Quick sketches with Tri-Tones

I am a sucker for new tools and techniques. So when I saw a post about Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tone colored pencils, I had to order a set off eBay. Tri-tones have 3 colors mixed in each lead, the set I bought has 11 different combinations. They have been really fun! The colors are creamy and lay down a beautiful, variable color line. I used them yesterday to make some quick sketches of my granddaughter at the library.

Sam is obsessed with playing games on her iPad and informed me that she hoped I would find a book to read so she would have time to play with the library iPads. (Her mother once sent me a text of a conversation: "Sam, go look at the books". "Mommy, I don't know where the books are."..."We're in the library...") When we got to the library, the first thing she saw was a baby, about 8 months old, playing in the kids section. All thought of the iPad was out the window. Apparently playing with a baby is even more interesting than technology! And I took the opportunity to practice quick gestural sketches with the Tri-Tones.

8/02/19 Sam and a baby at the library. Koh-I-Noor Tri-tone pencils. Kuretake brush pen, black ink.
Diamine Chocolate Brown ink and Monteverde Joy Sepia, diluted as a wash. Significant shadow coming through
from images on the reverse side of the Artist's Loft journal paper.

We had fun a while ago sketching "Weather animals", an animal cartoon meant to illustrate the weather. She asked me to sketch a weather frog of a stormy day. The day yesterday was breezy, but not stormy. Still, it was fun to use the multi-colored pencils to make a quick storm frog.

Sam also made some sketches of birds and worms using the Tri-tones. She asked me to get some for her, but I let her know she could use them any time at my house.

8/2/2019 Sam's sketch of a bird feeding a baby, using
Koh-I-Noor Tri-tone pencils. Canson XL 140 lb. paper

A worm evading a bird by escaping down
his tunnel into nursery chambers. By
Sam with Tri-Tone Pencils 8/2/19
Canson XL 140 lb. paper

I read about "activating" a journal with artistic borders. I sprayed a border using diluted food coloring and it does add interest to my sketches. I started the day with a sketch of my favorite coffee mug and ended with a hand sketch. Diamine November Rain ink in an Ohuhu brush pen made interesting practice in sketching little evergreen trees. Not an on the scene sketch, since they are imaginary trees!

8/2/19 Red food coloring spray, water colour pencils,
Sailor Fude Pen, Diamine November Rain ink.
Exceed 100gsm journal paper