Photographing Your Pet

Mixing Mediums

Owl Step-by-Step

Falling in Love with

LANDSCAPES
FOCUSING ON FEATHERS POWDER BLENDER GIVEAWAY!
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Featuring: Philip Schorn

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October 2016
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 OCTOBER 2016

CON T EN T S
departments
05  FOCUSING ON FEATHERS
Rebecca V. O’Neil shares how she has
learned to master feathers.

08  PET REFERENCE

Your pet can be the ideal subject for
your art, and France Bauduin teaches
how to capture the perfect reference.

20 FALLING IN LOVE WITH LANDSCAPES 26  OWL STEP-BY-STEP

Many colored pencil artists find landscapes Follow Jennifer Watson’s step-by-step tutorial
intimidating, but after reading this article by on creating this Eurasian Eagle Owl, then
Susan Robjant you might just give it a try. share it with us on social media!

14  FEATURED ARTIST

Ushering in the fall season is Philip Schorn with his up close look at nature.
Read how he went from a graphic designer to botanical artist.

2 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

features
04 EDITOR’S NOTE
The inside scoop magazine

18 SKETCHBOOK
What’s new and in the news
Editor-in-Chief

24 Q&A
Sally Robertson
Copy Editor
Kimberly Woods
Mixing mediums
Contributors

30  GALLERY Maria Abagnale

France Bauduin
Latest & greatest artwork from our readers Jodi Jason
Dominika Kowalczyk
Ewelina Kuczera
Claire Murray
Rebecca V. O’Neil
Susan Robjant
Philip Schorn
Chuck Senecal
Barb Sotiropoulos
Jennifer Watson

Sponsors/Advertisers
Caran D’ache
Jerry’s Artarama
Legion Paper

Publisher
Platte Productions LLC
www.platteproductionspublishing.com

Advertising and Marketing

Edward Robertson
ed@coloredpencilmag.com
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For Subscription & Purchase Information

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contact@coloredpencilmag.com

31  ART CHALLENGE P.O. Box 183

Take the October Art Challenge & win great prizes Efland, NC 27243

32  ART CHALLENGE WINNERS

Winners of the July Art Challenge

Copyright © 2016
Platte Productions LLC
COLORED PENCIL Magazine
app.coloredpencilmag.com google.coloredpencilmag.com All Rights Reserved

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication

Cover art by Philip Schorn may not be reproduced in whole or in part without
permission from the copyright owner.
“Crisp Fall Day” 22x16”

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 3

 EDITOR’S NOTE
F
T rick or treat! If you are one of the many artists who took advantage of our three month print subscription sale, welcome.
You started at a great time. This month's print issue includes a sample of Brush and Pencil's brand new Colored Pencil Powder
Blender with applicator. Just follow the instructions on the card to see how this product can blend your pencils like magic! We
still have some samples left for anyone purchasing this October print issue, but one way to assure you don’t miss out on all these
great bonuses is to subscribe: www.coloredpencilmag.com/subscribe.

If you are a digital subscriber, we have an exclusive giveaway just for you. Five winners will receive the full size Colored Pencil
Powder Blender with applicator. Winners will be selected via a random drawing at the end of the month and we will contact you
by email if you won. Good luck!

In this issue, Rebecca V. O’Neil focuses on feathers, which will help you get an edge on the owl step-by-step by Jennifer Watson.
Do you have a pet or know someone with a pet that would make a great photo reference? Learn some helpful tips from France
Bauduin on capturing them with your camera.

Also this month, Susan Robjant will make you fall in love with landscapes when you hear her story and view her work. We need
more colored pencil artists brave enough to tackle these subjects. Are you one of them? If you want to know more about mixing
colored pencils with other mediums then you will love Barb Sotiropoulos’ Q&A this month. And, let’s pay homage to the fall
with our featured artist Philip Schorn. The detail he puts into each piece will have you studying his work for hours.

Join in our growing Monthly Art Challenge community by drawing the cute blue house
on page 31. Submit your work to our Flickr page for your chance to win some of the $300 Sally Robertson
prize booty from Jerry’s Artarama! www.flickr.com/groups/cpmchallenge Editor-in-Chief
sally.robertson@coloredpencilmag.com

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Focusing on Feather
Focusing on Feathers by Rebecca V. O’Neil

Ten steps to creating realistic feathers!

