Category: Pastel

More Drafting Film Fun

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I think you have to know horses to understand that Pete and his buddy are playing, not fighting. I drew these guys on Grafix drafting film using Caran d’Ache Neocolor II water soluble crayons. I tried using a little water on the first layer, but the color pretty much washed away. I may have to use fixative on this as I’m afraid of what would happen if a drop of water hit the surface. I’m considering buying the water resistant Neocolor I crayons just to use on this surface, which I love.

This one of our Pekingese is also on Grafix, but the Dura-Lar version. I used colored pencils with Pan Pastels.

For both drawings, I used the grid method to draw the initial image. It felt like cheating as I’ve never used a grid before. It helps tremendously with proportions, but adding everything else is up to you. Because drafting film is transparent, I created the grid on a separate sheet of paper and can reuse it.

She’s way cuter in real life.

Categories: Art Pastel Pencil

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Bluejay from The Virtual Instructor

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Another tutorial from the virtual instructor complete. I loved how it turned out. This one is a Bluejay on Pastelmat paper using Pablo colored pencils and Panpastels for the background. I think the instructor used polychromos pencils, but the only oil-based pencils I have are the Caran D’Ache Pablos.

I was once told that referring to colored pencils as oil or wax is incorrect because they all have both oils and wax in them. Some have more at different points in processing. It helps me to think about colored pencils in terms of being hard or soft. With the pencils I have, Pablos are the hardest and the Derwent Drawing Pencils are the softest.

Before this project, I wasn’t fond of the Pablo pencils at all. They seemed light, and I didn’t like how they layered on paper. But once I used them on Pastelmat, I realized how much I like them. With Pastelmat, you can layer a lot, so with using a harder pencil you can layer light over dark. It’s a very painterly effect. I did use a few Luminance and Coloursoft, too, as I only have a set of 12 of the Pablos and needed an indigo blue and a dark gray.

This was the second tutorial the Three Little Birds series. I may tackle the third, but I need to buy some black paper. We’ll see.

Categories: Art Pastel Pencil

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Traveler’s Notebook

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Several years ago the traveler’s notebook trend began, but I wasn’t paying attention. I am now, however, and have not one but two: the standard size (above) and an A5 (below). I prefer the A5 as it’s just that much wider and the notebooks stay open while I’m sketching. Yes, I did buy a bigger purse to carry my art supplies on a daily basis.

I carry this in my purse every day, and deciding what tools to bring with is a small challenge. I’ve been happy with some primary color Neocolor II crayons, a waterbrush, some primary colored pencils, and a variety of pens and graphite. Probably too much.

A traveler’s notebook is a cover with elastic bands in the fold that hold a variety of notebooks, planners, folders, etc. Once you fill up a book, swap it out for another. The standard size has a nice sketchbook, but the A5 doesn’t have as many to choose from, so I’ve decided to make my own out of sketch, multimedia, and watercolor papers.

Even though I’m carrying a notebook for writing, I’m mostly using this as a place to sketch. Having a limited, primary color palette is great fun. I seem to be more creative with limitations.

I’ve asked myself, why not just carry a sketchbook? The answer is, I like the cover, the bands, the variety of inserts I can create. I also like a smaller sketchbook that fills up quickly.

What’s next? A super cool pencil case from Japan, still on its way here.

Categories: Art Pastel Pen Pencil Watercolor

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Using Black Pencils

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I’ve been using the Conte Pierre Noire pencils for multiple sketches as I keep filling pages as part of #sketchendeavour on Instagram.

I bought the Conte Sketching Kit, which has several dark pencils as well as a few graphite and pastels.

After sketching this one of my horse, Pete, I used his same pose in a barn painting. I used pastels and dark drawing pencils on Pastelmat.

I needed to start new new sketchbook as my small 6″x8″ Stillman & Birn is full. I decided to use a bigger size, so I’m now working on 9″x12″ paper. I think it’s a great size for landscapes.

Categories: Art Pastel Pencil

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