As part of my personal growth in 2022, I am auditing art classes at the Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts, taught by Jeff Nesbit.
I layered water soluble graphite, purple watercolor paint and gesso to make a ground. A ground, short for background, is a base used to prepare a support for drawing or a painting.
I drew over the ground with waterproof ink and added shadows and highlights with oil pastels. For the final layer I sprayed on several coats of workable fix.
Relentless Robin 
Whoa, nice hands! My Drawing I class did an overview of hands. Hopefully my Drawing II class this spring will go deeper into that. So much going on with hands! Your drawings are great, nice detail.