Falling Peonies
February 8, 2017 § Leave a comment
I haven’t posted in quite some time. I’m afraid the the winter doldrums had set in. So here’s a colored pencil of peonies past their prime falling over one another.
Summer Floral
July 12, 2016 § 2 Comments
I haven’t posted in awhile; therefore I’m offering a floral from the Como Conservatory done in colored pencil
Persephone in the Eaves
April 10, 2016 § Leave a comment
Serial imagery can be created by depicting your subject withing its setting, stepping in more closely, and finally even more to examine its finer details.
Viewing One Composition from Different Perspectives
March 23, 2016 § Leave a comment
One of the most captivating aspects of serial imagery is the exploration of taking one’s story line further. There are so many ways you can challenge yourself and your viewers. Here I look at the same composition from a variety of vantage points. Each tells a different story.
By doing this, I can fully explore different relationships of color, space, and form
Zooming in on the underside of the urn one can better see how the flowers nestle in and are impacted by the dark hues and shadows.
The spatial aspects of the composition balance the clustered floral forms.
Final stage of the Mixed Media Process; adding Colored Pencil to Watercolor
February 16, 2016 § 2 Comments
The last stage in the process of using mixed media to portray the pileated woodpecker is the addition of colored pencil to provide greater intensity and clarity.
Stages in a Mixed Media Drawing
February 15, 2016 § Leave a comment
I recently have been working with mixed media works using colored pencil and watercolor. This first piece of a pileated woodpecker is the contour which provides the framework for my drawing. I can’t stress enough how important this stage is in revealing your personality as an artist, demonstrating form in the subject, and laying out your composition. I draw quite blind and by that I mean I keep my eye on the subject and let my hand become a tool of the eye. Prismacolor is one brand of colored pencil I use often.
Old Man in the Eaves
February 4, 2016 § Leave a comment
A drawing from awhile ago of a sculpture on the face of Pillsbury Hall on the University of MN campus. This is from another vantage point and is in colored pencil with Conte’ crayon on Canson paper (the rough side).
Using Multi Media
January 30, 2016 § Leave a comment
This is a colored pencil piece with pastel and Conte’ crayon. I would like to recommend the products used in this drawing. First, the use of colored paper; Canson, Arches, Strathmore, Rives all come in large sheets (usually 22″x30″, Canson usually runs smaller. By using colored paper, you change the equation of the value spectrum. Now you need to determine where on a scale of black to white this color fits. The white of the page will also need to be created. Therefore, keep in mind to save the value of the paper and create the white areas. Canson paper was used for this piece. A variety of colored pencil, mostly Derwent as well as Conte pastel pencil also comprised the media. For the highlights, white and pale yellow Conte crayon became indispensable. When using colored pencil, I would advise using the pastels sparingly and only to stretch the existing colors. I cannot over stress the aid of using a kneaded eraser. One can squeeze it into very fine shapes to erase tiny areas as well as being able to mold it into any shape you please. It leaves no oil residue on the page. And most importantly, you can bounce it off of walls when frustrated!!
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Using the White of the Page
January 11, 2016 § Leave a comment
One of the characteristics I love about watercolor is the need to reserve the white of the page for your lighter areas. It reminds us to incorporate white into our gradation spectrum and creates purity within the composition.
Florals in Reds and Greens for the Holidays
December 16, 2015 § 2 Comments
Thought I’d post a couple of my drawings with reds and greens to keep in the holiday spirit.
Dr. Mary McNaughton and Drawing 