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Showing posts with label colored pencils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label colored pencils. Show all posts

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Dear Friends!

May this shiny, wonderful new year bring you lots of opportunities in your personal and professional lives.

Pax, colored pencil portrait inspired from the story by Sarah Pennypacker. SueBetanzos.com
I love the story of Pax. It inspired this colored pencil of Pax, waiting. Prismacolor colored pencils, Faber-Castell polychromes colored pencils, Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper, 9" x 12".

New Years Thoughts:

Please keep in mind Oprah's quote that "luck is preparation meeting opportunity".
Or Chris Guillebeau's; "How do you get to be in the right place at the right time? You plan for it, and you position yourself for the success you want to see".

I have a niece who is an expert at this and so is an academic rockstar with several full ride scholarships, degrees and more. She is the super nova example of hard, smart work.

I'm Published - Anne Kullberg's Colored Pencil Magazine

One of my colored pencil pieces has been published in Anne Kullberg's CP Hidden Treasures Volume III earlier this year.

Over 800 international entries and I am thrilled and honored to have my piece selected.
So many talented artists are in the magazine - I am humbled and happy! I picked up the colored pencil medium the beginning of this year, so wow!  :))

A digital version is available as well as a print version. Anne Kullberg's site has lots of wonderful information, instructional kits and more for those wanting to further their colored pencil journey.
The staff is super helpful, friendly.  I subscribe to their digital monthly magazine and love it - I'm hooked!
The magazine is celebrating 16 years in publication.

Here is my little screech owl Whooo, Me? and the page in the CP Hidden Treasures Volume III. I love these little owls. Please read more about screech owls here. They so interesting as well as cute!

Whooo, Me? - Colored Pencil 5x7"


I am Drawn By Nature

Drawn to Nature like a magnet in the mornings. It's the cool spring weather that motivates me to get out and see as many birds and wildlife as I can.

Saw a lot of activity this morning on Tanque Verde Loop which I will record with a list of birdies and a few sketches such as the ones below from Woodland Road the other day. Bright yellow warblers, scarlet red Cardinals, jewel hummingbirds - so many it was exciting.

My current birding will keep me outside until the extreme heat hits. Then lots of painting inside!
Next time I'll try a little plein air sketching - trees :)

Nature Journal. Derwent, polychromos colored pencils, watercolors



Rose Rainbow

This design is a repeat type from a coloring book I actually bought. Most of the books out there don't appeal to me At All, but this one did for a few designs.  It's called Joyous Blooms. I know part of the appeal was the flowers and quotes, which I love.

It was fun to experiment with for watercolor on the Bristol Vellum. To see how much water the paper could take before deteriorating or buckling too much. Overall it did surprisingly well. Good for student practice. Below are materials used for this project.







Materials for Watercolor Pencil Session April 6, 5:30 - 7:30:
• Watercolor pencils or watercolor set.
• Water brush and or 2 brushes: #1 round brush, #2 round brush. Synthetic.
• Colored Pencils
• Clipboard or other board to tape your project onto.

A 5x7" design will be provided. Pencil sharpeners will be available for use.
Aaron Brothers, Michaels, Jo-Anns, Sarnoffs are resources for the materials.
Call or go online to their websites to make sure they have them in stock.




Screech Owl in Colored Pencil

I'm calling this little Eastern Screech Owl done. Started as a small study, it developed into a tighter artwork. It's easy to get lost in the pattern of the feathers.
Colored pencils are an excellent media for the tiny details. Pencils used: Faber Castell polychromos, Prismacolor colored pencils, Prismacolor Verithins.


Whooo, me?  5"x7" colored pencil on Strathmore paper. Available










Three Reasons to Have A Color Journal

Making color journals and references of the media you work in can be very handy to have. Below are three reasons I like to make my color charts of colored pencils and paints.

First, start by getting your colors lined up, warm to cool or whatever works. Then do a small shade bar, from darkest to lightest.

