The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - July 2021
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!
Mithran by Revathy Selvendran
11x16 inches, Colored Pencil on Strathmore Bristol
Mithran is a very happy child who always keeps smiling. He is my friend's son. I wanted to draw him. I got lots of pictures of him, but this particular one, where he has no tooth and open mouth with a delightful infectious smile looks endearingly beautiful. Also, the keyboard and the children walker brings the lively sense of home and the whole picture is so very adorable. His smile makes us to smile and enjoy the warmth of that moment. I thought to replicate that magic through my pencils and I think the result is heartwarming and will always be one of my favorites.
About Revathy Selvendran:
Revathy Selvendran is a Software Engineer by profession, but a colored pencil artist at heart. She has been using this medium for the past 5 years. She likes to draw human and pet portraits. She likes to capture the likeness of the subject, also add her own touch.
Croc Creek by Shardul Amit Singh
11x8 inches, Colored Pencil on Stonehenge White
This artwork is based upon a photograph taken by me during my stay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The artwork shows a creek in Hut Bay, Little Andaman Islands which is used by the boatmen to visit the settlements of the native Onge tribe. Man-animal conflict is pretty common as these creeks are frequented by saltwater crocodiles whose numbers continue to grow. I found the reflection of the boats and the dense green foliage in the shimmering waters of the creek a fit subject for an artwork. The foliage and the reflection did give me a tough time and took almost five months to complete. The fact that we see very few landscapes done in colored pencils also made me want to attempt one and know the challenges for myself.
About Shardul Amit Singh:
The artist is a serving government official with a passion for the creative arts. Painting in Colored Pencils and photography take up most of his spare time. His artworks have been published in international art magazines of repute.
See more at: www.facebook.com/shardulsart
Colorado Reflections by Kim Keys
9x12 inches, Colored Pencil on Art Spectrum Colourfix
The photo was taken by my son on a trip to Colorado with his brother. They camped at this lake with this spectacular view. I was drawn to paint this particular photo because of the beauty of the reflections in the water, but the canoe completely drew me in. The canoe made me think of the adventures to come on the water enjoying all the spectacular views from this lake and of the magical memories to be made with family or friends while enjoying such majestic beauty. The scene just made me feel a sense of peace and tranquility. I enjoyed painting this scene as I reflected on the great memories my sons made on this special trip. I know they have much to reflect back on; and, just maybe, this painting helps them to go there again in their imaginations. I also enjoyed working on the Colourfix pastel paper for this piece. It worked so well for this landscape and is quite a lovely surface to work on in colored pencils. In creating the underpainting with the Museum Aquarelle watercolor pencils, applying wax based pencils and heating and scrubbing in the sky with a bristle brush, and then completing the painting with layers of the Luminance pencils, this surface was quite durable for all of these techniques.
About Kim Keys:
Kim is a self-taught colored pencil artist/teacher. After oil painting for nine years, she discovered colored pencils and was hooked. She enjoys painting landscapes, floral, and still life. She also loves to teach others how to use colored pencils and encourage them in their journey to create beautiful art.
See more at: www.kimkeysart.com
Evergreen by Paula Williams
11x14 inches, Colored Pencil on Grafix Duralar .005 Matte Drafting Film
As we recently lost Rob, his widow asked me to recreate this photo taken during a wedding anniversary celebration the year before. The photo was chosen by his children as they all wanted a say in the decision. She wanted this specific picture as a remembrance of a lifetime of love they had between them. Evergreen was their wedding song. When I presented this finished piece to her, she could only sob. As an artist I knew that I was able to capture all that Rob was in life and that it would be cherished and handed down through the generations of their family.
About Paula Williams:
A childhood dream of Paula's was to become an illustrator for Disney Studios. Shea earned her BFA from RIT. Always drawn to seeing detail she fell in love with pencil. She is the granddaughter of an artist and is blessed to have been able to follow in his footsteps.
See more at: www.facebook.com/artist1958
These artworks are published in the JULY 2021 issue of COLOR Magazine.
FEATURED ARTWORKS FROM OUR FACEBOOK PARTNER GROUPS