using coloured pencils



I normally only use coloured pencils on top of watercolour in sketches, to strengthen shapes and tones or work on textures. Inspired by the lovely work of Katherine on http://makingamark.blogspot.com/ and http://www.pastelsandpencils.com/fine_art.html I decided to sketch some flowers from photos (another thing I never normally do is work from photos) while my husband was glued to sport on TV :( and work entirely in coloured pencil.

These were done with a very cheap set of 20 from
Tesco for £1.53 :)

I'm planning to do some large canvasses based on flowers and thought I'd do these as studies. I find it difficult to paint from photos as they contain too much information in some ways and not enough in others. I thought these would help me move on from the photographic image, a step towards the freer canvasses I want to create.

I ended up with some little images I quite like in their own right and a new medium to exploit :)
I


The poppies are about 3.5 inches square and the camellia is nearly 6x4 - they were done in a tiny 6x4 sketchbook.

I don't think I'd enjoy landscapes plein air with coloured pencils as I want something much more immediate and these are quite slow to work with, building up the colours in layers. I will definitely use them more for studies like this though - the colour on the page is lovely and intense and they are ideal where I can't use a messy medium.

I'm a very messy worker with paint :(



Comments

Making A Mark said…
The poppies are gorgeous Viv. Really great. You do realise however that you are now on the sticky road to colour pencil acquisition. Make WH Smiths your next stop - I don't know who does theirs but they're good - and cheap! After that we're talking serious numbers!!!
9:24 pm
Anita said…
Very nice work - particularly the macros. Great contrasting colours.
Anita
12:07 am
tlwest said…
Really cool! I am amazed at the colors! Gorgeous!
12:05 pm
Lindsay said…
I've subscribed to your fan club and now I can see what you are up to in the present tense. I like colored pencils sometimes but as you say they are slow. I have to be in a mood for the layering and getting lost in the process.
I've been going out with a mixed media bag instead of my drawing pencil case....larger load I must say but way more fun.
3:35 am
vivien said…
thank you everyone - I'd forgotten I'd said I wanted to moderate comments (because I had someone spamming) and so have only just realised that I have all this lovely feedback! sorry for not answering before < blushes >

Katherine I'm off to Smiths! I have ordered a few odd colours online and they should arrive on Monday :)
3:28 pm
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