1. The first goal is to set up your details accurately. Don’t be

afraid to use a light box or a projector. I like to draw in
some of the shadowing as well, because too many lines can become
confusing. Instead of using a graphite pencil, which is hard to cover
up and detracts from the finished drawing, I use a neutral colored
pencil. For this piece I used Faber-Castell burnt umber 9201-280
with light pressure.
Supply List
• Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: ginger root PC 1084,
sandbar brown PC 1094, light umber PC 941, 90% French grey
PC 1076, eggshell PC 140, chocolate PC 1082, sienna brown PC
945, black PC 935, burnt ochre 943, light blue 904
• Faber-Castell Polychromos: burnt umber 9201-280

• Caran d’Ache Luminance: White 001, cassel earth 046

• Derwent: Chinese white 7200

• Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits

• Brushes: soft bristle filbert, No. 4, stiff bristle filbert, No. 3

2 . This is a very important step. You must put the

lightest colors in first, because it will be nearly
impossible to put them in later. Start with the lightest tips
of the feathers. I used Prismacolor Premier eggshell PC
140. Press hard with your pencil to push the color into the
tooth of the paper, but not so hard as to damage your paper.

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 5

3. Layer the lights and darks onto your paper, paying close
attention to the reference photo. That is, after all, the key to
making it look the way you want. Once you have anywhere from four
to six layers of color on your piece, blend with odorless mineral spirits
(OMS) using a stiff bristle filbert brush.

4. Repeat step three, layering your colors again and paying

close attention to your reference photo. Draw what you see!

5. Notice that at this stage there isn’t a lot of detail. We are adding
lights and darks and following the shapes of our reference
photo. They’re not feathers yet, but rather shapes and colors.

6. don’t put too much OMS on the brush. Your brush should
Blend again with a stiff bristle brush and OMS, however,

be just slightly damp. Otherwise, it will lift the color off the paper.
Use firm pressure to scrub the color into the paper. As you can see
it’s starting to come together. Keep layering, working with more of
your lights and deepening your darks. At this point I haven’t used
any black, but I will.

7. Now sharpen the details, making sure to always set your

pencil strokes in the same direction as the feather growth.
Add more highlights using a lot of white. Last, start working in a
light layer of black.

Note: Derwent Chinese white is very opaque but also soft and
doesn’t hold a sharp point. Caran d’Ache Luminance keeps a good,
sharp point and is also very opaque.

6 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

 8. Lightly blend with OMS, this time using
a slightly damp soft bristled filbert brush.

9. Repeat step seven.

10. Keep layering and tweaking, reinforcing the details. If you don’t put
enough layers down the drawing will appear gritty, so if you see any of
that add more layers. Make the drawing look smooth. Always refer to your reference
photo, I can’t stress that enough. Remember, draw what you see.

Finished Piece
“The Osprey” 11x14”

www.facebook.com/
RebOneFineArt1

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 7

 Pet Reference
Tips to getting the best photos of your pet

by France Bauduin SOFA, UKCPS

Pets, especially cats and dogs, remain a favorite

subject for colored pencil artists. In this article, I will
share a few tips to help you take great action shots
of your pets.

Choose the Right Camera

My camera is small and light making it possible to
take pictures with a single hand. When shooting
pets, it is always useful to have a free hand so you can
capture their attention by snapping your fingers or
shaking a noisy toy.

With my Live View function I can pivot my view-

finder upward to take pictures of my subject at eye
level (between 15 and 30cm for a cat) without having
to lie flat on my belly. It allows me to move and follow
my subject, to a point.

My camera also has a sport option that allows me

to take many pictures per second in good light
conditions (without flash) which generates more
opportunities to capture a good action shot.

Sequence of three photos taken

within one second with sport
option on a bright, hazy day
(best conditions for black and
white cats).

8 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

Choose the Right Light
Natural daylight is usually best. Avoid harsh sunlight
around midday, especially with white pets. You will
achieve better results taking your photos around mid-
morning or mid-afternoon.

