I wanted to try a piece with extremely dark values. I had just bought new graphite supplies including some 8b pencils and a stick of 9b graphite powder. I’d also heard of a trick: combining linseed oil and graphite powder (created by sanding down graphite sticks) could create the blackest areas without the typical graphite shine. Eager to try this, I tried to think of a piece that could meld with such a pure black background. When inspiration struck, I stole a lamp from the living room, taped it to the toilet, tied a flashlight to it with a bit of ribbon, and began taking reference photos. This entire experience was experimental and extremely fun.