Beware the Cassowary

Beware the Cassowary

A4

Coloured pencils and ink on drafting film

This is my entry for the Grafix Dura-Lar contest. I had been sent some samples of the Dura-lar .005" matte drafting film last year, but had never got around to trying it, until drawing this fellow, and I must admit it is a joy to work with. All of the drafting films within Australia are only .003" weight, and are quite flimsy to work with, unless backed onto a sturdier backing. The Dura-lar, being heavier in weight certainly felt sturdier to work with, and I felt more confident using this film without worrying about the need to back it. It was extremly receptive to both the ink and the coloured pencil, accepting multiple layers, and whilst I love to use and endorse Australian products, I had to go on-line and order more of this film.

Happily, confirmation came through from the Publisher that they would like me to illustrate the children's picture book I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, and as I plan to do the illustrations on drafting film, it seemed best to use the heavy weight film for this job.

I took the reference photo for this gorgeous Cassowary at our local wildlife park and was thrilled that he stayed still long enough for me to get a couple of great shots. They are very shy birds, and are usually kept behind high fences, so as they don't pose a threat to anyone, but this fellow posed most obligingly.

Shakira

Shakira

8x10 inches

Coloured pencils on drafting film

I actually finished Shakira a week or two ago, but had to hold off until after she was presented for a birthday present. I have just finished another commission tonight, which can't be revealed until it is presented as well - all these little secrets and surprises!!! This week I will be back to work on some more wooden pieces, as my aim is to get more proactive and enter more exhibitions this year. It can be a bit of a headache meeting deadlines, getting entry forms in and organising deliveries, and I am also terrified of Opening Nights! But it is all good for confidence building and is a real motivator for getting some work done!

Step by Step Coloured Pencil Tutorial - The Little Flower Girl

Firstly, I have to thank Juno Kughler Carlson for allowing me to use the gorgeous reference photo for this step by step tutorial. If you are not already familiar with Juno's amazing coloured pencil work, please take the time to visit her site - her work is truly inspirational. She was very generous in allowing those of us who belonged to the Coloured Pencil Network (no longer operating) access to many of her beautiful reference photos, and this one caught my eye.

The image on the front, as shown, is actually my artwork and the reference photo (which is even more beautiful) is included within the tutorial. This 15 page tutorial includes many progress scans, along with detailed instructions on which coloured pencils and techniques were used to draw this image. I have had many enquiries from other artists regarding how I drew the straw hat, and I have dedicated two pages detailing how to go about achieving a realistic texture on the hat. I had so much fun drawing this artwork, and I hope any of you who purchase the tutorial will enjoy it just as much. The tutorial is available either directly from my website, or from my Etsy or Ebay Stores.

Commissioned Illustration - Bass

Bass

8x10 inches

Coloured pencils on drafting film

Something different this time which took me a little out of my comfort zone, being more used to doing creatures with fur than scales, but I always love to try something new. The client gave me the freedom to work in whichever medium I chose, and whilst I have really enjoyed painting lately, I find nothing beats the coloured pencil on drafting film for finer details. Apart from that, I haven't much to add, and hope everyone is having a wonderful week!!!! :)

2nd in series Little Pig's Bliss - Rolling In the Leaves

Little Pig's Bliss - Rolling in the Autumn Leaves

5x7 inches

Coloured pencil on drafting film

Here is the second in this series. I wrote down a few ideas while watching the boys play soccer on the weekend and came up with about 25 ideas for Little Pig's Bliss - what fun these are proving to be, and I do hope you have a bit of fun viewing them!!!!

Tutorial now available in Fine Art and Decorative Painting

Some of you may recall that I mentioned a few months ago that I had written a Step by Step Tutorial on doing graphite pencil portraits on drafting film for the educational art magazine Fine Art & Decorative Painting, featuring my nephew Jack. That particular edition is now available (Vol 17 No. 9), and if interested, you should be able to pick it up from most newsagents (they may be able to order it even if they don't regularly stock it). It is available on-line as well, although at this stage it is only for sale at isubscribe where you have to purchase it as part of a magazine subscription. It will be available on-line from other sites once it has been in circulation for a while. I have three more tutorials to follow over the next few months and hope that they might answer some of the questions artists often ask with regard to working with drafting film in particular.

