June 2024 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
The three artists featured in the June 2024 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase share the stories behind their beautiful artwork here in our blog.
Presence by Andrea Knowles
8 x 11 inches
Polychromos, Luminance, Pablo, and Derwent Lightfast colored pencils on Polydraw drafting film. (Photo by David Whelan Photography, used with permission.)
Indrah is a Sumatran Tiger who was born at the Melbourne Zoo in 2010. She captivates visitors with her stunning appearance and playful personality. Indrah is an incredibly vocal tiger, greeting her keepers with purrs and chuffs each morning. She has piercing eyes that sparkle with curiosity and intelligence and has an incredible presence. Those stunning eyes are what draw the viewer into the painting.
Sumatran tigers are critically endangered with fewer than 600 estimated to remain in the wild. Indrah is an ambassador for her species and helps raise awareness and funds for tiger conservation. She is a symbol of hope and beauty, as well as a source of joy and inspiration for many people.
About Andrea Knowles:
Andrea is a wildlife and pet portrait artist who lives in the UK. She prides herself on her attention to detail to capture each individual animal’s character and emotion. She enjoys using a variety of mediums, such as colored pencils, soft pastels and watercolor paints. She is a member of the Association of Animal Artists.
See more at www.facebook.com/andreaknowles6/
Ditsworthy Warren, Dartmoor, UK by Jan de Ville
16 x 12 inches
Polychromos, Luminance pencils on Polydraw drafting film. (Artist’s photo.)
During the lockdown in 2020, l watched the film War Horse. Ditsworthy Warren is the cottage used in the film. As soon as rules were relaxed, I took my mum out for the day to Dartmoor to visit this cottage. It’s derelict and quite spooky. In the film they added a thatched roof but in real life the roof is slate.
It was about a two-mile walk from the road and on the way back l suspected we’d taken the wrong path as we came across a fairly big ditch which we decided we could jump. I made it, but my mum fell in and got soaked, and it was a freezing December with snow lying around! Luckily, we had a flask of hot coffee when we got back to the car and we decided to concentrate on the funny side.
It’s a day and place we will never forget!
About Jan de Ville:
Jan loves to walk and photograph animals, nature, and the countryside, and then to recreate through her artwork many of the beautiful scenes she has encountered along the way.
See more at https://jandevilleart.co.uk
Zelda’s Great Adventure by Susan Myers
11 x 16 inches
Polychromos, Pablo, and Luminance colored pencils on Light Grey Pastelmat. (Photo by Johanna Wall Sands, used with permission.)
I loved the reference photo for this portrait at first sight. The magical scenery, the beautiful pup and the overall blue tint to the photo made me excited to get started. Not going to lie; I was a little concerned that my ambition would exceed my artistic ability and after completing Zelda, I had a few hours of staring at the complicated background, trying to figure out the best way to render it.
I started from left to right, and worked from top to bottom — of course, it was completely backward, as I’m left-handed — taking time to sit back and see what needed to be added and what I could omit. I added a few leaves and grass here and there to improve the composition. When all was said and done, I was pleased with how it came out, and I had to remind myself of what I tell other artists: Just be fearless
About Susan Myers:
Susan is self-taught, starting with a pre-K obsession with sunflowers, and working her way to wild animals, pets of all kinds, and people. She took a break from drawing for a few years only to realize how much she missed the creative process. Once she discovered the wonderful versatility of colored pencils, there was no looking back!
See more at: facebook.com/adollopofcolor.
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