Working with Colored Pencils

Remember when you tried colored pencils for the first time? What a neat thing they were with their precision points and vivid colors! Well, it might be time to take a fresh look at this old friend. Pencil makers have new offerings along with their standard lines, creating a packet of really dynamic tools. With a quality sketchpad and a fistful of these "tools," you are set to capture any scene you wish.

The paper you choose can be any, but selecting the best quality is always smart. Today's sketchpad papers are usually buffered to a neutral acidity, but buying the best you can afford will help your artwork last as long as possible. Buying individual sheets of a product--like Strathmore's Pure Paper--is always a good choice. The weight of this paper is 60 pound; it is made of 40% cotton fiber and is acid-free. That means it will remain bright and color-true for many years. Sheets of this type come in a rainbow of colors, with a slightly irregular texture that grips and anchors colored pencil work. Charcoal papers, also acid-free and made of 100% cotton fibers, come in softer, muted earth tones and are a great way to ease into colored background work. If white or ecru is still your favorite, you can select from a variety of textures in acid-free Bristol boards, watercolor papers or illustration boards. Try several before settling on any one type. Color and texture are available in many product lines.

The colored pencils you select can come from a wide range of products. Always consider the purchase of artists' quality pencils because they offer the richness and purity lacking in student grade products. Some pencils have lead hard enough to hold a very sharp point. Some are soft and lavish on rich color, but are not able to hold a sharp point. Some can be erased and some are more permanent. Some are waterproof, while others can be blended with a wet brush to create a watercolor style. There are even pencils without any wood; the entire pencil is a stick of colored lead with which to draw. The choices are exciting!

Hard colored pencils have a lead composition that does not crumble, can be sharpened to a fine point, and then used for very fine detail. These pencils are indispensable when such detail work is desired. They can be used to fill in large areas, but their real forte is pinpoint, exact detail. Color ranges in this line of precision pencils include all tones from light bone and pastels through deep, rich colors, with all colors being insoluble. A jet black, a stark white and sets of 12 to 36 are widely available as well as individual pencils in colors to restock your supply.

Softer pencil grades--those that give a thicker, more blended line--can be very useful for coloration of large areas of intense color. For blending tones, use overlapping layers of color, starting with the lightest color and adding the dark over it in even strokes. These pencils are available in individual replacement colors and sets of 12 to 120 colors, including pastels, middle tones, and deep colors in nearly every shade. There are metallic and neon colors, too.

Lightfastness in colored pencils is especially important for the professional. Several brands offer a high level of lightfastness and different softness grades. These pencils blend easily and are often packaged in special display boxes that make color organization and selection easy.

Designers and artists love the flexibility of watercolor pencils. They look like regular colored pencils but offer a two-fold option. You can use them just as you do any colored pencil or create the look of watercolor, but with more control than traditional watercolor. It is easy to achieve that washed, softened look without the use of pan or tube color. Using artists' quality pigments, these pencils offer colors that can be blended with a simple stroke of a paintbrush; or they can be dipped into water for direct, wet-line drawing. Wetting the tip of the pencil gives the most vivid colors. It is possible to use a small amount of water in a sectioned watercolor tray and make pools of color with the tip of the watercolor pencil, but most artists love the spontaneity of direct application.

TIPS: 1. Try dampening the paper of your choice to achieve the darkest, most intense colors with your colored pencils. To prevent over-saturation of the paper, use a damp, soft cloth, a finely textured sea sponge or a lightly charged wide brush to dampen the paper. While the colors can be layered and built up, it is still possible to achieve soft edges. 2. When your pencils get too short to handle comfortably, buy a pencil lengthener. It slips on the end of either a round or hexagonal pencil and lets you use every bit of precious color in the stub.

So whether you tried colored pencils years ago or have never experienced this easy-to-transport, take-it-anywhere media, now is a great time to do so. Check out the General Pencil Company web site for their quality products, including a great sketch-and-wash dark lining pencil: www.generalpencil.com.

