March 2025 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
The three artists featured in the March 2025 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase share the stories behind their beautiful artwork here in our blog.
Lounging by Hayley Snow
11 x 14 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils on Strathmore Drawing Paper. (Photo by Shelley Emm. Used with permission.)
Shelley Emm contacted me wanting a drawing of her two beautiful boys, Harley and Gus. After we discussed a couple of reference photos, she sent a photo of Harley and Gus sitting on a couch in front of a window. I immediately fell in love with the photo; the light that was casting through the window onto the couch, pillows and dogs was absolutely beautiful. The happy expression on Harley’s face, and the calm look of Gus are what also caught my attention.
I had never drawn a full background drawing before, so to say this was a daunting piece for me to complete would be an understatement! After almost 49 hours of work (eight hours alone on the patterned pillow), I was able to call this drawing complete. I am so thankful that Shelley Emm reached out and allowed me to create this memory of her boys so she may cherish it forever.
About Hayley Snow:
Hayley Snow is a 21-year-old artist in Nova Scotia who focuses on honing her skills of colored pencil realism. She finds herself most often drawing pet and animal portraits, but she hopes to start drawing color family portraits in the near future.
See more at www.facebook.com/HayleysPetCommissions
Just My Type by Nancy Honaker
8 x 7 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos on Black Strathmore. (Own photo reference.)
When I was younger, I remember watching my Grandma type on a typewriter exactly like this and being amazed that she could type 80 words per minute! I loved hearing the clacking of the keys and the ding at the end of each row. It was fascinating to see the words appear on the paper at the top. I thought she had magic hands to be able to type so fast, and this drawing was the perfect opportunity to bring my memory of her to life. I challenged myself by drawing this dark object on black paper and wanted to capture the light shining on the keys. Along with my colored pencils, I used a white pen to brighten the whites and black marker in the deepest shadows. The blue cloth underneath was truly a nice surprise that added even more interest to the piece.
About Nancy Honaker:
Nancy lives in northwest Ohio and graduated with a Fine Arts Degree from Bowling Green State University. After many years away from her artistic roots, she rediscovered the joy of colored pencil and enjoys creating realistic works of art. When not drawing, she is either playing the piano or spending time with her husband, son and three dogs.
See more at www.nehonakerart.com/
Peppers! by Samantha Cowley
16.14 x 11.42 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos, Prismacolor, Derwent, Holbein and Alcohol-Based Ohuhu Markers on Arches 640gsm Hot Pressed Sheet (White). (Drawn from life, en plein air.)
My “Peppers!” piece means the most to me so far since starting my career as a botanical artist. Several years ago I completed a single green pepper as part of a short course in colored pencil, and it was the first drawing of which I was proud. It looked so tiny on the page, but I was pleased with how I’d managed to successfully layer and burnish all my colors to create a lovely, colorful 3D form.
During my time studying in the Society of Botanical Artists’ Distance learning program, I studied the Scotch Bonnet pepper in detail in graphite and colored pencils. This piece was exhibited and sold at the SBA Plantae Exhibition in 2023. I think at this stage I was addicted to the little crinkles and shine of these wonderous little fruits, but most of all I was addicted to the colors!
Greens, yellows and reds look incredible together so I decided to create a whole painting filled with all different shapes, sizes and colors of these little peppers with very little negative space left in between. The underlay of bright alcohol ink is definitely what helps make the peppers pop, so I have used this method in other paintings I have worked on. This has resulted in bright and beautiful paintings that zing. I encourage the color addict in you to give the markers a go with your colored pencils. I think every artist has a painting or two that has catalyzed their career or that’s just incredibly special to them for several reasons and the “Peppers!” has definitely been mine.
About Samantha Cowley:
Sam Cowley is a mixed media botanical artist and tutor based in East Sussex in the UK. She has been trained by the Society of Botanical Artists and the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. She predominantly works in bold and vibrant colors, and it’s her love of gardening and how painting and drawing make her feel that inspires her creations.
See more at www.artbysamcowley.com/
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