Im getting so close..... Colored pencil drawing update + passe-partout.

I am quite excited right now, beacuse I see the big colored pencil drawing is coming to an end. I started this project as an easily approachable drawing exercise, where I could draw anything I like at any time and just watch it grow. What I discovered was that even though the start is loose, when the drawing starts to take shape, the intricacies of aesthetic judgement fires on all cylinders trying to tie everything up with a bow on top. At least for me. 

So this is where I went from the last post. Coloring in the top right side, to get a feeling for a complete form (at least on top). The I got an idea. I wanted some encouragement to actually finish the drawing, I needed something to box it all in.

Behold the passe-partout (digital reenacment)! I found a mat large enough to encapsulate the whole thing, turned and moved in around until I was happy with the framing, and drew a pencil line around the inside. Now I got the borders and it was a relief. Also a benefit from starting on a large enough sheet that makes it possible to capture the fields you like after you started drawing.

Here you can see the marks for the passe-partout so I can color the background a tad across the line, making sure I don't need to place the mat EXACTLY right. Leeway is bliss! And yeah, I went for a black background. We're in space baby!

I also added what maybe looks like easter eggs, but will hopefully function as holes into an patterned background when the picture is done. Withe bottom left finished I could add these holes on three corners, trying to get a feel for the whole idea.

Then I could evolve to the right side with markers.

Suddenly I saw that I could make an check mark shape at the bottom. So then I got obsessed with coloring all the patterns her in different greens. Don't know if this was a good idea, but this is a project all about just doing it, so why not...

I started seeing new patterns where the colors flow through the drawing, disappearing and resurface again. To make that happen and still don't make it all look like mush, that is my biggest challenge right now. Either way, this drawing will soon be done!

See you soon! :-)