charcoal is dark

I didn't draw Friday and to be honest, I don't have much of an idea as to why. I was out most of the day then met up with a friend for a bite before going to see Les Miserables at the Pumphouse Theatre. I recall being really tired that day & couldn't bring myself to draw once I got home - which was after 11p. I made up for it yesterday since Saturday I was at a figure drawing class (for the amount I drew on Saturday, I'm sure I could have just used one of those drawings but I decided to do a specific drawing for my missed day instead).

I drew my foot. I don't draw feet often & this one turned out quite dark - I used charcoal pencil to draw this. I'm not sure I like charcoal. I know we're using it in my Wednesday night class this week so maybe I'll learn to like it once I have a bit of instruction.

My foot is much narrower than this appears.

boxes

The first class was learning 'siting' in order to draw basic shapes - this technique can be used for anything ultimately. Basically this entails using a measuring devise - often times another pencil/pen but can be an actual ruler - to determine length & angles of a subject in front of you. You put your arm straight out & close one eye so you can actually see everything two dimensionally instead of in 3D. You draw what you actually SEE not what you think you see (the brain takes over in many cases).
This is an exercise I mention when I say I was actually measuring something I've drawn. I don't use it all the time but I should use it more often.

I will admit that I did tire of looking at the collection of boxes. I am not unhappy with what I finished with but charcoal is messy! Smudges all over the place.

Ultimately not the best photograph of it in the end. The paper is white & in this, it looks quite grey. I may try taking another shot later but this will work for now.