Graphite on cartridge paper 30 x 40 cm.
Very close to my home is a beautiful forest of Scots pines, these trees stand at the entrance of the forest and I often look up to them from the path that leads into the centre of the forest. I edited the scene a little to soften the heavy canopy of pine needles that is there in reality near the base of the trees. I used different grades of Graphite pencils from very soft to the H grades to give definition to the branches and foliage. I was also able to get some strong contrasts at the back of the trees that brought out the very light areas of the trunks where the sunlight was the strongest. I had bought a batch of some good quality cartridge paper but I cannot find the name of the brand as I bought the paper by the sheet. I have some grey paper that I often use as a mount to display the drawings I have made of trees in my portfolio.
Within this forest are also a variety of other trees as I am slowly discovering as I leave the main path and explore the smaller paths. While this coastal area is relatively flat there are hillocks in many areas around my village and beyond that have groups of trees on them or the large hillocks will have forests planted on and around them. There are also red squirrels, owls and deer who live in this forest, in the highest part there are nests of buzzards who serenely glide over the forest each day looking for food.
