I set up this still life to explore using gouache with Inktense pencils. I wanted to work with both smooth and textured surfaces and a limited palette so I would not be distracted by lots of color choices. I put a small Christmas cactus on the table with a bright light coming down from above and then used gouache to put in the big shapes of the pot, saucer, plant, and light. After the gouache was well dried, I used a pencil to draw the outlines of the objects. Then with Inktense pencils, I put color on the cactus, the dirt, saucer, and foreground. After dissolving the pencil marks with a water brush, I went back with more gouache to add more light values to portions of the pot and saucer.

I appreciate the variety of marks that were possible but think the colors in the cactus might have been richer with just gouache. My favorite parts are the texture marks on the saucer.