

 

Back from vacation w my Lady, her sis and her mom. Which means I joined in on a water spa day in a lovely setting, and another time enjoyed a couples massage at a posh resort in Collingwood, Ontario (posh for me - anything beyond a quick shower using 3-in-1 soap is posh). I did throw my back out clambering through the scenic caves, but being a heavy set fellow next door to 60 I forgive myself such displays of frailty.
"Deep Dive" has suffered neglect, so I spent a few hours today with pencil in hand. Funny, the time spent rarely seems to jump out at me when I stand back from the easel. I guess I need to be satisfied with the final over-all effect of that quiet labour. The drawings lately don't seem to suffer from close-up 3D space inspection, so that's good.

 

I'm done with "Deep Dive" - that is, until I get a better photo of the finished piece. I'm including a couple of detail shots because I always like seeing that myself.
I didn't really feel as if there is the flow and movement I wanted. I felt more caught in the trees than enjoying strolling in the forest (so to speak) while drawing this piece. I probably need a break from sitting in front of it.

 

Let’s pop my new drawing into this thread.
“This Moment” 12”x16” asst graphite

 

“Sky Stories” 8.5”x10” pencil & graphite - The Whale has many stories to share about the sky.
Added to this thread because whale.