Bright hazy, cloudy days work well when you plan to

replace the background with other photos and so will
not need to match shadows. These are the best condi-
tions for black and white animals.

In some occasions, flash photography may give good

results with black subjects, but natural sunlight is
usually better to show the coat’s highlights.

Choose the Right Spot

Instead of having to chase your animal, it’s usually
best to position yourself in a good spot with the sun at
your back and wait for them to come play in front of
you, shaking a twig or throwing a ball to entice them
in your direction. If it is for a commission, ask for help
from the owner.

Having a solid object like a bush, fence, or wall behind

your subject increases your chances that the focus will
automatically be on the animal and not on something
far behind them.

Donna’s drawing was inspired by a combina-

tion of two photos taken from the same spot
around 2:30pm on a sunny autumn afternoon.

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 9

 Choose the Right Time
Know your subject and anticipate the most likely periods for a
good mood. With kittens, it is usually after they wake up from
a long nap and can last a good half hour before they run out of
steam again.

My best advice is to always have your camera ready and close by.

The lucky shot that inspired this drawing,

“Timmy in Trouble.”

As a rule, I always recharge my camera battery after downloading

any photo shoot of 100 or more pictures.

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot Next time you’ll be able to:

• Eliminate those shots where you are too close or too

Practice makes perfect. The more you take pictures the more likely
you are to get a great shot, even if it is just by luck!
It takes many trials and errors to get the timing right. With my
camera, half-pressing the button activates the automatic focus.
The trick is to keep it half-pressed until I see a good opportunity
and then depress it completely. This quickens the response time.
Most importantly, make sure to download and look at your photos
the same day you take them so you can see and remember what
worked and what didn’t.
far away or when the light is too dark or too bright
• Reduce fish eye effects and other distortions by
centering your subject and using the zoom option to
the maximum
• Identify surroundings and circumstances that
generate a greater likelihood of good shots
• Find the best time to take pictures according to the
season and weather

10 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

 Switching out the background of
one photograph with another.

Conclusion For every hundred of pictures I take:

If you are going to spend dozens of
hours on a particular drawing it is worth
spending a few hours getting a good
photograph of your subject, remembering
that the composition can still be improved
afterwards with tools like Photoshop or
simply using a different background from
another photo.
• One third go straight to the bin (off focus, too dark, white
washed, etc.)
• Half are too ordinary to draw
• 10 to 15 may be good shots but with little flaws
• One or two are great shots worth drawing (with or without
improvements)

A great shot of Gold and Silver playing together

with a pheasant feather.

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 11

 Conclusion cont.
But, with digital cameras, who cares how many photos you have to take to get that perfect
shot? I only print the photograph I will draw and keep the rest classified for future refer-
ences. And once in a while, perhaps one photo out of a thousand, I get lucky and take
that perfect shot where everything works.
Best of luck and remember - keep clicking!

Gold and Silver

playing with a
red ribbon in
natural daylight.
The perfect pose.

www.francebauduinart.com
12 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com
 Featuring:
Philip Schorn
I went to Eastern Illinois University with an
art scholarship and received my Bachelor of
Arts with a double major in graphic design
and 2D studio art in 1984. Afterwards, I
worked for a couple printing companies until
1993 when I became a self-employed graphic
artist. Soon after graduation I did several
paintings as well as some drawings, but with
marriage, kids, and running a business my
fine art was put on the back burner for many
years. Although the desire for fine art was
always there the time was not.

In 2001, I was asked to

assist judging 4-H art at
our county fair in the newly
formed computer generated
art category. I also had the
opportunity to judge other
art categories including
painting, drawing, etc.
Seeing the art that these
kids created reignited my
desire to get back at it. That
and a lot of encouragement
from my wife and kids.
After a few years of judging
I took the plunge and
jumped back in with ink,
pencil, and color pencil.

After doing a few graphite and ink renderings, I tried out my, at the time, very limited set of color pencils. I took a real liking
to them. I would consider my first several drawings to be somewhat crude and limited with that distinctive pencil look. But I
knew the look I wanted to achieve so, since that time, I have been working on my colored pencil technique and how to create
the effect I want. I’m constantly researching various sources including the internet, magazines (COLORED PENCIL Magazine
is great), books, etc.

