Completing the Artshine Traveling Sketchbook

I have been working in the various books of the Artshine Traveling Sketchbook for over a year and this is the last one. The theme was the female figure and I had a hard time coming up with something I thought I could do. I have never drawn a female body so I was a little apprehensive. Plus I had no models who were offering to pose for me.

So I started out with a collage. I chose this paper as it looked like wallpaper to me.  I wanted it to look old and faded so I added a wash of thinned gesso to it. I took a floral stamp and used sepia ink to age it a little. I am not sure what else it needed so I left it simple.
 I starIU ed shkhskhkj

Here I used a magazine image as a model and drew her in vine charcoal. Charcoal is so forgiving, you make a mistake and your friend the kneaded eraser comes to the rescue. I should work in charcoal more. This was fun.

I am including this for Sunday Sketches too, so you can check other ones here

Happy Labor Day everyone!