Colored Pencil Society

Membership in the Colored Pencil Society of America is open to all artists over 18 years of age. Member benefits include receipt of To The Point, the national newsletter that is issued three times annually; product research, pigment identification and lightfast information; a member's rate entry fee for the Annual CPSA International Exhibition; International Membership Networking Directory; District Chapters for local and regional networking; and notification of colored pencil workshops and artist seminars. For further information, see www.cpsa.org or call 847-433-1819.

Archival Reversible Mounting Panel by Art Boards Archival Art Supply

Art Boards Archival Reversible Mounting Panels are made for artists to mount their own finished artworks as well as paper and canvas upon which to draw and paint.

• The panel is pre-mounted with 100% archival adhesive and it is reversible.

• Paper or canvas adhesion can be easily reversed and removed from the panel in the future.

• Archival glue forms a complete archival waterproof seal between the artwork and the panel.

• Panels can be heated in a conventional oven or in a dry-mount press used to mount photographs.

• Mounting Panels have gdovetail haning slots on the back for easy hanging in either direction.
• The Mounting Panel hangs flush to the wall without the need for framing or picture wire.

Art Boards Natural Fiber mounting surface has a heat-activated reversible archival adhesive. Artwork is easily mounted or removed with heat without adding any humidity or moisture to the artwork. The archival adhesive is pre-mounted to the face of the Natural Fiber Panel, which is 3/8" thick and light in weight. The Mounting Panel has no voids in its core and has a perfectly smooth surface. Heating the panel in an ordinary oven at 220 degrees for two minutes activates the panel's adhesive. The artwork, paper, or canvas is then placed quickly on top of the panel. Pressure is applied with a soft brayer or rag. The temperature will quickly fall below 140 degrees and then the bond is made.

Mounting Panels can be heated in a conventional oven or toaster oven but not in a microwave oven. A photographic dry-mount press will also work well when mounting artwork to Art Boards Archival Mounting Panels.

To remove the mounted artwork, paper, or canvas, simply reverse the process. Reheat the mounted panel for 2 minutes at 220 degrees. Remove the panel from the oven and lift off the paper or canvas. As long as the panels are above 140 degrees, the paper or canvas will easily release for repositioning or removal. This process can be done multiple times at any time in the future.

Custom size Mounting Panels are available uncradled or cradled. 

The Fine Craft of Silk Painting

Just like watercolor, silk dyes can be painted onto silk using a variety of watercolor application techniques. Silk painting is a direct paint-on and spontaneous painting method. The painting can be simple or dramatic and is an art form first introduced in the Far East. Kimono art in Japan, delicate Chinese paintings on silk and beautiful intricate batiks from Indonesia show us that throughout the centuries, artisans have been creating art that is both decorative and functional.

Today's silk painter is very lucky because the systems have been streamlined and the materials are readily available. Whatever level of involvement you desire, there is a product, a method and a style that will make your creations come to life. Silk painting as we know it today was popularized by a French artist, Litza Bain, who combined the techniques used by French (and Russian emigrants to France) milliners and silk flower makers in the early part of the 20th century. She took their methods and devised a system for silk painting. In the early 1960's she started teaching this method. Since then, silk painting has risen in popularity, as artists have discovered that it is a unique and attractive method for fabric decoration (as well as profitable).

Silk painting involves the application of dyes onto silk that has been stretched tightly between the sections of a frame. The base fabric is usually white or off-white in color, so that all tones from pastel to rich jewel colors can be seen and enjoyed. A unique blend of ancient techniques and completely modern variations can be found documented in any book on silk dying. Silk painting and decoration is both vivid and elegant or soft and demure. Your colors and application make the item "come to life." There is no "incorrect" way in which to apply the colors. Simply test your ideas and work on perfecting a style and look you like.

The basis for dying is the silk, a material that is both resilient and subtle at the same time. Woven from thousands of individual strands and available in many textures, silk is a strong and willing partner in the dying process. As stated, all it needs is to be stretched onto a frame and dampened. There is no other preparation needed. Get your dyes, brushes and resists and you are set to go.

