Portrait of a Poppy Seed Pod in Carbon and Graphite Pencils

It seems that I'll be enjoying my pencils in the weeks and months to come. Here is a small portrait of a dried poppy seed pod done in carbon and graphite pencils. The background is done using a water-soluble graphite pencil (8B Staedtler). I used both carbon and the regular graphite pencils to draw the poppy seed pod. I'd been meaning to draw simple, black and white botanical portraits like this for the longest time. And I'm glad to have finally done so. It was my first time ever to draw this subject, and the experience was just the right combination of ease and difficulty. (Perhaps less of the difficulty, if I may be quite bold and brazen.)

This small piece on 200 GSM watercolor paper measures 6 inches x 6 inches. I have lots of these small cut-outs that I made out of 12 in. x 12 in. papers. They were originally meant for collage art but then I've found that they're just as good for graphite drawings. And, even if the initial plan was just to make noncommittal drawings, I believe this piece has become an intentional artwork on its own.

Supplies used:

• Staedtler Mars Lumograph Graphite Watercolor Pencils
• Staedtler Mars Lumograph Black, Carbon Blend Pencils
• STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph Art Drawing Pencils
• Corona Watercolor Paper 200 GSM (local brand)