trying pencil drawing on handmade paper

I enrolled in Strathmore's free online workshops for 2014 but have not yet participated in class. When the current class began, we had not yet found an internet provider at our new home. making videos hard to watch.

Now we have internet but I do not have the Strathmore products used in class --- there are no art or hobby stores near our home and I forgot to order some online. But I decided to do the assignments in my new sketchbook.

This "Back to Basics" drawing class is taught by Earnest Ward, who is a wonderful teacher! I've been drawing quite a while now, but have learned several new tricks watching the videos.

The first week covered line drawing and shape, leaning to sight the subject for an accurate representation on paper. I drew a couple of strawberries we picked from our new garden bed, resting on the arm of a porch swing. Not too happy with how it turned out . . .

The second week's class was on tone and form --- This time, I drew the birdbath next to a crepe myrtle in our yard. I used a water-soluble pencil, using a waterbrush very lightly just on the birdbath. This time, the handmade paper in this sketchbook behaved, with no bleed through. The trunks of the crepe myrtle are still bare and are very light-colored; I used a Q-tip to soften some graphite behind them.

I wish I had drawn an onion instead for the 1st week's class.