When lines are not desired and when a more watercolor style is the goal, dyes can be painted onto the silk in much the same way watercolor would be applied to paper. Brushes loaded with dye can be projected over the surface to create soft-edged, interactive colors. Washes of light tones with augmentations of deep tones can give the appearance of clouds or tones that appear ethereal. Tests will show you that tones will mingle and mix if applied to damp fabric.

Outlines can be applied to emphasize certain designs. Resists can be used to hold applied tones or retain whites in your artwork. Special folding and "sewn" patterns can be created easily. Lines in designs are created with gutta, a resist material that has been used for centuries in the creation of textiles. The gutta lines "contain" the dyes and help to create well-defined, precise shapes and design elements. Gutta can be purchased as a water-based or solvent-based resist and should be used with the corresponding types of dyes. New metallic resists are also available. Gutta is easily washed from the finished work and allows very intricate patterns. Very thin lines are easy to achieve and striking in appearance.

Special techniques used in watercolor are also useful in the application of dyes on silk. Salt sprinkles create starbursts--just as they do on paper--and offer a texture unlike any other. Lightly knotting the silk when it is wet with dye will create a crackle appearance that is very good to use with rich jewel tones where a mingled tone-on-tone effect is desired. Applications of additional dyes over the twisted, knotted silk will give a watery, striated image that is very beautiful. Speckling with dark tones over a finished design or wash-painted silk will add texture and interest. If you desire, permanent metallic inks can be used sparingly to enliven the surface and offer additional luminescence.

Little mishaps that occur during the learning curve can be of great value as the basis for additional study work. If a silk dyed with light-toned washes does not pass your quality criterion, use it as a starting point and add dramatic color over the light tones. These "oops" pieces often give artists a new direction of thinking and give new life to items first considered losses. While there are things that won't work completely, you can use most portions of the items in other crafts and quilting projects. Imagine a wall hanging or vest with sections of hand-dyed silk--very dramatic and exciting.

Silk dyes, fabrics, brushes, gutta and all other materials needed for silk work are available through most art supply centers. The dyes come in dozens of colors or you can custom mix you own tones. Check out the Jacquard Products website for product information and project ideas:  They offer outstanding products not only for dying silk, but also books, kits, paints and much more for artists, crafters and kids, too.

Sculpture

The Seventh Annual Peace Arch Park International Sculpture Exhibition will be held May 1 Sept. 30, 2004 and is sponsored by the U.S./Canada Peace Anniversary Association in cooperation with Washington State Parks and British Columbia Provincial Parks. Open to all sculptors, works must be original outdoor sculptures. Selection criteria include quality, durability, park appropriateness, and aesthetic appeal. For prospectus/entry, see www.peacearchpark.org/entry.htm; for info 360-332-7165. Deadline: Dec. 30.

Photography

The Coastal Arts League of Half Moon Bay, CA, presents the 2004 National Juried Photo Competition--"Through a Lens--Urban Landscape." This competition is open to all photographers and all photographic processes, traditional and digital. For info, visit www.coastalartsleague.com/photoshow or call 650-726-5607 and leave a message for Michael Kellicutt with your complete mailing address and phone or fax number. Works must be postmarked between Dec. 1, 2003 and Jan. 15, 2004.

All Media

The New Jersey Center for Visual Arts International Juried Show will be held Jan. 26 - March 19, 2004 and is open to all artists in all media from across the country and abroad. Site-specific work may be entered. Juror: Charlotta Kotik. Call 908-273-9121 or see www.njcva.org. Deadline: Nov. 21.

Pastel

The Pastel Society of the West Coast will present "Pastels U.S.A.," the 18th Annual International Open Exhibition, from Feb. 26 May 23, 2004 at the Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. The competition is open to all artists over the age of 18, and work must be original in concept and executed by the artist in soft pastel within the last two years. Juror: Bob Gerbracht. For info, call 530-885-3253 or see www.pswc.ws/. Deadline: Dec. 15.

Watercolor

The New American Gallery National Juried Online Watercolor Exhibition is open to U.S. residents 18 and older. All work must have been created since January 1, 2001. See www.newamgallery.com/entries.htm or send SASE to The New American Gallery, PO Box 436, Princeton Jct., NJ 08550. Deadline: Dec. 5.

