The Australian Coloured Pencils Ning Group

The Australian Coloured Pencils Network has been setup on Ning.

http://auscolouredpencils.ning.com

We are only a small group right now, but please come along and join in the more of us the better. Don't be shy ! :)

Feature Aritist in November FMP

Congratulations to Richard one of our very own Australian CP members who is this month's member profile artist in Ann Kullberg's online coloured pencil magazine From My Perspective.

You need to subscribe to see the article, if your new to coloured pencil art and your not a member even if you have been doing it for a long time, i definately reccommend you have a look at Ann's site and maybe even subscribe. Its so great to recieve something every month dedicate to CP art.

Richards work looks fantastic in the magazine its a great writeup. Congratulations again Richard well deserved.

Australian Coloured Pencils Group ?

So, i was over reading today's post on Making a Mark about Artists, Art Societies, Art Groups and Ning and i was wondering whether creating an online networking group about coloured pencils in australia would be something anyone here would be interested in?
It's essentially the idea i originally had for the Australian Coloured Pencils Blog, was for us all to get together and be able to talk maybe even create events etc one day. Somewhere we can support each other get to know each other a bit more and a way to connect :)

I am already a member of another networking group on Ning and i found it quite good.
If your interested have a read of Katherines post, anyone interested ? Post me a comment let me know what do you think ? Anyone ready to go the next step ?

Edit: Alright i did it... i havent added any content as yet :) its setup basically for the moment: http://auscolouredpencils.ning.com/?xgi=23zpCzZ

UKCPS - 7th Annual Open International Exhibition 2008

If you would like a feast for your eyes get on over to the UKCPS website and have a look at the entries for the 7th Annual Open International Exhibition 2008.

http://www.ukcps.co.uk/2008Exhibition.html

I always just get so inspired looking at other artists work, some truly outstanding pieces there.

Gathering Strength Coloured Pencil Artwork

"Gathering Strength" by Belinda Lindhardt CP on Stonehenge

Today i am highlighting my recently completed works Gathering Strength.
I think you could this one has probably been my major works for this year as it's taken me sooo long to complete.

55cm X 41cm in coloured pencil is a big piece, most of which was completed standing up on an easel and i think has really changed the way i do CP pieces. If your interested take a look at my blog for a some detailed shots of the work.

On other CP news lots of things have been happening in the CP world. (Apologies again, i haven't been keeping up, major life change (at the ages of 32, which i find quite funny)along with moving house so my blogs have been slow trying to get sorted).

CPSA Blog - http://coloredpencilsociety.blogspot.com/ The Colored Pencil Society of America now has a blog ! They have lots of good information on what is happening on the Orphan Works Issue as well as call for entries on their Exlpore This competition. Entries are open from Sep16 thru to Nov 15 2008.

Speaking of the CPSA membership renewals are now up so if you are thinking of joining or renewing now is the time to get in there.

UKCPS - Also to highlight is, the UK Coloured Pencil Society has some management changes and their previous blogmaster Bob Ebdon has stepped down from his role and Katherine Tyrell from Making A Mark has taken over the running of the UKCPS blog.
I have known Bob from his involvement in the ScribbleTalk forum and i am a regular reader of Katherine's numerous writings so while Bob will be missed Katherine will do a great job.
UKCPS also have some great info on their blog atm about colour comparison charts well worth a read. http://ukcps.blogspot.com/

Local News: I was recently excited to find Coloursoft pencils in open stock at Hornsby Artshop on the north side of Sydney. I hadnt visited this shop before, while they didnt have a huge supply of pencils they did carry Prismacolour, Coloursoft and Polychromos pencils. They also had a good range of papers i previously havent been able to get a hold of so might be worth a note to checkout some different artshops in your local area you never know what you might find.

CPSA Current exhibition now on

The Colored Pencil Society of America is currently holding its 16th Annual Exhibition in Seattle in the US. It seems such a long way away from us from down here, but luckily with the internet we are able to see a little bit of what is going on as

Here is a preview from the silent auction that is being held there. I am so envious of all that are attending i would love to go.
If any of you are a member of ScribbleTalk i would reccomend you go log in and checkout some of the photos posted there by the members in the cafe. The door prizes look amazing.

On a side note: Appologies for the lack of posts of late, i have been moving house and without internet access for sometime. Good news is i will soon be organised and back into the swing of things ASAP. Bear with me.

