I recently received a new box of drawing pencils, and I just can’t tell you how excited that makes me. I know what you’re thinking. It’s a little strange but it is like when you are a little child, and your mom buys you a new box of crayons. You just savor all of the colors and that unmistakable scent emanating from those waxy wonders. When I was a child, most kids used those crayons for coloring books. Not me. I used them for drawing. I loved the names of them too. Who can’t fall in love with a crayon called Celestial Blue or Brilliant Rose? I mean really now. I remember being crushed when they retired the color Dandelion. How many dandelions had I drawn with Dandelion for myself and my children over the years? I’ll tell you. Thousands!
I use pencils more these days. The new set I received is from Derwent. These are drawing pencils in different color tones which are slightly different from colored pencils. I find them really beautiful. They come in various blues and greens, yellows and browns. And they even have cool names like Green Shadow and Mars Violet! The colors are muted so you get that rich old world look to your drawings. I usually use a few together in a drawing but not the whole range as I would with colored pencils. I especially like using them on toned paper, tan or gray preferred.
As a synesthete I open the box and as I use each one, I see not only the wonderful color but hear a wonderful musical sound as well. To explain this, it is like when I had a hearing test. If you’ve ever had one you know the drill; click the left or right button when you hear the various sounds, soft or loud, in your ear. For me it was a symphony of colors before my eyes as each tone displayed a beautiful violet to magenta. Such is my life in art. Not only do my eyes feast on the infinite color range but I hear a symphony as well. Letters have colors, colors have sounds and sounds have color. Pretty unique, huh?
But seriously, you should try drawing with these Derwent pencils, colored pencils,or your secret box of crayons. A symphony awaits.