Flower Folk - Hydrangea

Hydrangea

6x8 inches

Coloured pencil on drafting film

Hydrangeas are round, jolly folk with gentle natures who like to come out with the warmer weather of spring and then hang around all summer, only to disappear once the cooler weather of Autumn drives them away. :)

Flower Folk - Thistle

Thistle

6x8 inches

Coloured pencil on drafting film

Flower Folk are very cheeky little characters, who are basically quite shy and can pop up unexpectedly in your garden at any time. Thistle can be a bit prickly, but she loves nothing more than to put a smile on your face. Watch this space as I introduce you to more of the Flower Folk.

Step by Step Tutorial II for Fine Art & Decorative Painting

Some of you may remember this image from when I painted it for the Illustrators Australia 2009 9x5 Exhibition. This time I have drawn it using coloured pencils on drafting film, for a step by step tutorial which will available in a few months from the Fine Art & Decorative Painting Magazine. The tutorial will list all the different pencils used to draw this (believe it or not it took over 41 different pencils) and includes seven progress images. Drafting film is a wonderful surface for drawing eyes, because of it's smoothness, making it easy to achieve the glassy look of an eyeball, and so the principals explained in this tutorial can be applied when drawing any eye.

Latest commission - Raela and Dom

Raela and Dom

8x10 inches

Graphite, black pencil, Cretacolor negro and pan pastels on drafting film

One of the challenges I find working with graphite is achieving strong contrasts. I know a lot of artists combine charcoal and graphite very effectively in their artworks, but I find pure charcoal and even charcoal blends don't go well on the drafting film. I picked up a bundle of darker coloured drawing pencils from the artshop to have a bit of a play. Most must have contained predominantly charcoal, and basically scratched at the surface of the drafting film, but one - the Cretacolor Negro (we must have old stock, because I read the name has since been changed to Nero) works well on the drafting film. Apparently, it is charcoal based, but oils have been added making it much smoother than regular charcoal based pencils. I do use pure black pencils in my portraits sometimes, but then it can be a challenge blending the black with the graphite for a natural transition. In this portrait, Dom's hair was done entirely with the Cretacolor Negro, and you can blend it slightly with the tortillon as well. This pencil gives a softer black than a black pencil, which I was really happy with. The decoration in Raela's hair had no definition in the reference photo and was actually quite hard to pick out from the background, and for this I used a Faber Castell black pencil, followed by black Pan pastel for a smoother result. Always learning!!!!

Miniature Art - A Life Well Spent

A Life Well Spent

7cm x 9cm

Graphite on drafting film

This wonderful artist can be found on any given day painting and drawing away in a cave at The Rocks in the heart of Sydney. I was so inspired when I saw him huddled over his easle, but still enjoying what he does, and it was with his blessings that I took the reference photos. I can't tell you how many times I have started and restarted this piece in a range of mediums and sizes, (this was the piece I attempted to do the silverpoint in) and each time for various reasons it got put away and never finished. After meeting with some of the members of ASMA (Australian Society of Miniature Art) last week, I promised that I would do a piece using graphite on drafting film and do a step by step tutorial for our newsletter. I started well a few days ago, and did a couple of progress scans, but then today I got so engrossed in watching the Opening for the Winter Olympics and working on this piece that I forgot to do any more progress scans LOL. I'll have to do another piece for the tutorial!!!! What a wonderful Opening Ceremony it was too - congratulations to Cananda!!!!

Step by Step Tutorial in Fine Art & Decorative Painting Magazine

I get so many emails from other artists asking me what my techniques are for working on drafting film, which makes me realise the hunger artists have to learn about different techniques and mediums. I have had a welcome break from commissions in the last week and have spent the time putting together a couple of submissions. The first one is a step by step tutorial on doing a Graphite Pencil Portrait of an Infant (some of you may remember this was a portrait I did of my nephew) and this submission has been accepted by Fine Art & Decorative Painting, an educational art magazine that comes out monthly. It is published in Australia, but has world wide distribution. This article should be published some time in the next couple of months, so if anyone is interested in knowing when it becomes available, I will keep you posted.

The second submission is a more extensive one for North Light Books. In the past, they have expressed some reservations about a book with drafting film as the main support, but I decided it was worth a shot anyway. That submission was sent off today, and I will let you know how it goes. At some point, I know I will find a publisher, but it just takes some persistence and a lot of patience.