Quinces

A Knobbly Few - CP on stonehenge by Belinda Lindhardt

Just thought i would post my most recent CP completed piece in case you missed it over on my blog.

If you are a cp artist and want to be featured on the blog why not send me a message i would be happy to feature your work.

I also recently started a new cp piece it will be a big one and will take me some time but i am really looking forward to it. As its so big i am going to change my technique slightly and mainly work on it standing up on an easel as opposed to a desk. Already i can see that by standing i am looking at it from a distance much more i think it will really improve the way i work. Lets see shall we :) Stay tuned for more.

The Queen opens Derwent Factory

Care of the UKCP society blog, here is a post about The Queen opening the new Derwent factory in the UK. I thought this was pretty cool for the world of CP :) If your interested go along to their blog and checkout the photos :)
http://ukcps.blogspot.com/

WORLD DRAWING DAY

Last Saturday June 7, was World Drawing Day. Fortunately I was demonstrating my colour pencil technique at an Art exhibition at Scottsdale in North East Tasmania. It took me two days to complete the study of rocks from a location about 15 kilometres from my home.

I used mainly Polychromos pencils (warm greys) with some Prismacolors for highlights, namely white, yellow ochre and warm grey 70%. I also added a touch here and there of Aquarelle black.

I have started using Stonehenge paper and am particularly fond of black which accepts Polychromos pencils with ease.

Regards,

Richard

Aritst's Palette Magazine - issue 62

For all the Australian readers many of my coloured pencil artworks are featured in this months issue (Issue 62) of Artist's Palette Magazine which came out today :)

It has a little blurb about my squiddo lens (at the time of materials submission this blog wasn't setup) but its a great bit of exposure not only for myself but of Australian Coloured pencil artists as well.

If your near a newsagency check it out. Overseas visitors i have been told this magazine is sold overseas as well so over the next few months keep an eye out :)

CPSA - 16th Annual International Exhibition

Last week the CPSA (Colored Pencil Society of America) announced the accepted entries for their 16th Annual International Exhibition. Some of the names and pieces i am already familiar with from the various forums i hang out at ;) There is some truly stunning work in there i would love to go see the exhibition its unfortunate they don't have a online option for those of us overseas.

Anyway, just in reference to this i wanted to point out two blogs which talk about the exhibition this week one is the Making a Mark website and the UK Coloured Pencil Society. Go and checkout some of their links and the work of some of the entries.

New Coloured Pencil Artists Added

This past week we have added a few new artists to our list.
Welcome Cameron Lewcock & Mago Lee new artists. The list of artists is growing and growing. Please if you have a website please remember to add our link to your site, the larger our site becomes the more people we will be able to get on board.

Changing Styles

We all draw in a particular way which is often referred to as our "style". It's great to occasionally break free and try something new. This can often change the way we see things.

During the 90s I changed from laying pencil strokes down side by side, to a more Expressionist approach which saw strong lines and vibrant colours appear. From that experience my work changed (again) resulting in work that was crisper and more hard-edged. This technique works well for my Christian symbolist/landscape subjects but it hasn't been what I wanted for my Tasmanian landscapes, hence I've used stronger strokes and a much freer approach over the past few weeks.

The example I have included is from the Liffey River Valley, a wonderful area of rainforest just 55klms from my home. There is an excellent walking there. You must visit the area when you come to Tasmania!

Richard

Shell Sketch - Walnut Brown Polychromos by Belinda Lindhardt

Lately i have really been loving limited palette or monotone type pieces, its an area that i think i will be experimenting more with in the future. Here is a little sketch of a shell just thought i would leave it with you :)

Masterful Color by Arlene Steinberg

Arlene Steinberg Website
Buy the book here

As mentioned in one of my previous posts I recently received my copy of Masterful Color by Arlene Steinberg and so here is my quick review.

Let me start by saying Arlene has done a fabulous job on this book not just teaching about coloured pencil techniques but also about colour in general, composition, drawing from life, using photographs, underpainting and all types of topics that you need to learn in order to create good art not just in coloured pencils but in any medium.