My pencil preference is Prismacolor Softcore. I also have the Art Stix, Verithin pencils, and several of their markers. My paper
of choice is Strathmore. Most of my work is on 300 series smooth Bristol while my larger pieces are on 400 series. The paper can
take a beating and hold the color very well.

14 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

I consider myself a botanical artist. Everything I draw is in nature.
I’m attracted to the individual items and details that make up the
scene, the more the better. I take a lot of
walks and can look at the ground, a pile
of leaves, or a weed and imagine it as an
illustration. Nature has so much going on
all the time on a very close, intimate level.
Everywhere I look I see something I want
to draw. When I started in earnest with
colored pencils I drew individual leaves
because I was able to create the detail I
wanted, and I kept achieving more and
more realism the better I got.
I try very hard not to over think what I
want to do. I know artists sometimes look
for that perfect spot or view to encompass
an entire area or location just to be frustrated in the end. That
being said, composition is as important as value and color. But I
try to keep it simple. I look for contrast and strong edges and a
light source. I enhance what I see to bring out more of the details.
Putting it all together
takes patience and an
enormous amount of
time and a great wife
who lets me sit in my
studio for hours on end.
I have done plein
air sessions and find
them very refreshing.
It helps me keep loose.
It lets me try out new
materials and tech-
niques and work with
other artists.
I begin my process
with a picture. Drawing on location is impossible for me due
to the amount of time required. I have hundreds to thousands
of images that my wife and I have captured, and I take my time
selecting which to use. Since the time involved in rendering is as
much as it is, finding the right image is important from the start.
As a graphic artist I have the software I need to crop and clean
up my pictures. I print them out on photo paper to use as my
reference. I usually grid my images down to one inch squares and
draw out the grid on my paper. My goal in this laborious process
is to be as accurate as possible to the image. Breaking my images
down into squares is my way of controlling the process. My motto
when drawing is always “think big, draw small.” This really helps
me concentrate on the fine details one square at a time.
COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 15
By working this way, I take control of the medium and the image.
I usually know within an hour or so whether the picture is going
to work or not. I take
a lot of breaks to
look at my progress,
because I can get too
caught up within
a particular area.
Ever ything needs
to fit together like a
giant puzzle.
Here are some tech-
niques I’ve learned
along the way. Keep
your paper clean (I
use frisket around
the edges). I always have something under my hand when
drawing. Being left handed, I generally work from right to left.
For shadows and heavy solid areas I use multiple layers of several
colors overlapped and blended together. Even for lighter areas,
I layer and blend and repeat the process.
I’m constantly looking for depth of color.
For very fine, dark lines I use .05 illustra-
tion pens and an ebony pencil.
I try for complete coverage of the paper.
All paper has a tooth to it, no matter
the kind, so I use an odorless mineral
spirits wash, blending pens, and burnish-
ing pencils. I really try hard to get solid
color. Using a thick paper is essential,
it will take a lot and not come apart. I
have experimented using markers as an
underlying base and then drawing over
that with the colored pencil.
I have entered some exhibitions and
contests and just had a few renderings in a gallery show this June.
I’m having a showing in November at a local library which will
feature many of my drawings. I will also be doing a demonstration
of my techniques.
Wherever you are with your art, techniques, mediums, and
subjects, try not to over think it too much.
Don’t let that take away from the satisfaction
of the creation.
You can see more of my work at:
pschornstudio.com
 Philip Schorn

“Leaf 8” 7x7” (top left)

“Leaf 2” 9x11” (top right)
“Signs of Fall” 6x7” (center)
“Leaf 5” 5x5” (bottom left)
“Leaf 7" 5x7” (bottom right)

16 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

 www.pschornstudio.com

“Kansas Flower” 20x16” “Random Weed” 10x10” “Leaves 10” 9x6.5”

“Winthrop Harbor Spring” 20x14”

“Spring Emerging” 20x14” “Life Goes On in the Fall” 20x14”

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 17

 SKETCHBOOK
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18 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com
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COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 19

 Falling in Love with
LANDSCAPES by Susan E. Robjant

A passion for drawing landscapes is not something I would have envisioned as part
of my repertoire. Initially, I kept my art passion busy for the most part by drawing
domestic animals and wildlife. And while I still love those subjects, I have now found
immense enjoyment recreating breathtaking scenery with colored pencil.