The California Watercolor Association's 36th National Exhibition will be held June 1-30, 2004, and is open to all artists 18 years and older who are residents of the U.S. or Canada. Paintings must be primarily water-based media on a paper surface and under Plexiglas. Work must be original and less than three years old. See www.californiawatercolor.org or call 510-531-5471. Deadline: Dec. 19.

Paper Ornaments

Some people think of it as therapy, some as relaxation, and others as tradition. But, whatever you call it, making original paper ornaments for the holidays is a long-standing and honored holiday pastime that is inexpensive, creative and tons of fun.

There are the tried and true stand-bys of paper ring garlands, metallic paper stars to hang on the tree or on wreaths, and maybe paper cone holiday trees with small ball ornaments for the mantel or bookshelf. But what about creating small sewn paper shapes like stockings, candy canes, holly leaves with berries and stars or gingerbread men that look good enough to eat but are made of paper? These suggestions could be the jumping off point for your own ideas for shapes and designs to make your holiday decorations creative, fun and, oh, so easy!

For the sewn paper shapes you will need a scrap of poster board, shirt cardboard or old folder with which to create your master patterns; artists papers in rich tones (such as Strathmore's Pure Paper Tints); needle and thread (or you can glue them together); glue; cotton balls for stuffing (or shredded computer paper, paper towels, facial tissue); scissors; a pencil; and some miscellaneous materials described below.

Draw simple shapes onto your master cardstock, shapes that will be simple to stuff and sew (or glue) together. For our explanation, a stocking shape will be used. Cut the shape out of your master material with scissors. Fold a sheet of richly toned paper in half and lay your pattern master on top. Using scissors, either cut around the master shape or draw an outline and then cut. You will need two exact shapes to make one stuffed ornament. You may choose to make the ornaments one at a time, or cut several pairs and then stuff and join.

With a matched set of stocking shapes, hold them together to form a "J." Sew or glue the right side from the top of the "J" around the crook that forms the hook at the bottom of the stocking. Carefully push a bit of stuffing into the shape and then continue sewing to close the foot of the stocking. Add a strip of white around the top (or other contrasting color) for a traditional, cozy-looking stocking ornament.

Other shapes that work well include stars--especially neat when made of metallic paper like Strathmore's Reflections (mirrored paper); pointy tree shapes that can include sewn or glued beads and sequins like a tiny decorated tree; and palm trees to trim a tree in Florida, cowboy boots in Wyoming, or big red apples for NYC. Create your own look using shapes of which you are fond.

For a gingerbread man, cut a simple gingerbread shape out of the poster board or old folder. Tear a sheet of rich, cinnamon colored Strathmore Pure Paper into strips about one-half inch wide and three inches long. Dilute white glue 50/50 with water and brush it onto the torn strips of brown artist's paper. (You can also use Kraft paper or grocery sacks). Press the strips into place on the gingerbread man shape. You will want to wrap any excess around the edges of the shape to cover the base material and to make the "cookies" look more realistic. Smooth each strip into place, then repeat until the entire base cardboard shape is covered. Allow to dry flat and then decorate with red-hot cinnamon candies, raisins, confectioner's icing or felt scraps and cotton string. Use red-hot candies or red felt for eyes, raisins or brown felt for buttons and icing or string for edge decoration around the "cookie." Dry thoroughly and then pierce a hole at the top and hang by a ribbon. These are so cute that you will want to make dozens. They are great on the tree hung by ribbon, on the mantle nestled in greenery or on packages. They also make thoughtful small gifts for those special people on your gift list.

Other shapes that you might want to consider include simple wreaths (candy decorations are really neat on these), stars (replicating old fashioned German cookies decorated with white icing) or any favorite holiday shape.

