Chalk pastel on gray paper.

Drawing on gray paper is interesting because the original color can be both darkened and lightened. On white paper, you color in all the shadows and leave the highlights untouched. On black paper, you color in the highlights and leave the shadows untouched. On gray paper, you have to draw both.

I didn't really have a plan in mind for this picture when I started it. I just started drawing a landscape and added in whatever came to mind. I added the Eye of Sauron in the corner, casting a dark cloud over everything, when I decided the rest of the page was too boring. The dark cloud really helps make the sun stand out, as well.

You may recognize this as the background image from other parts of this website. Because this picture was deliberately blurry, unlike most of my work, it made a good background image. I did have to crop out the Eye, though.