My transition With this particular piece, the water wheel’s amazing history,
into landscapes standing strong in the bush year after year, gave me a sense of
honour drawing it. I only hoped I could do it justice, holding it
I had never really high as an important piece of our history.
entertained doing
landscapes before I came to the huge realization with this piece that as an artist I
because it was out had to follow my instincts. If something appealed as a potential
of my comfort zone. drawing, regardless of doubts regarding skill, technique, time, or
I thought I simply materials, I had to attempt it. This is advice I would give to any
would not enjoy the budding artist. You may very well stumble across a talent or love
process of creating for a subject you hadn’t imagined you were capable of. Step out
them with the detail that I thought most scenes entailed. However, of your comfort zone and draw what you love and what appeals
I had several photographs of an intriguing and quite large water strongly to you. Don’t draw what you think will please others or
wheel built and used in the Australian gold rush mining era of the earn you a win in a competition or gain you more work as an
1800s. This wheel is nestled deep within a lush bush setting in the artist. When you find your passion in your art the rest will follow.
foothills of Victoria’s high country. The process is just as important as the end result.

My husband and I had hiked to the wheel a few

times and loved this spot in the bush. I had often
wondered, while looking through my photos for
new drawing projects, how one of these landscape
photos would translate into a drawing. More impor-
tantly, I wondered if I would be able to do the scene
justice. I would then go on to choose a safer subject,
something I knew I could draw successfully. Then
one brave day I took a leap of faith with my art ability
and, as Australians say, “had a crack at it.”

I fell in love with the process. It was wonderful

depicting the different textures of the bush and the
varied and vast range of colors, but above all I loved
the detail and intricacy within the landscape. An
additional element to it was reliving the memories
from being there in person, remembering the calm
and tranquillity of the Australian bush. It was so
relaxing absorbing the details of nature.

“Wheel of Time”

20 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

Choosing your reference images

When selecting a subject to draw, I first choose a place or subject

that I have connected with in some way. It may be somewhere I
have been or somewhere I am keen to visit. A few of my drawing
references were used with permission from extended family who
had gone on trips to amazing places around Australia. These are
places that I dream of visiting one day.

I have found, though, that drawing a place I have seen with my

own eyes is of greater benefit to me as I can rely on my own
memories and the feelings left with me from the experience.
Quite often I’ve taken numerous photographs of one spot from
different angles with different lighting and different content that
helps immensely. By combining the most flattering elements
or lighting from the different references, I end up with the best
possible depiction of that scene.

I look for a reference photo that has an interesting focal point

or points that the eye is drawn to. This could be a flat expanse
of water that draws your eye in or a meandering pathway that
disappears into the bush. My hope with these focal points is to
provide a sense of intrigue, curiosity, or just pull my audience in
with something relaxing to the eye.

I also love a reference photo that has a lot of depth which,

hopefully, after being drawn will portray the immense scale of
our native scenery.

Starting the process

Once I have chosen my reference photos, I map out the scene by

sketching it all out on paper in a light graphite pencil. Just as I do
when drawing an animal or a person, I measure out all my key
points. These would be things such as the distance between trees,
the thickness of tree trunks, the expanse of water, heights of any
cliffs, etc. Once I am comfortable knowing everything is placed
proportionately, I very lightly sketch in the shape of the foliage,
branches, rocks, and any pivotal highlights or shadows that I don’t
want to forget about.

At this stage I start using colored pencils and rely heavily on

following my reference photo, using my initial sketch and markers
to guide me. I have tried using a grid method in the past, but,
frankly, I’m simply too lazy to implement it. I am trying to draw
freehand as much as I can. Hopefully, with practice, I will need
less measuring out in the future as my eye for detail improves.