I have to admit i am a little biased when it comes to Arlene's work i basically got my art education online off the back of many of Arlene's tutorials posted on places like WetCanvas and Scribbletalk. On these sites (many of the tutorials are still there) she would comment and try to teach myself and many others about cps, mixing complementary colours and generally guide people on various aspects of the artwork they were trying to achieve. In her book all of those bits of advice and her experience over the years have been compiled in an informative and practical way. I have to admit in my reading it actually jogged memory for a few things that i had forgotten over the years and I have taken note of a few things of that i must remember to try on my next cp piece. It also reminded me of areas where i have gone wrong in my early days of cp works and again i must remember not to fall into that trap again in future pieces; so from that perspective it is certainly not a book just for beginnings i believe all artists will definitely learn something from this book.

I thought it might be fun for you to see one of my earlier pieces that i worked on based on some of Arlene's tutorials. This one was done about 5 years ago and was designed to teach about using complementary colours where you had to choose 2 colours and white and create a piece with it. Notice the shadows on the cloth and the jug were created by mixing the green and the red together as they are complementary colours. This is very important lesson and i still think back to this piece often when i am creating a shadow on something red in not only cp pieces but painting pieces as well.

In the book you can see how Arlene starts off with a green tomato and ends up with a red one using a similar technique to the above (ofcourse much more refined).

If you are a beginner who would like to get into coloured pencil work i think you really must get this book, also for the experienced cp artist who would like to see how one of the top cp artists achieves this level of top notch work you will also gain alot from this book.

I am not sure whether this book is available yet in Australia, but you can buy the book directly from Arlene's website at the above link.

If you buy the book or familiar with Arlene's work let us know what you think ! :)

Don't Knock the Pencil!

Pencils are probably the second drawing medium we are introduced to as children (crayons being the first) and by many are still thought of as "kids' stuff". But no!

Pencils are responsive, sensitive coloured vessels that are extremely versatile and deserve far more respect than they currently command.

To obtain the best results one must use quality materials. Pencils are no different and the same must be said for the surface one works on. I work exclusively with Berol Prismacolour and Faber Castell Poychromos coloured pencils. Their colours are rich and soft while they respond well when used on heavy/soft acid-free papers and boards. I prefer a strong background colour, especially ochres and greys, even black. 

The beauty of working with two brands of coloured pencil is the huge palette one is presented with. Working on Canson pastel board is the best!  Your subject matter will drive both background colour and palette. Experimentation is essential to get the best results.

I always work out my palette through test strips and I even lay my pencils out as if I were undertaking a surgical procedure!

What surfaces do you draw on? I would like to know what other artists use.

Happy drawing!

Richard

ACP Artist - Artist Profile - Richard Klekociuk

Name: Richard Klekociuk

Website: http://www.artkleko.com

Born in Hobart, in 1950, I developed a passion for drawing from my father.

I graduated from the Tasmanian School of Art in 1971 as an Art Teacher and worked in seven Government schools before retiring in December of 2005 to pursue a greater focus on my art.

During my time as a teacher I managed to practice my art where and when possible. As well as a producer of art, I am currently the Curator of the Mezzanine Gallery at Country Club Tasmania and conduct occasional art workshops.

I began exhibiting in 1976 with the Tasmanian Independent Artists’ Group.

Besides many solo exhibitions, I was a member of the former, Tasmanian Abstract and Contemporary Artists’ group (vice-President) and I have recently re-joined the Launceston Art Society, and am a member of the Burnie Coastal Art Group.

I have won several awards, the most noteworthy being the ABC Art Prize in 1970 and the ANZ Art Prize at the 1998 Royal Hobart Show.

Drawing, whether in pastel (oil and chalk) or pencil (greyscale and colour) has always been the mainstay of my visual expression. Over the past ten years I have focussed on coloured pencils, some with a chalky finish and others displaying wax-like qualities. I work on a variety of papers and pastel boards, preferring a coloured surface.

My artwork has always been about the Tasmanian landscape. My most recent work is a complex mix of Christian symbolism, shadows and macro studies, often from forest floors. Some pieces are direct social commentaries while others celebrate design in nature.

Over the past ten years I have also developed a keen interest in photography and in particular, digital art which is closely related to my work involving symbolism.

Thankyou and Masterful Color by Arlene Steinberg

First of all, thankyou to all the artists who have agreed to be associated with this site I have put a link to all of your website on the right. We are starting to get a few names there which is fantastic!
Richard Klekociuk was kind enough to send me some images of his work so i will be doing an artist profile post on him in the next couple of days, stay tuned for that.

