Using Colored Pencil on Ampersand Aqua Board Osprey Colored Pencil Artwork Finished

New Work

So, I like to explore and try experimenting with different surfaces when using colored pencils. So I decided to experiment with Ampersand Aqua Board. It has an acid-free textured clay surface that supposedly can absorb watercolors just like watercolor paper. What piqued my interest in using this type of surface, is that your artwork can be sealed with a sealer or coating and it doesn't have to be framed under glass. How nice that would be, not to mention more affordable. As in my last blog post, I thought in order for me to use this surface I thought if I primed it with Brush and Pencil's Colored Pencil Textured Fixative the colored pencil might adhere better to the surface. After finishing this artwork, I would not recommend this type of surface when working with colored pencils, mainly because the surface of the aqua board makes it very difficult to apply many layers of colors using colored pencils. In addition, the surface makes it difficult to complete a lot of detailed work using colored pencils. It also really eats away the colored pencil leads quickly. Ampersand Aqua Board, however, is definitely well suited for watercolors and gouache.

Title: Osprey

Medium: Derwent Watercolor Pencils, Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Marco Raffine Colored Pencils, and Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolors

Drawing/Painting Surface: Ampersand Aqua Board

Reference Photo: My own

Artist of the Week

I stumbled across this UK artist in reading Making the Mark's Blog on Derwent's Exhibition Winners. Artist, Sarah Gillespie, had an entry that was mind blowing. All the little details of crosshatching. It was just an incredible piece.  You can check out her pencil, graphite and charcoal artwork here http://www.sarahgillespie.co.uk/

Colored Pencil Resource of the Week

Here is a great video tutorial on how to draw a bird by the virtual instructor using Derwent Colored Pencils. 

Keep on Creating!

Have a blessed weekend!

Colored Pencil Cat Drawing, Ampersand Aqua Board and Colored Pencil Resource

Colored Pencil Cat Drawing

I finally finished up this cat portrait. I forgot how tedious and time-consuming fur can be. I did not have a great photo to work from, a lot of guesswork on the white part of the fur. Arden was my daughter's cat who disappeared during a  rainstorm.
Title: Arden
Medium: Colored Pencil
Paper: Canson Mi Tientes
Reference: Own

Arden

Ampersand Aqua Board

So my next project experiment is using watercolor, watercolor pencils and colored pencils on Ampersand Aqua Board. First I have to say, the board's surface does not have the tooth to hold a colored pencil at all. I tried applying a layer of Colored Pencil Texture Fixative to the surface, to see if it would help add some tooth to the surface of the board but, unfortunately, it did not help. However, once you lay down a few layers of watercolor, you can apply colored pencil on top of the watercolor layers. I am using Copic Colorless blender to blend the watercolor pencils and colored pencil. I used Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolors, Derwent Watercolor Pencils and Prismacolor Colored Pencils on the sky.
So here is the beginning stages of an Osprey I am working on. The reference photo is my own.
I will be showing updates as I progress...

Falcon

Colored Pencil Resource of the Week

Artist Lisa Clough gives an excellent demonstration on how to draw hair in colored pencil  http://lachri.com/drawing-hair-in-colored-pencil/ using colored pencil artist tools - Touch Up Texture and Titanium White Powder from http://www.brushandpencil.com .

Keep on Creating!

New Colored Pencil WIP and Drawing a Cat Colored Pencil Resource

Happy 4th of July

Like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July weekend! I have no big plans but just plan on spending time with family.

New Work In Progress

So I started a new colored pencil piece last week. I am working on it in-between design projects. It is a very special portrait to me, as it is of our cat, Arden. He disappeared several years ago during a rainstorm and never returned. It has taken me a long time to finally decide I could draw him and I thought it would be great practice for me to help get back into using my colored pencils again, being as when I was in school last year, I didn't really have a lot of time to do what I love most and that is drawing with colored pencils. 

When I draw fur, I don't have the patience to draw really every line like some colored pencil artists do. I draw mostly the shapes that I see, which gives an illusion of fur. I usually use a lot of various colors. Sometimes, I will use more than 50 colors for one piece. It just depends on the subject and background. For this particular piece, I am using Prismacolors and one of my other favorite brands of  colored pencils Tombow Irojitens. I love Irojitens colors. I am using masking fluid for the whiskers.

I always start off with the eyes. I have been told by other professional artists I should start off with the background first, then work on the body and then the eyes last. I have tried that method before, but I find it easier for me to judge and scale the whiskers and fur with the eyes done first.

 


Originally, I had every intention using Alyona Nickelsen's products (Colored Pencil Texture Fixative, Powder Blender and she gave me a gift of the final fixative) that I purchased on this piece, however, I totally foobared my attempt. The paper I am using is Canson Mi Tientes on the smooth side. Before I started applying layers of color to this paper, I sprayed a layer of the Colored Pencil Texture Fixative just to see what it would do. This particular fixative, which I have discovered is not meant for regular drawing paper. As you will find out if you buy this product, as I did with experimentation, it sprays on very wet and will buckle your paper as it dries. And you know Alyona, does stress that in her video that the products are not meant for regular drawing paper. I just figured Canson Pastel paper would be okay to use cause it does have a textured surface. Artist, Lisa Clough, had a similar problem and came up with and idea to solve the dilemma by applying some thin watered applications of gesso to the drawing paper's surface, but I only discovered this solution after I started work on this piece. Anyways, I hate to throw away paper, so I did tape this piece down to help straighten out the buckling after I sprayed it.  But really for Alyona's products, you need a more durable thick sanded pastel or gesso paper or a pastel board such as Ampersand Pastelbord. So I plan on using her products using a non-absorbent pastel board or paper and will be giving her products a review on my next piece.
Here is a video by artist, Lisa Clough , giving a demonstration on how to use Alyona's products and a review on Alyona's colored pencil products. These products produce a look very similar to pastels. So real excited to get my paper and using these products.

Colored Pencil Resource

I thought I would share this wonderful demonstration by artist Emmy Kalia on how to draw fur using colored pencils. Her method, which is different than mine, achieves more realistic fur. Enjoy!

Keep on creating everyone!