A super-fast-track paper ornament that is a wonderful container for a small gift is a paper cone. Create a cone by cutting a bright sheet of artist paper into a circle and then cut the circle in half. Roll one half into a cone shape and glue the seam. Attach a ribbon and fill the cone with a snippet of paper doily, a scrap of colorful cellophane, tulle or other decorative filler and top it off with small candies, homemade cookies or fudge or little trinkets. These look like expensive, Victorian treasures, especially if you include a bit of lace in the presentation. You can create dozens of cones from materials you have around the house, and each will be a treasured gift or decoration.

All it takes is a little thought, some rich-toned paper and materials you already have on hand to create some near-heirloom ornaments that are easy, unique and charming. Look around to see what you might have that would work well for these projects. Collect all year long for a flurry of creativity during this season, and your ornaments will shine. The sky is the limit, so enjoy creating some heirlooms!

The Illusion of Depth

At one time long ago in the history of art, all paintings were flat. Images were stacked to indicate where they existed in space. The higher up the painting, the further back the image.

With the development of perspective and foreshortening, the painter or draftsperson could allude to a believable three-dimensional depth where objects would appear to be one behind another as they receded into space. Along with perspective came the use of shadows that were created from a given light source. These would add to the spatial relationships to fool the eye and mind into believing that a painting was not on a flat surface, but rather receded into space from the front or two-dimensional plane. This illusion of depth is one of the tricks in a bag of many that the airbrush artist can call upon in the development of paintings.

The airbrush, since its invention in the 1870's, has been found to be an ideal tool for the rendering of shadows that are incredibly realistic. The soft spray of atomized paint produced naturally by the airbrush is used without any special manipulation. This is true no matter in which medium the artist works, whether acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache, automotive paint or inks and dyes.

When the artist airbrushes either a transparent or light coat of opaque paint, the local color or image the shadow is being cast upon is allowed to show through. As the shadow color is sprayed over varying local colors, its hue will change. For instance, if you are rendering the image of a piece of cloth with red and yellow stripes and the color being airbrushed for the shadows is blue, when the blue paint is sprayed over red it will appear to be purple. When sprayed over yellow, it will appear to be green, while still allowing the stripes to show. It will also allow for the values (light and dark change) to appear as they were used in the under painting.

Another trick from that bag of many is the manipulation of the outside edge of the shadow. You have a choice of many edges with the airbrush, depending on how the shadow is developed. If done freehand without any stenciling, masking or frisketing, the shadow will end in a soft gradation. On the other hand, if the shadow sprayed is used in conjunction with some type of masking material, the edge will be pronounced. It can appear as a very sharp edge if self-adhering frisket film is used or in varying degrees of a soft, muted edge with the use of handheld stencils.

With the use of perspective, foreshortening and airbrushed shadows, the artist can develop an illusion of depth that is so believable that the viewer will think that he or she can reach into the painting and touch the various objects. Give it a try and remember this tip: Work from the background to the foreground, casting the shadows onto objects that have already been painted before you paint the object that the shadow is being cast from.

Show Scheduled--Art Basel Miami Beach (FL) will take place Dec. 4-7 at the Miami Convention Center. The international art show is a new type of cultural event, combining a contemporary art show with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events. An exclusive selection of 160 leading art galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia will exhibit 20th and 21st century artworks, including painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, print, photography, film, performance, video and digital art by more than 1,000 artists.

New Director Named--Thomas W. Lentz has been appointed as Elizabeth and John Moors Cabot Director of the Harvard University Art Museums, effective Nov. 15. A 1985 graduate of Harvard's doctoral program in fine arts, Lentz is an expert in Persian painting. The Harvard University Art Museums is one of the world's leading art institutions, with more than 160,000 objects in the collection ranging in date from ancient times to the present.

Holiday Postage Stamps Announced--The U. S. Postal Service has announced the availability of holiday stamps for the 2003 season. Four delightful images of lively music makers created by artist Diane Teske Harris, Billings, MT, feature two images of whimsical Santas and two fanciful reindeer. Playing horns, panpipes and drum, these colorful images bring to mind the many joys of the season. The Madonna and Child stamp is a reissue of the 2002 stamp depicting artist Jan Gossaert's serene oil-on-panel painting "Madonna and Child," circa 1520, from the Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, reformatted as a double-sided convertible booklet.