With the beginning of every new piece I am always hopeful I will

be more methodical and work smoothly from top left to bottom
right. Instead, I normally start bottom left then work up and
across, jumping around a bit as the piece goes on. If I’m getting
tired of a particular part of the drawing I will leave it not quite
complete and move on to another part of the scene. I think this is
a great method for overcoming frustration or boredom.
“Deep Reflection”

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 21

 Frustration can lead to overthinking and overworking the paper
or causing an irreparable mistake, when all it may need is fresh
eyes. I set up shop in a different section for a change of scenery
and return a few days later. I usually find I can complete it
problem-free.
Another advantage of resting an area of paper is that it gives it time
to absorb the pigment, enabling more layers to be applied. The color
can also change slightly with time and may need adjustments.
Once I feel I’ve finished the piece I let it sit for a day and then go
back and reinforce the darks and shadows and lights and high-
lights. At this point I’ll take a photo of it on my phone to add to
my progress shots. I find that viewing it on a smaller scale can
reveal if something needs to be darker or lighter or requires more
detail. Converting it to black and white can sometimes help a lot
with getting my values correct as well.
Textures in landscapes
I think one of the wonderful things about landscapes is the wide
diversity in structures that makes up a scene. There are so many
beautiful colors, textures, and shapes to explore in any one shot.
When drawing these I really want to define the many different
qualities, such as making my water look glassy and smooth, or
emphasising the many crevasses and fissures on the rock faces,
showing the way the light catches its jagged edges. I want the
viewer to feel they are there seeing it for themselves.
Lighting plays an incredibly huge role in this. I constantly need to
be aware of how the light hits the many aspects in the scene and
make sure I’m very constant with the direction.
Flora - trees and foliage “Heavy Armed Recovery”
Plants, shrubs, and grasses are naturally abundant in landscapes
with their many different colors, shapes, and varieties. Each one is
as individual as we are, so I’m definitely not drawing the same tree
over and over again. It’s a new experience every time. With every
piece I try to develop different methods of rendering leaves and
foliage. This skill is my weakest point and one I hope to get better
at with each new piece.
22 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com
I start by creating a base layer of lights and darks and then use
Zest-It to blend these together smoothly. Once this is dry and has
rested a little bit, I layer on the leaves in small, random strokes
starting with the lightest colors. Sometimes a very bright lime,
almost a yellow, will create an illusion of sun on the new green
tips. I use whites where the source of light hits the outer leaves. In
the shadows of the foliage I use darker greens, and in the deepest
and densest parts I layer greys and blues to create more depth.
When drawing the branches or trunk of a tree, I will notice many
colors that may not have stood out initially. This is where the
maxim “draw what you see and not what you think you see” is
so important. I use colors such as browns, greys, white, black,
reds, yellows, oranges, and even blues and mauves in recreating
a simple gumtree trunk and branches. These colors are subtle
but they play an integral part, giving depth and character to the
appearance and telling my eye that this object has a cylindrical
shape. For example, I might be tempted to believe the edge of the
trunk wrapping around to the back should be darker, but when
I look closely, on the very outer edge of that tree trunk, I see a
highlighted strip. These subtle inclusions make an enormous dif-
ference in the end result.
“Stillness”
Water
I find that water translates beautifully in a landscape drawing.
I’m always particular with the techniques involved to make sure I
portray its qualities accurately. If it is a smooth, flat body of water
I need to pay attention to the reflections cast upon its surface.
It mirrors the surrounding landscape, and I want this to show
perfectly as this is a feature that adds immensely to the beauty
of a scene. When the object is very close to the water’s edge the
reflection is sharp and is almost perfectly mirrored. If the object is
higher or more distant the reflections are just a suggestion of color
and light being reflected back on the water’s surface.
Quite a few of my Australian landscapes have very reddish orange
dirt and/or cliff faces in the reflection. When I draw the water, I
start by layering reds, oranges, and browns before going over with
black, again using Zest-It to smooth and blend everything. Having
these colors underneath gives the black a warm depth. I draw
many layers, probably more so than any other area of my drawings.
I keep the darkest blacks for the deepest and most distant parts expands to a view in the distance which is usually slightly out of
of the water. The water will lighten as it gets closer to a shore or focus. This recreates how my eyes would see it in person. These
shallow edge. I finish up by adding crisp white highlights where different levels are important in portraying a sense of distance,
the light hits the ripples or edges of the water. drawing the viewer’s eye in and through the landscape.

