OH nice! :D How long did this take to do? :o

Also, what kind of pencils/pens (maybe?) do ya use? :D I've been using Kimberly ones...I think that's waht they're called? D:

I almost strictly use Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils (2H, HB, 2B, 4B, & 6B; 90% of the time).

I think the graphite is smooth and pure, plus the pencil them selves are painted my favorite color of blue *Chuckles*

This took me 20-30 mins I think, I wasn't keeping track, I was still waking up and having my morning caffeine.

Oh nice! I've been working on my art and your work is a really good inspiration for me. :D

I'm trying to work at getting better materials as well. lol

Did you find you had trouble with the sky there like with any smearing?

Your kind words flatter me. *Bows*

Sky? You mean background? Oh this?

I actually wanted trouble. There are greasy finger prints, and bad smearing all over the place. Plus the paper has to much tooth (texture) for my tastes. I am currently out of my usually drawing pads, so I am using an old canson recycled paper pad for these. After all they are just doodles. Exercises to get my juices flowing before I turn to the project of the day (or at least this one was). Anyways, I sketched it, and then made a mess with the smearing so I could pull the image out of it.

Whoa wait...so you sketched it, smeared it, THEN finished the lines over the smudges? That's pretty cool. o.o

Have you had problems with erasing on certain papers? I've got a kneaded eraser I've used for years now (which I probably should replace...) that sometimes leaves black marks around the thing I'm drawing/sketching and makes it look bad.

Yes.

Certain papers are better for certain things. I prefer Bristol for most of my work, but not for sketches, studies, or doodles. For that I presentably prefer medium or smooth toothed papers. Though really any paper will do, even cheap copy paper. The more tooth a paper has the harder it is to remove marks, like wise the smoother the paper the harder it is to keep marks. I find the smoother the paper the softer the pencil or charcoal is needed to achieve the level of shade you want.

Erasers, I use a Kneaded http://www.dickblick.com/products/g.....neaded-eraser/ (I buy the big ones, and cut them into four part, and when one is to dirty to knead clean I toss if for another; save money, but being $1.49 for the big ones its not like they are expensive), a Paper Mate Tuff Stuff Eraser Stick http://www.dickblick.com/products/paper-mate-tuff-stuff-eraser-stick/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=21535-2000&gclid=CJDZnOaih8UCFRCnaQodOlUA0w, and a batter powered electric eraser http://www.dickblick.com/products/helix-automatic-cordless-eraser/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=21554-0000&gclid=CL-vjaujh8UCFQsvaQodOrsAVA.

Keep your erasers clean and they will love you. *Grin*

I've got a book of Bristol paper, I believe (or Bristol like). I kind of like it but my main sketchbook, a Daller Rowney Simply Sketchbook 5.5 x 8.5 is really bad with the eraser I use. :( I did manage to find an 11 x 8.5 of the Pentalic book we spoke of previously and I really like it. :D I have yet to work in charcoal though. I do have a few charcoal pencils and some spray to keep it from smearing. Have you worked with carbon pencils before?

I'll pick up the Eraser Stick and electric eraser soon but I do have a few kneaded erasers I can use. One of the kneaded erasers I have come with Art Gum and a plastic eraser, I've never used those before. Are they better than the usual kneaded ones?

Yes, I chewed up a few carbon pencils before,

They are like 6B Charcoal pencils. Though slightly darker in pigment. I like them, but I can get the same effect from 6B. Each eraser has it uses, the plastic and gum ones are good for removing large areas, and I have a bunch of Staedler white plastic ones for that purpose, but I very rarely ever use them. Having one around is good in a fix tho. If you do use the plastic ones, I suggest white ones, as the colored ones can actually leave colored smears on your paper.

*Grin*

Mostly what I've done is draw and ink with Sakura Pigma Micron pens then erase after the pens dry...but then I get smudges and smears from the ink sometimes. I'm wondering if I should just try for darker pen lines instead of inking. It'd probably make the colored pencils stand out more too.

I recently picked up a Faber-Castell pencil sharpener, have you tried those electric ones? I thought about it but I wanted something with an auto-stop..

I use Sakura Microns too.

The secret to avoid smudges is to let them dry over night, OR take a blow dryer to them and still wait a bit. Art, all art is a practice of patience and calm in the face of tidal waves of emotions.

And no, I just use a manual pencil sharpener, or an exacto knife.

I...don't trust me with an exacto knife. lol I've cut myself by BARELY touching them. Or looking at them. My high school days were filled with both beautiful t-shirts and accidental cuts. And bandaids. lol

I do like the manual Faber Castell one though. It works very well. :)

The Sakura Microns are awesome, but I never honestly thought to let things dry overnight. When I ink the image, I tend to get really excited about coloring nand then they smudge. :/ I'll have to introduce a bit more patience. lol

What do you think of blending? I watched a video from Lachri Fine Art on YouTube and she mentioned using paint thinner to blend. I picked up an 8oz bottle of Mona Lisa Paint Thinner and I was going to try it out.

I got some Faber-Castell colored pencils a long while ago and I LOVE them over my Prismacolors. However, they're oil based and are harder to bend with my blender pencil.

What do you think on using paint thinner?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oGAsNuChiU

I have never done that.

If I want to blend I use charcoals, or graphite. I rarely ink any more, but I do on occasion. *Grin*

You know, I'm thinking of doing the same. I've found I'm more comfortable with my pencil-only work than I am with pencil + ink + coloring. I tend to somehow make a mistake when I'm coloring or inking. XP

Thank you for all of your help, by the way! :) It's very appreciated!

No problem *Bows*

nice!

Thank you *Grin*

Great work, as always!!

Thank you *Bows*