Lessons I’ve Learned On My Colored Pencil Journey

by Janet Mayes

My colored pencil journey started back in 2013 when I completed my first drawing on drafting film.  Even though I had worked with a lot of different mediums, I found that pencil was a very versatile tool to use, as I didn’t have time to mix paints in between working two part-time jobs.

Dahlia Delight, 10.5”x7"

I joined a number of colored pencil Facebook groups and found them invaluable in learning about the medium. Just by browsing posts, reading comments and interacting with other artists, I gained so much information about various supports, tools, and techniques. I became curious about drafting film and fell in love with it straightaway, as it seems to make colors so luminous. 

I highly recommend engaging on group forums like this, because you will obtain a vast array of knowledge. It has helped me so much on my journey.  On the advice of others and after lots of research, I eventually discovered what works best for my artistic style. I have found my favorite surface, sharpeners, pencils, and erasers. Rendering fine detail with colored pencil can be time-consuming, so I often use Caran d’Ache Neopastels as a base layer on the film to save a little extra work. I utilize various lightfast pencil brands to ensure archival quality and to have a wider range of colors to choose from.

“You never know what
opportunities may arise”

Over the years, I have posted all of my artwork on social media groups. Once I became more confident in my style and built up a body of work, I created an art page on Facebook and Instagram. You never know what opportunities may arise from putting your art out into the world.  Ann Kullberg saw my very first drawing of the yellow dahlia, and she very kindly published an article in her monthly magazine in January 2014. This led to an invitation to complete a few tutorials, and subsequently I have had more artworks featured in books and magazines. Another avenue that I explored was attending local monthly markets, which gave me some exposure to the public. I found that my small originals actually sold better than prints! It is also worthwhile entering awards and exhibitions for the experience, and hopefully some sales will follow.  Occasionally I have attended social art gatherings where you can bring your art to work on and share friendship and advice. There is great reward in seeing your art recognized, and encouragement from other artists and followers gives you a lot of motivation to keep going.  Therefore, I have learned to not give up, work hard and dreams may come true!

Mitta, 4" x 4"

Another lesson that I have discovered just recently is to not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone.  As the years have progressed I think that my work has improved from a lot of practice, patience and perseverance, and I feel more ready to take on challenging pieces.  I received a couple of commissions that ordinarily I may have declined because it wasn’t the subject matter that I am used to.  I like to draw florals and birds primarily, but I was asked to do my first pet commission of a cat, and also a child portrait. In drawing different subjects like fur, sand, and skin tones, I believe that this has expanded my knowledge and gives me the confidence to tackle other things as well. I had heard the slice tool was ideal in rendering fur and whiskers, so I was able to add another helpful aid to my collection. If I ever feel overwhelmed by a piece, I now try to treat it like a jigsaw puzzle and complete one section at a time. I draw what I see and not what I think I can see. It sometimes feels like a meditative process and the time goes quickly.

Washed Ashore, 5" x 7"

Finally, I have learned that it is important to have an essence in your work that makes your art recognizable, to have a particular style that you enjoy doing, and something that you try to capture in every piece. For me, that is the interplay of light and shadow on a subject, which serves to enhance its beauty or character. I find that a well-balanced composition is vital with an interesting focal point, including contrast in depth of field. This is always an interesting challenge, attempting to depict a soft, out-of-focus background with pencil. I may not always be successful but I strive to achieve the effect. 

In summary, my advice to anyone starting out on their own colored pencil journey: learn as much as you can about your medium and the tools you use, experiment and practice, interact with other artists for encouragement and advice, promote your work, develop your own style, challenge yourself and have lots of fun on the way!

Janet Mayes:

Janet Mayes lives in a mountain top city in Australia, surrounded by beautiful parks and gardens, which inspires her love of depicting the detail found in nature.  Janet has been interested in art from an early age and completed a three-year Bachelor of Creative Arts course, majoring in Painting and Printmaking. Works have been shown at group exhibitions, featured in various publications, and are housed in private collections. Janet has received many commissions based on the quality of her work.

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