Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Latest ACEO - Butterfly Kiss

One of the dilemmas I always have trouble with, is whether to do a background on my ACEO's. This week I have had fun experimenting with mediums and backgrounds and finally came up with a combination I was happy with. The effect I was after was something like airbrushing without actually using an airbrush. This background was done on the back of the drafting film. After doing the initial sketch on the front, I turned it over and coloured roughly with Faber Castell Pitt Pens in a range of shades. This was then smudged gently with a tissue. The pitt pens are not permanent on the drafting film, but a spray of fixative solved the problem. I was then able to turn the film back over and work happily from the front. I was quite content with the result! This ACEO is available for sale in my ebay store. Have a great week :)

8 comments:

Debra Keirce said...

Karen, I've never tried colored pencils on drafting film, but you make me want to!! THIS is a beautiful aceo!

Mona Diane Conner said...

Karen, very neat idea and title for this painting. With the background on the back, will you still adhesive mount this on a backing, or treat it differently?

Unknown said...

Thank you so much Deb - I find it hard to go back to any other medium now, because the drafting film is such a pleasure to work with.

Thank you Mona - I actually mounted it as soon as the background was done so that it didn't get grubby or scratched and it adhered as well as ever.

artbyakiko said...

Beautiful, Karen! The background is so vibrant. I love it!
I received my first drafting film from DickBlick yesterday and tried it. The background was a problem for me because I could not keep it clean enough to leave it blank. I will have to get Faber Castell pens. As I burnished, the colors came out darker than I wanted. Is it even a good idea to burnish colored pencils on this support?

Unknown said...

Thank you Akiko - what were you doing the background with? If I am leaving the background blank, I generally have a little makeup brush on hand and regularly brush away the crumbs, but I still find I have to do cleaning up at the end with both a kneadable and a battery operated eraser (the regular erasers don't do much). The backgrounds I have done before have been with Derwent drawing pencils because the smudge and blend together well. But from now on, will probably use the same technique I did here. Which pencils do you use? The Prismacolors, being waxed based, don't seem to adhere as well as any oil based pencils. Let me know if you have any more questions - hope this helps a bit and have fun!!!

Melody Lea Lamb said...

Beautiful Karen! Oh so sweet. That's really interesting about the background. Tell me which pencils you use on your film again? I have Prismacolor, but I think you said these did not work well. Thanks for sharing your beautiful art!

Unknown said...

My pleasure Mel and thank you!! I use a range of pencils, but mostly Faber Castell Polychromos for the bulk of the work, Prismacolor Verithins for fine detail, Derwent Drawing pencils for smudgy, blended effects and Lyra Skin tones for larger areas that need a soft look. The oil based pencils all seem to work best on the film. Am going to get some Caran D'Ache and give them a go as well - (just a slight addiction to drawing materials I think.):)

artbyakiko said...

Hi Karen! I use Prismacolor. Maybe this is the problem. Have to get oil-base pencils. Thanks for the tip!