November 2017 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
The three artists featured in the November 2017 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase submitted stories about their artwork for our blog. Read below about their inspiration for each of these interesting animal subjects.
Zebra Mare and Foal
by Susie Hood
11" x 8"
Own reference photo
Prismacolor on Canson Mi-Teintes
I had a memorable experience touring The Wilds, a natural, open-range habitat in Ohio, which is home to a great many rare and endangered animals. Among the numerous species we photographed during that visit were these two Grevy's Zebras. The zebra foal had been doing her best to coax the mare into getting up to play, with one last bit of persuasion as she nuzzled up to seemingly whisper in her ear. The endearing scene touched me and moved me to try to capture the lovely quality of their relationship in colored pencil.
About Susie
As a colored pencil artist, Susie Hood's goal is to bring life and personality to her realistic drawings. Her inspiration comes from a love of nature, with animals being favorite subjects. She is largely self-taught, but through class instruction she has honed her skills, earning her a number of awards.
Royal
by William Leigh
28" x 32"
Image used with permission
Prismacolor on Strathmore board
The image on the typewriter is a Cezanne. The typewriter is the one used by my mother in the late 1930's. She was a secretary and stenographer for Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason novels.
About William
I am an artist and illustrator in Yorba Linda, California, specializing in surrealist and photorealist art.
See more at https://www.facebook.com/william.leigh.
Golden Goddess
by Debbi Hide
14.75" x 11.25"
Own reference photo
Prismacolor, Prismacolor verithin, Polychromos on prepared Natural Sienna Pastelmat
I seem to be fixated on creating images of decorative cats. I’m not even sure anymore where it all began, but the subject matter fascinates me endlessly. The cat in this particular piece is a caracal, drawn from a photo I took at the Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire in England, which I visited this summer.
Just prior to beginning on the drawing, I rubbed some acrylic paint into the surface of the Pastelmat - the intention being to create an old, weathered surface to work upon, especially in the areas not covered by the cat. Read on, and you’ll find out why!
I tend to draw stripy cats - I just do! But in this instance I was drawn to the sunlight striking softly against the subtle shades of the caracal’s fur, and that gave me my start: laying in the lightest tones before all the rest, then the darkest, then those in-between.
What happened after completing the drawing of the cat had been in my head all along - it just matured as I was drawing.
Caracals were certainly known to the Ancient Egyptians. Ancient Egyptian Art was a main inspiration for the Art Deco movement. I just happen to love Art Deco (along with a few other art movements, besides!). And thus, the idea for the background was born.
However, when I began to draw in the papyrus patterns, I found that I simply didn’t want to reproduce the neat geometries I had at first imagined. So I let my pencil lead the way, looking for ideas in the aged-up surface and sticking to my theme, but much more loosely than originally intended. And if you’ve ever wondered what to use your gold Prismacolors on, well, such a subject is ideal!
About Debbie:
Debbi has been involved in art since leaving school. She is a professional artist and a highly experienced art educator, proud to be able to work with and inspire both adults and children. Her sources of inspiration can be natural or man-made, but her attention is always captured by decoration.
See more at http://www.dyhide.co.uk.
These artworks were published in the November 2017 issue of COLOR Magazine.
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