1. Pencils, watercolors, acrylics will vary slightly (or a lot) from different manufacturers.
Also, it can be difficult for beginners to choose based on the packaging color. Having your little color reference can make it easier to see the actual color on the paper.

2. If trying a new brand, it's good to make notes on the side along with the # number of the color to refer back to when getting a palette ready for new work. Each brand and color will have it's own personality and often vary. Light fast, permanence, strengths etc.

3. It's always relaxing and fun to document observations on the colors, feel how each works.  For beginners it is an excellent way to practice shading.


The printed color chart is from Faber-Castell site. It shows all the colors in each of the sets they make. (found under Customer Service tab at the bottom).  There is another chart that lists light fastness for each color. The site will give color charts for their products.


Using a variety of brands gives me the flexibility I need to achieve the results I want.

Barn Owl Love In Progress

Feeling pink with Valentines coming up - plus it was my granny's favorite color. This paper is from my vintage paper stash. I knew it was meant for this pair of Barn Owls. Did you know Barn Owls mate for life?  More on Barn Owl facts in the next finished post.

Hoped to be done a few days ago for Valentine cards, but I can still make digital ones to send :)

Owl Love - 8x10" colored pencil on pink charcoal paper.
Faber Castell polychromos pencils, Derwent chinese white pencil, Prismacolor Verithin pencils,  pink charcoal paper, Kum pencil sharpener, sanding paper, kneaded eraser, clear magic tape, fine paper embosser (to use with the tape to lift color in tiny areas)
More on how to use some of the materials in this POST

Choosing Paper for Colored Pencils


I love paper. My collection includes a wide variety of sizes and types of paper for drawing & painting.
* If you have a coloring book, you can copy a design onto artist grade paper by going to a copier. Ask for assistance and do a test run to save your good paper.

With so many kinds of paper available it can be confusing to choose. Understanding what the paper will be used for will narrow the choices.
Over time and constant experimenting, preferences for brands and types will emerge. And those will probably change as new products become available every year - new stuff to test drive - yay!

A brand that is good to start with. The heavy weight paper takes the pencil well. Vellum surfaces have more tooth.

When choosing paper for colored pencil work, here are some elements I look for:

Texture of the paper.  A medium tooth works best for me. Very smooth surfaces don't have much tooth for the pencil color to grab onto, which only allows for a few layers of color. Smooth works best for ink and very detailed art that will have a few or one layer.

Weight of paper. 98 - 140 lb is my favorite. The heavier acid free paper will not wave or buckle when using light watercolor washes under the pencil work (more on that later in a mixed media post!). Heavy paper stands up to more aggressive techniques like wet under paintings and stays flat.

Paper that is archival. Acid free, PH Neutral paper means that with proper care, your beautiful artwork will last forever.

Color of paper. Depending on the type of artwork, the color can be a bright white, cream, shades of tan or brown, or grey. I like neutral backgrounds. Bright white is great for illustrative work - it makes the artwork really stand out. (I even paint all my glass mosaics bases with white to make colors pop).

Choice of sizes. My preference is for the larger, artist grade sheets which I then cut down to the sizes I need. The pads of paper such as the Strathmore Bristol vellum and Mixed Media are nice, heavy acid free papers that are great to start out or travel with. Currently I am working smaller, 9"x12" - " - 2.5' x 3". Love doing the miniatures!

Price of paper. The pads of artist grade paper can be good deals when on sale or cutting the sheets to smaller sizes. Purchasing my favorite papers by the sheet and  cutting them down can be only pennies per drawing. A great way to enjoy quality materials on a budget :)




Materials for Colored Pencil

For those that enjoy coloring with colored pencils and either attended or want to attend another session for colored pencils at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, a bit of information on colored pencils and the materials list.
Colored Pencils are great, portable and now are enjoying more popularity due to the trend of adult coloring books. There are many brands and versions of colored pencils and products out there. I like to combine several to get the effects I want.