NEA News--The Arts Endowment has announced that Texas Arts Commission Chairman Tony Chauveaux will serve as the agency's Deputy Chairman for Grants and Awards. See the Endowment's newly designed web site with a new look and a more user-friendly architecture at www.arts.gov.

Milestone Reached--Artist and author William Steig has died in Boston at age 95. His cartoons and drawings appeared in The New Yorker for more than sixty years, and he authored more than 25 children's books, including Shrek.

Benches for Sale--As a featured project of Central Park's 150th Anniversary celebration, 53 eminent New York artists, architects, designers and celebrities were invited to turn traditional park benches into unique works of art as part of the Target Benchmarks Central Park project. The benches were displayed in the park in October and will be exhibited at 13 leading art galleries in Chelsea through Nov. 8th. They will be auctioned at Christie's on Nov. 20th to benefit the ongoing care and maintenance of the Park. See. www.centralparknyc.org/49374/.

Exhibitions:

Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA -- Art of the American West From a Private Collection features 51 works that include oils, watercolors and bronzes from a distinguished collection that depict the imagery of the historic West. Beginning in the 1800's with spectacular mountain views by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran, the collection includes major paintings of Indian life and the vanishing frontier by Farny, Remington, Russell, Wyeth and Terpning. Through Nov. 23.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art, U. of New Orleans, LA -- The Story of the South: Art and Culture, 1890-2003 celebrates the unveiling of Stephen Goldring Hall in the Warehouse District. The exhibition showcases some of the most important artworks to come out of the South and gives an insider's view of Southern life, including the legacies, traditions and history as interpreted by artists.

Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT -- JFK and Art marks the first exhibition to examine how American and European artists helped to shape the Kennedy legend and legacy. Over 40 paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs from throughout the world investigate the Kennedy myth and mystique in relation to the art of its time and coincides with the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963. Through Jan. 11, 2004.

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, MO -- A Fiction of Authenticity: Contemporary Africa Abroad celebrates the opening of the new 27,000 square-foot facility in the heart of St. Louis' creative and cultural district, Grand Center. The exhibition features a variety of prominent contemporary African and African Diaspora artists working in a variety of mediums--sculpture, painting, photography, installation, video and performance--and presents, in depth, the diversity of contemporary art practices in and from Africa. Through Jan. 3, 2004.

Denver Art Museum, CO -- El Greco to Picasso From the Phillips Collection is an exceptional compilation of European masterworks by 32 of the world's most renowned and beloved artists. Showcased are 53 paintings and sculpture from the mid-1800's through the 1930's and the earlier masterpieces that inspired them. The lineup of luminaries includes greats such as Picasso, van Gogh, Matisse, Degas, El Greco, Monet, Renoir and more. Special exhibition tickets are required. Through Jan. 4, 2004.

The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA -- Jean Houdon: Sculptor of the Enlightenment is the first major international exhibition devoted to one of the most prominent and versatile sculptors in 18th-century France. Featured are many of Houdon's iconic images of early American and Enlightenment leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Francois Voltaire. Exhibitions Pavilion, through Jan. 25, 2004.

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. -- In Beyond the Frame: Impressionism Revisited, the Sculptures of J. Seward Johnson Jr., audiences can explore more than 15 life-sized tableaux, previously known only as paintings. Johnson invites visitors to walk into sculptures inspired by masterpieces from the French Impressionist era and experience the work in three dimensions. Through Jan. 5, 2004.

AIRBRUSH WORKSHOPS ARTtalk.com Gallery at the Square, Beacon, NY New dates for airbrush workshops will be announced Soon in ARTtalk and on ARTtalk.com's Workshops page.

The Art Institute Online is looking for graphic designers interested in learning additional skills, or in getting their bachelor's or associate's degree in graphic design. Make yourself more marketable in the graphic design industry. Click here to find out more. (http://quinst.com/clk/kittedatoukumushiigyo)

SIGN UP - FREE ARTtalk e-Newsletter©
Search all of ARTtalk!!

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 14 No. 1 -- November 2003