Drawing Wood using Pastel Pencils

Jacquie has sent me this picture she wants to do in pastel pencils and has asked me if she should use the faber-castell pencils 103, 233, and 283 for the wood they are resting on.If Jacquie really wants to place these tiger’s on the wood then I would rather suggest that she use 101, 270, 273, 182 with just a hint of 187. I would then use 177 and 175 to add the stronger tones. You can see what these colours are by referring to our Faber Castell Colour Chart.However, I would have these tigers resting in grass because not only would this be easier to paint but would look more natural. Although it is obvious that using the wooden planks suggests that the tigers are in captivity whereas with grass they could be in the wild. I am sure that this would sell the painting better than copying the way they are presented above.Out of interest the picture of this Tiger Cub I painted some years ago was from a photograph I took at Howlett’s Zoo Park near Canterbury in Kent. Also in the photograph was a concrete path, wire mesh and some bits of grass and thistles, I wonder how this picture would have been viewed if I had included these in the painting.