The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - April 2024

Kenyan Maasai Villager 1 by Andrea Drake
16x11.5 inches, colored pencil on Pastelmat

My initial inspiration for attempting this drawing was the colourful handmade jewelry against her dark skin tone and natural features. When I started to immerse myself into the reference, I could see the extent of the challenge ahead. Wrinkles, pores, veins under the skin and the stretched earlobe with a shiny bit exposed through the intricate beadwork as it bends around. This made it a very interesting and time-consuming piece to work on. I used coloured pencils, layering many different colours to achieve the final result, fading and blurring the pigment with cotton buds. I chose anthracite pastelmat which shows through where the drawing fades out, giving a little insight into the techniques used. The wonderful reference photograph was shot by my sister on her travels.

ANDREA DRAKE:

Andrea Drake is an artist living in Stamford, UK, her style is hyper-realism creating realistic portraits of people or animals, along with other subject matters. Andrea is a self-taught passionate artist who finds it therapeutic to be sat at her easel with pencils or brushes in hand.

Facebook: Andrea Drake Artist



Autumnal Warmth by Asma Rekik
19 x 23 inches, coloured pencil on Fabriano Tiziano

I love painting still life, but I don't have much time to make my own compositions. This one is an occasional one ! Having the pumpkin inspired me and it was like picking ingredients for a pumpkin pie! Apples and fennel, flowering branches from the garden, cinnamon sticks, and some fabric and wooden boxes to frame everything up. I enjoyed the whole process, especially that I made further additions to the reference photo from my imagination to end up with the mood that I truly wanted. I really hope to be able to make similar experiences in the future!

ASMA REKIK:

Asma Rekik is a self-taught, colored pencil artist from Tunisia. Her love for scribbling as a kid turned into a love story as she discovered premium pencils. Mainly interested in Floral and Still life Art, she creates artworks depicting atmospheres and emotions expressed by still objects and plants.

Facebook: L'Art Aux Crayons



Light in a Wintry World by Carla René
10" x 14", coloured pencil on Arches Aquarelle

Each year, I decorate a battery-operated candle lantern and hang it from a shepherd's hook, then place it in front of my front door against the sidewalk. My home looks like an English cottage from the outside anyway, so this is the perfect touch. One year during a heavy snowfall just before Christmas, I had gone out for the mail and noticed just how stunningly-beautiful the lantern was with all the snow, so I quickly grabbed my camera and snapped several photos, vowing one day to paint the best one. This painting embodies everything I am: my love of Victorian; my love for snow and Christmas (I'm a regular snow 'ho!), and especially anything romantic!

CARLA RENÉ:

Carla is a woman in STEM, getting her commercial pilot rating, teaching ground school physics to students, and studying math & astrophysics. Now a fine artist who works exclusively in coloured pencil, she combines her love of the sciences with her love of art, applying physics theory to her pieces.

Facebook: GlitterCat Studios



Peacock Passion by Tina Virani
11 x 16 inches, coloured pencil on Derwent Lightfast paper

A combination of photo reference and my own imagination, where realism meets abstract. I try to use a photo reference as just that a reference and always try to include my own ideas and art style in each picture I draw, but keeping an element of realism in the work so it is recognisable to the viewer. I love using bright beautiful colours, and try hard to make sure that lots of complementary colours are used in the drawing. I joke that I try to use every pencil in the box, and at times I get close to this, my style is a bit unique, and I often here people say that I know your artwork before even looking for a name. Peacock passion was a labour of love taking over 2 months to complete—working part-time, but it was wonderful to see it evolve and come together. I really hope that people find joy in my art work.

TINA VIRANI:

Tina is an amateur hobby artist, she has used coloured pencils for over 8 years developing a style that is unique to her. She loves to use every pencil, and works hard to achieve bright vibrant colours. Tina loves having the freedom of expression in her art, that matches her bubbly character.

Facebook: Tina At Pencil Perfect