Today i was very excited to receive my copy of Arlene Steinberg's new book "Masterful Color".
I have known Arlene for a few years now via online forums etc, her work was one of the first ever coloured pencil pieces i have ever seen and inspired me to start working with cp, so i was so excited to receive her new book (i have been waiting on for a while). Arlene supplied me a couple of weeks ago with a breakdown of her book have a look at my blog post here if your interested.
It's not just your standard cp technique book, she taught me alot about complimentary colours and underpaintings in my pieces and she demonstrates this technique in her book. For the beginner she also has line drawings that you can trace or photocopy to get you started. I am yet to get stuck into it, but on first glance looks great. Not sure if it will come out in bookshops here but if it does definately work a flick through.

ACP Artist - Artist Profile - Belinda Lindhardt

Name: Belinda Lindhardt

Website: www.belindalindhardt.com

Blog: belindalindhardt.blogspot.com

Bio

I am a self taught artist and I have been producing coloured pencil works for about 5 years now. My love of coloured pencils first started when i joined an online forum and saw a bunch of works by many of the famous overseas CP artists and it changed the way i looked at art forever. I was in awe of their talent and started working on the various tutorials and techniques they had offered online so generously and from there with lots of practice learnt many of the basic techniques i still use today.

In my CP artworks i am drawn to capturing stilllife, animals, florals and people. I used to work primarily with Prismacolor pencils but lately i have been incorporating both Polychromos and Coloursofts and have been loving it so my pieces these days are typically a combination of all three brands. I work with many different types of supports and recently been experimenting with Pastelboards. I was excited recently to find an Australian distributor of pastelboards and hoping to give that brand a go soon (so then i can frame without glass). In the past my pieces have been featured on drafting film, stonehenge white and blank colours as well as some watercolour papers. I find the subject will dictate as to which type of support i will use as well as final size, framing options etc. I love using complimentary colours and complimentary grisaille in my works. I can attribute that technique to following Arlene Steinberg's lessons and tutorials and these taught me a lot using complimentary colours for achieving rich colours.

I DO like to blend, I use brushes, makeup pads, cotton tips, solvents, my finger and sometimes the colourless blender. I recently have been using Neocolours II with a slightly damp brush underneath my pencil particularly for backgrounds. I generally like a really smooth feel with no bumps and ridges showing through i am trying desperately to kerb this obsession as its very time consuming but i generally "know" when an area is done. I generally always burnish most areas towards the end.

Here are some examples of Belinda's Work

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Hi and Welcome - an intro to Australian Coloured Pencils blog

Hi and Welcome.

This blog was started for a few reasons, the one main one being that I wanted to create a place where Australian Coloured Pencils (ACP) artists can meet up and get to know one another. There doesn't seem to be much local support for ACP artists and most of us don't know who the others are so with this blog wanted to try to change this a little :)

In recent times, people have contacted me asking whether there was any local societies available, the US and UK have their societies and the short answer is no there is nothing like that here that i can find. That doesn't mean there can't be one in the future but we need the members and participants to support it so i am also hoping that this blog would be a way of asessing what sort of interest there is. I think we are getting more and more CP artists in Aus so this blog would be a good place at least start to gather a list all of your websites and contact details with the view that if there is enough interest eventually we can build an online gallery / website and maybe even our own society later on down the track.

At the moment i have left this blog open to the public so that we can display our work and become a bit of a directory but if artists want more of a closed community we can turn the public function off and just have it a closed blog to members only if that issue arises.

Getting Involved
I see this blog as a community project, i just don't want this blog just to be updated by myself, i would like others to help add to the site and keep the site fresh and new for the interest of all of us.
So here is how you could be involved:

• If you are an Australian cp artist send me your website or blog address and i will add you to the list (right) of ACP artists.

• If you have a show or some cp news you would like to share or just want to show a wip or new work, i would like to have multiple artist authors so you can either send me an email with the details you would like to add to this site or request to be an author to add to the site yourself, please only do this if you would like to be adding regularly.
  

• I thought we could also do a mini gallery / profile via a blog post for ACP artists, i will start and do one on myself, if you would like to have your own work displayed either by adding it yourself or sending me the details and i will ad it. Please include some photos of your artwork and a short bio on yourself and your website or email address whichever you prefer.

• If you post on your own blog on tips techniques etc make sure let me know and i will link to it.

So, there you have it, not sure whether anyone is interested in participating or not but i figured why not give it a go and see if you are :) Are you ?