Here is a list of materials recommended for awesome coloring - Happy Coloring!
Colored Pencil Session at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library February 20 10 am - noon
Quality colored pencils. Artist quality pencils Do make a big difference. They have more pigment (hence the price difference). You will not have to press hard on the paper when coloring, which flattens the tooth of the paper. Feather touches will produce rich vibrant colors - you will Love them.
Artist quality paper. Acid free, PH neutral paper means your art will last forever with proper care. Many of the adult coloring books are printed on acid free paper. Select ones with heavier paper.
Kneaded eraser. Looks like gray putty and can be used to lift color.
 Clear tape. To remove color in addition to the kneaded eraser.
Good pencil sharpener. I like the Faber Castell brand or Kum brand. The blades last longer and depending on the pencils, you will be sharpening to keep the point. More on that below.
Sanding paper. The sanding paper is another way to keep your pencil points sharp. Little artist pads are available from an art store or make your own with 220 grit wood sandpaper.
Small artist sketchbook. To make your color charts of your pencils, record the colors. I like to make a small color dot of each color to see how they shade.
Pencil. To make notes for colors etc. I like mechanical ones - no sharpening :)


Some materials will be provided for the students to try out at the library sessions. For some resources to get these materials, I have listed them in this POST.

Below I have listed some materials I like for colored pencil artwork. Try some and find what you like best. Curiosity and experimenting with different materials is how you will learn and form your own favorites list of art toys.
I like using a variety of brands, each has their own qualities.

Faber Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils.
Rich in pigment, they go on smoothly with the lightest touch. Most of the colors are very lightfast.
As an oil based pencil, the lead is slightly harder than a wax based pencil. They hold a sharp point longer, last longer, have high quality wood casings. My favorites.

Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencils.
They are the fine lead version of the regular Prismacolor Colored Pencils. I often use them for fine line work. They hold their point longer than the softer regular Prismacolor. Wax based.

Prismacolor Colored Pencils
I started out with these wax based colored pencils and still have quite a few of them as well as the Verithins. Richly colored, buttery soft wax based lead lays down smooth color, but constantly needs resharpening to hold a fine point. They also get a waxy bloom after a few layers that needs a fixative. Although I still use them sometimes, it's mostly the PC Verithins I use from this brand. Wax based.

Derwent Inktense Pencils
They go on like watercolor pencils but what I really like is they behave like acrylics. Meaning, once they are dry they are permanent. This means that multiple glazes can be applied. It also means you can't go back to remove or lighten the color once it has been laid down with water. Colors are lovely, rich. A set of inexpensive small to medium brushes is recommended. Very little water needed.

Mona Lisa Odorless Mineral Spirits
Solvent blending liquid. One of my methods of blending colored pencils for a base. Dries fast, Very little is needed. If you are coloring in one of the coloring books, do a test first on similar paper and use inexpensive small brushes.

Kum and Faber Castell Pencil Sharpeners
There are Many sharpeners out there. I like these german products because of the quality blades that last longer. Since I mostly use the small hole of the two holed sharpeners, I just switch out the blades when one gets dull. The small two hole sharpener is about 2.60 at Sarnoffs in Tucson :) Great value.

*A last note on artist grade colored pencils.
Besides being wonderful to work with, artist quality brands also sell the pencils Open Stock.
This means that you can buy the colors individually to either add to the set or replace when you need more of certain colors - instead of having to buy a whole set for one or two colors.

