The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - January 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!
Whisper by Annemarie Schütz
A3 (29,7x42cm), Polychromos on Hahnemühle Nostalgie.
Drawing white fur on white paper has always been the most difficult challenge to me because you have to use any color but white. I wanted to improve my skills and thought about which animal I could draw. A unicorn seemed to be the most suited to my aim. A unicorn is the embodiment of innocence, purity, mystery and wisdom. Drawing it on white paper seemed to be the perfect way to do it justice. I decided to use lots of soft colors like light blue, purple, pink, and yellow to reveal its beautiful nature - and I think it was the right decision.
About Annemarie:
Ami Schütz is 31 year old artist from Germany. She started drawing with colored pencils in March 2017 and immediately fell in love with them. Just two months later she began to take commissions. Lifelike pet portraits and wildlife art are her main subjects.
See more at: http://www.facebook.com/katzenkunst
In the Soccer Field by Angela Mende
9x12 inches, Faber-Castell Polychromos on Canson Mixed Media
I chased this bee all over the soccer field, in the park behind our house, before I finally got the shot which was used as a reference for this drawing. I think it's wonderful how even in an urban environment we can always find incredible creatures, if we just take the time to look for them. I love drawing insects, but as an added challenge for this piece, I decided to add a background, which I had never really done before. It allowed me to experiment with new blending techniques, overall light balance and composition. It was very time consuming, but very satisfying and definitely worth the end result.
About Angela:
An architect by trade, Angela has always had a love for details and a desire to understand how things are built. In much the same way, she enjoys learning about each creature she draws and seeks to share their beauty through her art.
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/angelamendeart
Fits the Bill by Kathryn Hansen
18.25x7.5 inches, colored pencil on Stonehenge paper
By his name alone, the Brown Pelican sounds rather dull and mundane but after many encounters with them along the exquisite shores of Southern California I found that not to be true at all. The Brown Pelican is actually quite a splashy bird, which I truly enjoyed drawing. For me, it's been quite rare in drawing animals over the years to be able to incorporate a host of colors such as navy blue, moss greens, crimson and coral colors in one animal. Plus with his elongated neck and extensive bill I thought he made an extremely fun subject to draw.
About Kathryn:
Kathryn Hansen received her BFA degree from the University of Stevens Point, WI. She went on to study art at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, and Associates of Art in CA. The foundation of her work is in capturing the essence and soul of the animals she draws.
See more at: http://www.kathrynhansen.com
Sein Revier (His Hunting Ground) by Ronald Firla
20 x 38 cm., Faber-Castell Polychromos on Hahnemühle Nostalgie
On a hiking trip, I saw a sports fisher in the water of a creek. Memories and longing seized me! As children we always played outside in the meadow or in the forest, went fishing on the river. This smell of water and plants, light between trees, reflection in water - it was like times before! You must paint this! - I thought so. Weeks later, I grabbed pencil and paper. From a photo I took the fisherman, changed the landscape and made a sketch. Faber-Castell Polychromos are my favorite pencils, Hahnemühle Nostalgie the right paper. I did not want a colorful autumn color that would have made the picture too corny. At the top the leaves of the trees as framing, below the reflection in the water – that was my idea.
The texture that comes through the pencils is typical of my pictures - because they are pure (dry) CP works, without priming coat, without Markers, Watercolor or other media. 20...30 hours. Layer over layer! We say in Germany, "Langsam wächst die deutsche Eiche" (The German oak grows slowly) and that's what it is. It takes time and patience for a picture in colored pencil !
About Ronald:
Ronald is a self-taught pencil artist and lives with wife and kids nearby Dresden, Germany.
See more at: http://www.firlie.de/
These artworks are published in the January 2019 issue of COLOR Magazine.
FEATURED ARTWORKS FROM OUR FACEBOOK PARTNER GROUPS