Sketchbook drawing - Timelapse

A Witch and her Familiar

I’ve been listening to the Witch podcast this week, and i’m finding it utterly fascinating. I’m learning lots of new things from it, including the rise in people identifying as a witch, the history of the craft and the horrifying persecution of (mostly) women during the witch trials, it’s made me question a lot of my own, ingrained perceptions of witches, and also wonder if I share some deeper kinship?

That’s a bigger question to be explored on another day, but for now I wanted to recommend the podcast again if you haven't had a chance to listen, and I also share a sketchbook drawing I did earlier this week which I filmed and edited as a time-lapse.

Created using Schmincke liquid charcoal, black Conte pastel pencil and Mars Black Caran D'Ache Luminance pencil in a A4 Pith Oroblanco sketchbook.

After a break from using liquid charcoal when my Nitram tube upsettingly cracked and dried out, I’m so happy to be using it again. I’m glad I bought three mini tubes this time round, hopefully i’ll get through a whole tube without it falling apart!

I’m pleased with the sketch, apart from the addition of the necklace at the end, the white Luminance pencil had a blueish tinge which looked unpleasant over the warm black of the charcoal. If I were to do it again i’d mask that area out first.

I’ve been gathering some photo references for the drawing session later this month, and the idea of a witch and their animal ‘Ally’ or ‘Familiar’ has appealed to me. I came across this vintage photo of a woman with a Raven and it inspired my sketch.

Date and photographer unknown.