Comment from Zilyram
These grapes are so realistic you want to reach out and touch.
The colors are wonderful and the little patch of lightness on some of the grapes is done perfectly.
Interesting info about the charcoal colors, my husband used to do a little art in charcoal but only had black.

 Comment Written 12-Feb-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Feb-2024

Thank you, thank you so much for your fine input. I have learned, however, from my cascades drawing that these colored charcoal works best on the felt-like velour as in the grapes.

Comment from MKFlood
you know i keep trying to grab one but the darn glass on my screen is blocking me..wink wink.lol. very cool dear. the grape forms are great. the shading is great. the depth is great. the details is great. the blend of the colors is great. the presentation is balanced and eye appealing to the viewer. creative approach and great job overall.

 Comment Written 11-Feb-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Feb-2024

Thank you, again, for your fine review and tremendous sense of humor and encouragement in it. I did find out the paper I used for the grapes are the best for colored charcoal pencils.

Comment from Jewell McChesney
Wow, Glena. I did not know that charcoal pencils came in different colors either. You have demonstrated good skill in this one. Great highlights and depth I feel I could pluck one off and eat it.

 Comment Written 03-Feb-2024

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reply by the author on 03-Feb-2024

Thank you much, Jewel, for your review and encouraging words. I hope to use these pencils again. They may be best with velour pastel paper but who knows?

Comment from alaskapat
The grapes are beautuful, very life like to view, I appreciate the attention to detail, the grapes are well shaped and arranged on the stem. I like the leaves and the way you show the light here. I think the peachy toned background works perfectly to emphasize the grapes.
Lovely entry for this contest.
Very best wishes to you !

 Comment Written 03-Feb-2024

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reply by the author on 03-Feb-2024

Thank you so much, my artist friend, for reviewing and doing so with such detail and encouraging words. You were so succinct yet said enough that encouraged me much. Also, thanks for your best wishes and for the "6."

Comment from Lynnmarie2
Wow, never heard of them either. They look very interesting. Love what you did with them. The colors, tone, lighting are spot on. Thanks for sharing this wonderful work!

 Comment Written 31-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thank you so much, my friend, for your encouraging review. I hadn't heard of them until I was on Amazon. From this first use, they were not near as charcoal often is, at least on the Velour pastel paper I used. Thanks again.

Comment from helvi2
Hi Glena, Love the way you did your grapes. You did a great job not only with the cluster of grapes but the vine as well. Love the sheen on the grapes! I also love you pov of the grapes and how they fill the frame. Very nice presentation. I'm not a traditional artist but
thought it was interesting you did the grapes with colored charcoal. I never heard of colored charcoal before! :o) Nancy

 Comment Written 31-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thank you again, my friend, for your encouraging review. I had never heard of colored charcoal until I went on Amazon and thought I'd try them. I don't know how they do on other papers but on velour pastel paper, they are not near as messy.

Comment from Brendaartwork18
Glena I think this picture of grapes is a beautiful I love the glow ....that color really is realistic. The shapes and stems are beautifully done. I am very interested in the medium you've
used I've never heard of these
colored charcoals and I'm
wondering all they
messy or are they quite solid as
you use them ...the actual impression you've given is very very good and I love that warm mouvie purple

 Comment Written 30-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thank you for your encouraging review, my friend. I had never heard of them and suddenly I saw them on Amazon. The box I purchased inexpensively contained 12 colors and did well on pastel velour paper. They are nothing messy like regular charcoal pencils or the sticks. I don't know how they are on other papers but assume any pastel paper would be fairly good. I know that the little sharpener that comes with the Conte pastels works well with these pencils without eating the pencils. Thanks again for your fine review and support. Love you, lady. Again, how is your ankle? The asthma doing?

reply by Brendaartwork18 on 01-Feb-2024

Glena my friend they sound fun to use. I will see if I can order some. It is difficult on the island getting deliveries but I will have a go. Asthma settled down after last week. Ankle seems fine it's the top of foot and toes. Still stiff and swollen. But I am limping along. Feeling very positive especially after your lovely greetings xx

reply by the author on 03-Feb-2024

Thank you, my friend, for your awaited update. You sound like you are on the mend though it may take a little while yet. I have been limping, hardly walking on my right leg, swelling at the top of both feet, no breaks like you but from other problems. Hurry and get well. I hope to meet you in person some day.

reply by Brendaartwork18 on 05-Feb-2024

See your messages

Comment from Maureen Woychyshyn
A very interesting and unique visual presented here. Your colors, composition and shades are very well rendered. However, I feel you need to blend a little bit more to create that roundness within the grapes. The background is is well chosen to highlight your subject. Thank you for sharing.

 Comment Written 30-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thanks for reviewing so much. I just wanted to do something with my new colored charcoal pencils and enter it. I have more beautiful and complex colored-pencils work I've worked on as I could but just wanted to do this one. It didn't take long as I drew and colored it in a raw form without blending just to see how the raw drawing and coloring worked. Thanks again for your review.

Comment from Christine389
A text book perfect drawing here of these ripe and delicious looking grapes. They just look so realistic, I want to reach out and pick one! I love everything about this, it is very clever work and I wish you well in the contest. If this is your first attempt at using coloured charcoal, then you may have just discovered a wonderful medium for you to continue to use. I look forward to seeing more!

 Comment Written 30-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thank you, my kind friend, for your excellent review and high rating of "6" both which mean so much to me. You have inspired me to use this fairly new media more and more, as long as I have this paper type. It was my first use; I could have blended it more but just wanted to see how they work rawer.

Comment from liseworks
I like this, so now to make wine. lol,,, love the colour, and the background is Suttle. I like the way the light is on a few of them, I have never tried this medium and I even have some lol,,

 Comment Written 30-Jan-2024

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reply by the author on 31-Jan-2024

Thanks, artist friend, for your review. What should I do to raise the 4.5 to 5? I wished to try this just raw without as much blending. You and I have shared how messy most soft pastels are and charcoal at times is even worse. This was not near as messy with this soft, felt like velour pastel paper. I didn't know how it would turn out.