The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - August 2019
Corresponding with the art gallery that is featured each month in Ann Kullberg's COLOR Magazine, The Pencil Box blog series will give artists a bit more space to share insight and inspiration about their colored pencil art. Make sure to check out FB group links at the bottom of this post. Call for entry is posted every month in participating Facebook groups - join in the fun and your artwork could be featured, too!
The Kitten and the Butterfly by Sema Martin
(A3) 16.5 x 11.7 inches, Pan Pastel, Polychromos, and Luminance on Winsor & Newton Extra Smooth Bristol Board
Welcoming the Spring of 2019, this drawing is created from pure imagination and love of spring. The warm tones and bright daffodils show the warm spring day. The new kitten seeing a butterfly for the first time among newly bloomed daffodils in a Welsh country garden. I wanted to convey the connections between the two species discovering each other. The kitten, being completely consumed by amazement and curiosity at the sight of another living creature unlike himself. Nothing else matters, only this moment. I was inspired by the newness of spring and the surrounding Welsh countryside I live in. This spring image will be one of four produced this year, one for every season.
About Sema:
Entirely self-taught, Sema Martin made the leap from a NASA Engineer to Fine Art Artist in 2016. Her love of nature and wildlife brought her to the Welsh countryside where she now has a studio in the heart of the Brecon Beacons and a thriving International Pet Portrait Business.
See more at: https://www.semamartin.com/
Air Force Air Advisor – Afghanistan by Chere Jackson
8"x10" Prismacolor on Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper. Reference provided by the subject (Michael B. Jackson) and used with permission.
Most of my pieces have been completed with specific people in mind because I find that the most joy and satisfaction for me comes from creating something meaningful to a specific person. This piece is no different in that I wanted to draw something that would honor my husband for the sacrifices he makes on a daily basis for our family and our country. He has served over 20 years in the United States Air Force and will be retiring from active duty service in December. This portrait was done to commemorate one of the most exciting and dangerous moments in his military career and to celebrate his retirement at the end of this year.
About Chere:
Chere Anne Jackson is an emerging artist from the United States, best known for subject matter that reflects a certain richness in color, dramatic angle, or intriguing light. She captures the beauty, mystery, and humor of everyday life and allowing it to resonate through each new piece. .
Chins Up by Pamela Clements
10" x 8", Prismacolor and Verithin pencils on light grey pastelmat. Client’s photos used with permission.
Did you know that chinchillas have the densest fur of any mammal living on land? Otters hold the prize for water mammals. A little research done on the new subject of my latest pet portrait revealed numerous enlightening details and better understanding. Meet Teddy and Gwen, two beloved pet chinchillas commissioned as a graduation pet portrait for a friend of my son. The challenge of capturing personalities of a pet with the unique characteristics of a chinchilla differs greatly from the more familiar cat or dog portraits. Putting Teddy and Gwen together allowed two different viewpoints which help define the chinchilla while also hinting at the personality underneath all that velvety fur. I further individualized the two by using primarily warm grays for Teddy and a cool grays for Gwen giving each their own specialized fur coat. I used to tell my students that pets should be petted, meaning fur covered and no scales or leather skin which students love to counter with their numerous stories of snakes, lizards and turtles. Teddy and Gwen would prove my point, I think, much to their delight and mine.
About Pamela:
Pamela Clements retired from teaching K-8 art in 2018 returning full time to her lifelong love of drawing. Camera in hand, she walks the woods, state and local parks to discover the numerous subjects of her nature still life's and the love of animals in her pet portraits.
See more at: https://pamela-clements.pixels.com/
Proud and Independent by Anja Fuhrbach
11x15 inches, Prismacolor on Clairefontaine Pastelmat800
This was our first Saluki "Kohaylan", who came to us when I was 16 years old, and who changed my life completely in several ways. One point is that he was the reason why I started drawing. The reference photo for this portrait was taken by me in 1991. I always delayed drawing it because it was so special for me. It shows his aloof and snobbish character perfectly, which it is typical for Salukis, the breed standard for these very independent and reserved sighthounds says: "The expression should be dignified and gentle with faithful and farseeing eyes." For many years, I knew that I could not draw good enough to do him justice. He had a very special character and such beautiful coat colors. Now finally, after gaining enough practice and changing the light situation from a cold winter scenery to a very natural, classic portrait look which shows his real colors better, I finally was confident enough to start this artwork. In the end, I am happy with the result. It’s been worth the wait.
About Anja:
Anja is a german artist and the owner of the colored pencil shop farbstifte.net (http://colored-pencils.com).
Her favorite theme are animals, she loves to draw them, developing their expression and character with careful, gentle strokes and she is fascinated by the detail that can be achieved with colored pencils.
See more at: https://hundekunst.com
These artworks are published in the AUGUST 2019 issue of COLOR Magazine.
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