The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - October 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!
Cooper by France Bauduin
70x50 cm. Coloured Pencil on Pastelmat Board
Cooper is a lovely gold Labrador I meet regularly during my morning walks. Some time during lockdown I offered Cooper's owner to do a portrait of his dog and he liked the idea. Except that instead of the simple portrait of his head, he decided he wanted the whole dog sitting, so I told him I would go big. He asked “How big?” I replied “That big!” showing the size with my arms, and he agreed. He was a pleasure to draw at that size for it is difficult to do tiny details on Pastelmat. I would not have been able to do it justice if it had been half the size I draw him (70 x 50 cm). Sand Pastelmat proved to be the perfect colour to set him off. I always try to pick a colour of paper you find in the animal's coat as the paper is then working for you. I work with a great assortment of colour pencils, having some favourites in each brand but lately with Derwent Lightfast probably being those I like most these days.
About France Bauduin:
France Bauduin is a member of many societies related to coloured pencils (UKCPS); cats (SOFA), or wildlife (TWASI). Beyond technique, France is trying to teach how to look at an animal and infuse some life in it, thus creating a moment, something that speaks to whoever is looking at it.
See more at: http://www.francebauduinart.com/
Elephant For My Sister by Martine Venis-Heethaar
40x60 cm. Colored Pencil on UART 500
I've created this huge drawing, it's an A2 size, for my sister's birthday. She will be 50 years old in a few days. She is a friend for life and therefore it has to be a special gift, of course. A few years ago, I made a lion in black and white (in the same style and size) and she loved it. So, that made me think... what could accompany the lion? The elephant was perfect for that, I thought. So I grabbed the black, white and grey pencils again and created this one. I'm sure she will love it!
About Martine Venis-Heethaar:
Martine is a professional colored pencil and oil painting artist. She shares her enthusiasm about colored pencils with her students in the Netherlands, gives workshops and teaches online on Patreon and Udemy.
See more at: https://martinesfineart.com/
Secret by Francesca Comparin
9x12 inches Coloured Pencil on Pastelmat.
“Secret” is one of my latest drawings, and it is already one of my favourites. When I first caught sight of the reference photo, my attention was at once captured by the green glitter and those little colourful stars on the red nail polish, a very small detail that might have otherwise been overlooked by many people. When searching for a reference photo, I always look for such small details that make the picture so beautiful and captivating. I especially enjoyed drawing those gorgeous eyes. I have always thought of the eyes as being some sort of window to the soul; all our thoughts and emotions put onto display in those little orbs that hold so much power. Therefore, I always begin a new portrait by drawing the eyes first — spending many hours refining them to make them just right — and as a result, it is the part that always comes to life the most once the portrait is finished. Finally, another detail that immediately captured my attention is the expression on the model’s face, which makes me imagine what thoughts and feelings are hiding out of sight beyond the picture, sealed between her scarlet lips.
About Francesca Comparin:
Francesca is a self-taught coloured pencil artist living in London. When she lived in Italy, her life was full of oil paintings and seascapes. Now, her favourite subjects to draw are portraits, and when choosing a reference photo, she always tries to find a particular detail that captures her attention.
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/FineArtByFrancesca
Gardenias by Kylie Carney
13x23 inches Colored Pencil on Fabriano Artistico HP watercolor paper
One of my favorite subject to draw is flower portraits, and this is no exception. The reference photo was taken in my garden in subtropical Brisbane, Australia. I aimed to take a simple and unassuming subject, and imbue it with a sense of drama. To do this, I took multiple photos of the gardenias and used the iPhone photo editor to select an interesting crop. I also used the photo editor to increase the contrast and vibrancy of the colors on the reference photo. The petals of the gardenias at first glance appear white, but in fact many of the shadow areas are very dark. By not being afraid to go dark, I was able to reserve the palest grey and white tones for the lightest areas, creating more dimensionality.
About Kylie Carney:
Kylie Carney is a self-taught colored pencil artist. Her favorite subjects to draw are flower portraits, still life and reflections. Kylie lives with her husband and their two dogs in subtropic Brisbane, Australia.
See more at: https://www.instagram.com/Kylie.carney/
These artworks are published in the OCTOBER 2021 issue of COLOR Magazine.
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