Posh Dabblers

Becoming a bit of a pencil junkie, I've been collecting Caran d 'Ache Luminance pencils when I come across them. At over £3 a pop they're very much the Roll Royce of coloured pencils, so I only pick them up when feeling flush! I grabbed half a dozen whilst on holiday recently in 'arty farty' Bilbao. Of course, it helps if you know how to use them, but it's a bit like sticking Ronnie O'Sullivan's custom cue in my hand or Phil Taylor's titanium darts at the minute! Anyway, I used them to do most of the below pic, plus I've started experimenting with an eraser and blender to try to get convincing effects. The shimmering water was the big challenge and it sort of pays off. I'm still struggling to get a consistent, smooth lay-down on the Bristol Board I use. Perhaps it's time to experiment with different surfaces. I think I need to adjust the camera, as my images are getting grainy from the kitchen table shots!
Thanks for looking.

Field sketches of Teal at Old Moor, 3rd Oct 2014