In our drawing class, we are getting ready to make larger-than-life scale self portraits. I am not yet ready to jump in. Thanksgiving weekend is here don't you know, the weather is beautiful and there are plenty of other things to do. Instead, I decide to sketch a quick self-portrait using conté, another material that is new to me. Conté crayons are made from clay, natural pigments and graphite — the colours are opaque and vivid with less dust debris on the paper than the familiar pastel crayons. For this quick sketch, I use the grey, yellow and white colours to mark shadows, midtowns and highlights.