The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - September 2020

The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - September 2020

Corresponding with the art gallery that is featured each month in Ann Kullberg's COLOR MagazineThe 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!


Frenchie by Anita Gowing
A3 Hahnemuhle Nostalgie

This is my third piece on smooth paper & I selected this image from Pixabay to challenge and develop my skills. The ears were a joy to draw with so much detail and texture of fur and skin; the wrinkles and muzzle were the most challenging to obtain a realistic rendering. With this piece I really got a feel for the support; the amount of layers achievable and the way it performs with the different pencils. I found that the Holbein pencils in particular laid down very smoothly and combined well with other brands; I also used the Slice Manual Pen Cutter to create fine hair texture. I very much like the Nostalgie and shall use it for commissions as well as practice pieces.

About Anita Gowing:

From the UK, Anita has been drawing for 18 months as a hobby. She has produced several commissions of dogs, most of which have been Border Collies due to her involvement in the breed. Colored pencils have become a passion alongside her dogs.



Baby Elephant by Carol Leather
13x9 inches, Fabriano 5 watercolour paper

A photographic day at a Safari Park was arranged to photograph the big cats, but on route to their enclosure a small family group of elephants were spotted. An unplanned detour was agreed by all in the vehicle and this irresistible new baby with his fuzzy body came into view from behind his mother. There was only the chance for a few photos, before moving on. I just couldn't resist the smile on his face in this particular photo. In my drawing, I transported him from the grassy English countryside to the sand of his homeland. His movement suggested that the dry sand would be kicked up by his feet, partially obscuring them. It was fun depicting the texture of the baby's skin and all those soft rolls and wrinkles.

About Carol Leather:

Carol Leather discovered colored pencils in her 50s and enjoys creating pictures of wildlife and pets. She is also a wildlife photographer and has accumulated a vast portfolio of photos of the creatures in her native England from which she draws inspiration for her artwork.

See more at: https://www.carolleatherportraits.com



A Tibetan Shepherd by Janie Pirie
8x10 inches Fabriano Artistico

A friend took many photographs of this chap whilst on holiday. I loved his amazingly interesting face, the weathered look of someone who spends most of his time outdoors. There were so many challenges to this piece, not least that the photograph was only 4x3 inches so bringing it up to a good size was a labor of love. I wanted to see how well I could portray his rugged complexion, the remaining dreadlocks, the torn T-shirt and, most of all, the sweater. I am certain I spent more time coloring the sweater than it would have taken me to actually knit it! The color was particularly lovely. I used Black and Olive Black from the Caran d'Ache Pablo range for this. There were so many wonderful areas on this piece; the furrowed brow, the facial blemishes, the cracked, dry lips, the moustache and beard — every bit of it was a joy to work on.

About Janie Pirie:

Janie Pirie is well known across the world for her realistic and beautiful botanical illustrations and is the proud recipient of two Royal Horticultural Society gold medals for such work. However, she has also won several awards for her incredibly observant and detailed portraits using colored pencils or watercolor..

See more at: http://www.janiepirie.co.uk



Jude by April Whysall
10x10 inches, Fabriano Artistico Hot Pressed

Dedicated to my mother, whose favorite animal is the shy Red Squirrel. Due to their dwindling numbers in the UK, she doesn't get to see them a lot, so now she can have one permanently in her home, in the medium of colored pencil. I focused on the contrasting textures of the squirrel's smooth coat, its fluffy tail, and the jagged bark of the tree. The green of the moss helped bring out the rich reds and oranges that the red squirrel is famed for. I hope this piece inspires others to always keep an eye out for them in the wild!

About April Whysall:

April Whysall is a pencil artist from Nottingham, UK. Animals have always been her choice of subject, inspired by the illustrations of her animal encyclopedias as a child. April has Proteus Syndrome, a complex and rare genetic disorder and uses the calmness of creating art as a method of self-care.

See more at: https://www.facebook.com/AprilWhysallArt


These artworks are published in the SEPTEMBER 2020 issue of COLOR Magazine.

FEATURED ARTWORKS FROM OUR FACEBOOK PARTNER GROUPS

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