Go to your local art store and get one color to try out the brand. Choose a color that doesn't come in the smaller sets and you will have an additional color when you Do get that set :)




A Little Quail Whimsey In Colored Pencil

Happy Sunday!
Think I'll call this finished and stop picking at it. I deepened the contrasts and colors to add interest, bring it more into focus.
Another colored pencil session is scheduled at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library on Saturday afternoon Feb. 20, 10 am - noon.  It's free so bring your colored pencils and learn some basic coloring tips.
Read more about class materials and where to get them HERE.
Quail Whimsey - 9x12" Colored Pencil, Strathmore vellum 100 lb
I used a lot of under painting layers in different colors to add depth. The only black used is on the quail, which was also under painted with a warm maroon to keep it from looking flat black.
I  Highly recommend quality pigment rich pencils to work with such as: Koh-I-Noor, Faber Castell, Prismacolor. All available locally in Tucson or online.







Gambel's Quail Whimsy

Havng fun with this colorful little piece in colored pencil. Fanciful, bright and cheerful, this piece makes me smile when I think of these adorable birds.
Gambel's Quail, prickly pear, Variegated Fritillary butterfly.

Another colored pencil session at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library coming Saturday Feb. 13 or 20 in the early afternoon. Contact the library for more details :) Beginners and intermediate.

Gambel's Quail Whimsy - 9x12" colored pencil, Strathmore vellum paper



Colored Pencil Session Jan.13!

Just a few more days to register for a relaxing two hours of creative coloring! Jan. 13 from 6 pm - 8 pm at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library in Tucson.

Bring your new niftie Christmas giftie coloring books and pencils or create on one of three designs that will be provided. I'll show you how to blend colors and give a bit of info on the pencils & materials.

Oh, and the images provided for this session are copied onto thick, heavy artist quality paper, not the thin paper that most coloring books are printed on. Just saying...  :)
It's one of my pet peeves - the cheap paper most of the adult books are printed on. They bleed, are not acid free, usually too smooth for pencils.

I always think that if you're using good materials you will be much happier with the results. Rich colors come from paint/pencils that are made with more pigment, are more lightfast (fade resistant) hence the cost. Good paper will not bleed as much or at all and is worthy of your efforts.

 Here are some supplies I use and recommend for students:

• Faber Castell Polychromos, Koh-I-Noor Polychromos, or Prismacolor Colored pencils sets. (note: while Prismacolor are acceptable for class, it's not a brand I recommend as much due to the quality control issues with the pencils)

• Mona Lisa oderless paint thinner (and a container to hold it in, like a glass baby food jar)

• Synthetic brushes for blending with the paint thinner. Filbert or straight edge

• Pencil sharpners. Electric or hand held

• Kneaded eraser, clear tape, eraser stick (Derwent pencil eraser)

• Tape for securing your art to your clipboard. Masking or low tack tape

• Heavyweight art paper in medium or smooth or vellum. Strathmore Bristol 100 lb. is an inexpensive paper sold in pads at many art stores

• Clipboard to tape your work to. A size larger than your artwork to tape it to
• Dusting brush to remove dust

For nice coloring experiences I recommend copying the image onto decent artist quality paper like a Strathmore Bristol Vellum 100 lb.  It comes in a pad of 20 sheets or so in several sizes.
Yes, the copiers can handle the heavy paper - up to 140 lb. for most - just feed it through the bypass side and do a test with card stock first.

The materials listed above can be found at these stores:
*(note: the first three offer 40% online coupon off 1 item)
• Michaels
• Aaron Bros
• Hobby Lobby
• Sarnoffs (Tucson local art store)
• Posners (Tucson art store)
• Arizona Art Supply (Tucson art store)
• Dick Blick online ordering

Let's Color!

De-stress after the holidays.
This is an informal, Free mini class where you can play with colored pencils, learn a few blending tips. Coloring is such a relaxing, therapeutic activity - a big reason for the explosion of adult coloring books that are found Everywhere.

Bring your own colored pencils. A set of 24 is recommended. Get a good brand such as: Derwent, Faber-Castell. Prismacolor is also common.
Places to get your pencils: Michaels, Arizona Art Supply, Sarnoffs. Dick Blick for online order. Register with the Kirk Bear Canyon Library in Tucson, limit 10 people.