Latest commission - Burton

Burton

8x10 inch

Graphite and Black pencil on drafting film

One of the challenges I face by accepting orders for commissions over the internet, is that I don't have the luxury of seeing the subject in person, or taking my own reference photos. I can't emphasize enough to my customers the importance of having high resolution, quality reference photos in order to produce a quality portrait. But more often than not, the client only has low resolution, fair quality photos and for a variety of reasons cannot access any better quality images. I never knock back doing a commission, but definitely find the process more stressful when working with a lesser quality reference photo as it is difficult to know how much you can deviate from the photo with the aim of producing a more pleasing portrait, but possibly run the risk that you have changed the essence and character of the person or pet you are trying to draw. Which brings me to Burton. In this instance, the reference photo was a high resolution, quality photo and Burton was an absolute joy to draw. Because he was such a joy to draw, I have taken progress scans throughout the process, if anyone is interested in me posting them - it is late here now and time for bed, so there isn't time to post them now. Have a wonderful day!! :)

Latest Commission - Soulful

Soulful

7x8 inches

Coloured pencils on drafting film

I know I said I wouldn't upload the second pug portrait, but it's a woman's perogative to change her mind, but no progress shots this time. After doing two portraits of pugs in a row, I have fallen in love with these beautiful little dogs - so much character in their wrinkled little faces.

A wonderful day full of smiles to all of you!!!! :)

Our new nephew Jack

Jack

5x7 inches

Graphite Pencil on drafting film

It can be such a difficult time for some couples when they decide to start a family, and, where many couples seem to fall pregnant so easily, for others it is far more challenging as months, and sometimes years, go by without that much desired result.

Such was the case for my wonderful brother and his gorgeous wife, and so our excitement was intensified when, early this year, we discovered that they were finally going to get their little bundle of joy. And here he is - Jack. I have yet to meet my little nephew, as all my family live over a thousand kilometres away from us, but I will hopefully get to meet him in the not too distant future.

Little Flower Girl

Little Flower Girl

5x7 inches

Coloured Pencil on drafting film

Oh what fun I had doing this piece, especially after doing a few graphite works. I just loved doing the colours and textures and was quite happy with it until I started on the legs, where I struck a few problems with the darker shadows. Not to worry - I have decided to frame and keep this piece (something I rarely do) because the colours make me happy. A huge thank you to Juno Kughler Carlson from Artist Friends Network for supplying the gorgeous reference photo. :)

More Graphite with a hint of colour - Peeping Tom

Peeping Tom

12.5 x 14.5 cm

Graphite and coloured pencils on drafting film

This is the third in the series of graphite pencil portraits with a hint of colour. The reference photo for this lovely little fellow was kindly provided by Juno from Artist Friends Network.

I approached North Light Books to see if they might be interested in a book on producing photorealistic work on drafting film. They were very interested in looking at a book proposal, but only on traditional supports, rather than the drafting film. I feel there is an abundance of books out there about achieving photorealism on paper and more traditional supports, and will persevere with the idea of a book on drafting film, mainly because there is so little information out there about it. From the publisher's point of view, I guess it is best to stick with safe ground. From an artist's point of view, I feel we are always hungry for that elusive medium or support that will help us achieve what we would like to achieve in our minds eye, and it is always so exciting to try new mediums and techniques.

Latest Graphite portrait - Wonder

Wonder

5x7 inches

Graphite and coloured pencil on drafting film

I started this one again, after getting halfway through and being dissatisfied with the smoothness of the skin (my husband says I'm a perfectionist - how rude!!! LOL ). The next day, I went out and bought some graphite powder, emptied out my minerals powder foundation from it's container, and filled it with some graphite powder; and dug out some of my softest makeup brushes. I then applied the graphite in much the same way you would buff mineral foundation onto your skin and was much happier with the results. The mineral powder foundation container has little holes in the lid, so I could give it a shake, and get just a hint of powder and then use the makeup brushes to pick it up. Perfect!!!

Graphite with a hint of colour - Pippa

This is the first in a series of portraits I would like to do combining graphite with a hint of colour. The reference photo for Pippa was kindly provided by Andrea (Pencil Painting Network) and is of her delightful daughter Pippa - isn't she a cutie!!!! In future, I am going to try to avoid portraits with too many dark areas, as blending the dark to light proved a frustrating challenge, but we got there in the end.

Graphite Portraits - latest artwork 'Bright Eyes'

Bright Eyes

10x14cm

Graphite, black pencil and sgraffito on drafting film

I have always preferred working with colour, but lately have been dabbling with graphite pencil, and think I could become addicted. Whilst I adore colour, it is such an interesting exercise to focus only on shade, light, tone and texture. This latest work is of my neice Katie, and I will now be offering Commissioned Graphite portraits on Ebay and Etsy and from my website. My next project is to combine a bit of graphite with colour for some variation. Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!!!!