Magic (pastel pencils)

Hi friends!

This picture was made for the New Year's art contest
I'm talking about it because here for the first time I used non-traditional material for me.
Perhaps it will be interesting and useful for someone..

So, the theme of the contest was named Magic
I decided to draw a circus number - magic tricks

I chose my favorite art materials for work: a set of pastel pencils and soft pastels
Yes, a cotton swabs and fingers ... but they were not included in the frame)))

In a neutral light color, I sketch out the intended story - a table covered with a tablecloth, a box and a magician's magic wand.

I outline the base colors of all objects.
The tablecloth will be blue, the box will be red-gold, the bow on the lid will be green-gold, the wand will be brown, glowing around the edges.
And the magic star at the end is white-yellow and the rays are white-yellow-orange.

I draw the bottom of the tablecloth - soft folds and highlight and shadows.
I refine the edges of the box with a dark brown color, paint over the inside with a dark color (what is there is still a mystery))). I put dark green shadows and folds on the bow, draw back loops for it to make it more magnificent.
I enhance the radiance of the rays of the magic wand.

Now, here's where the magic begins!
I take pastels of very bright and light colors, finely cut them with a blade on paper - different colors, in different places, around the box and a wand.

And now I take a cotton swab and start drawing with it!
As it turned out, this is a tool for creating a colored magical fog that floats out from under the ajar lid.
In some places, on the very edges of the sheet, I rub the pastel crumbs very strongly, almost to translucency - the fog disappears outside the frame.

Finally, I take pencils of the same color and draw individual magical swirls over the mist.
And stars... what magic without a scattering of stars!
A few large colored ones and many, many small white ones.
I smooth out the strokes on the tablecloth, I emphasize the contours of the box and the table on the shadow side.
And so...
Here it is, the moment of Magic!

Yes, I did not draw a falling shadow under the table - the magician's table can fly, who would doubt it!))))

I think you'll like an idea to drawing with a cotton swab too!

Regards