Enjoy what you do

Finally, I can only reiterate my advice to draw whatever makes

you happy or gives you a sense of passion for that subject. Draw
what evokes feelings from you, whatever that maybe - a loved
one, a treasured pet, a place or item you have a connection with.
Don’t let doubts hold you back. Give it a go and learn from every
piece that you create. Improve your method in the next piece and
I guarantee you’ll be empowered as an artist.

I am not sure why I didn’t realize my passion for landscapes earlier

in my art career; it may have been obstacles in my mind excluding
them from consideration. But they make total sense to me now.
I have combined my love of nature in my travels with my love of
drawing. I am so pleased that I broke through my self-imposed
“Tranquility”
barrier and attempted that first landscape, “Water Wheel.” I hope
Cliffs or rocky areas that through my landscapes viewers can feel a sense of the peace-
fulness, simplicity, and sheer beauty that nature offers us. I also
I enjoy rendering a nice and intricate rock face, with the deep hope that a little bit of my love and passion for these scenes is
shadows and the light hitting the edges. It looks dramatic and shared with them.
beautiful.

I start these sections with a deep grey, almost black, and start to
get in all the shadows and crevasses in the rock. Then I begin
layering in the lighter colors, working outwards until I reach the www.susanerobjantart.com
lightest spots at the edge. I often use a sharp blending pencil on
these rougher surfaces, lightly blending the pigment into the
paper, but not so much
that I can’t layer over
again. I do a final layer of
colors to reinforce it all.

Again, as with the tree

tr unks, when I lo ok
closely I see colors not
expected in a red cliff
face, such as blue. Faber-
Castell Polychromos sky
blue is probably one of my
most used pencils for this.

Depth

I like creating a sense of

depth in my landscape
drawings. For example, a
sharp and clear branch of
a tree in the forefront of
the drawing that recedes
back into a path or water
or a valley, the main focus
of my piece, which all
“Nostalgia”

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 23

 Q&A Mixing Mediums
Question:
I like using mixed media in my artwork. I’ve seen other artists use pastel
with colored pencil, but can I use wet mediums as well? What types
would you recommend?

Answer:
You sure can! One of the brilliant things about colored pencil is that it mixes quite well
with other media, both wet and dry. This is a great technique if you want high saturation “Trinitas” 7.5x9”
without having to apply the many layers you would by using colored pencil alone. You can Colored Pencil and acrylic ink on hot
create wonderfully rich illustrations and drawings in a lot less time. press watercolor paper

A few wet mediums you could try with

colored pencil include acrylic ink, water-
color, and acrylic paint. All three of these
have a relatively fast drying time and work
best when using them as a wash or in thin
layers. Use your wet media to establish
your base color or mid value tones, and
then apply colored pencil to add in high-
lights and darker values.

Something to keep in mind is that more

texture will tend to show through from the
acrylic paint and watercolor compared to
the acrylic ink. Experimentation will be
your friend as you establish what works best
for you, but there are a few things to you’ll
want to determine before you get started.

Test swatches on Moleskin Mixed Media paper.

Left to right - watercolor, acrylic ink, and acrylic
paint using Faber-Castell Polychromos colored
pencils over top.

Barb Sotiropoulos - www.barbsotiart.com

24 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

PAPER
Finding the right paper may take some trial and error,
depending on what look you want to achieve. The key is to pick
a paper type that can handle both wet and dry media without
curling or wrinkling. Using paper designed specifically for
mixed media from brands like Canson and Strathmore work
great for this. Hot press watercolor paper is also great because
the tooth is smooth enough for colored pencil but it can still
handle wet media. A best practice tip is to tape down the
edges of your paper to help prevent any warping while you
are working.
WET MEDIA
Watercolor is great for washes and gradations. Because the
medium can be reworked when it’s re-wetted it allows some
flexibility if you don’t get something quite right. You have to let
your layers dry completely with any wet media before applying
your colored pencil layers. You can damage your paper if you
try applying colored pencil layers too soon. Also, try not to
apply the watercolor too heavily as it can add unwanted extra
texture to your surface, unless added texture can be used to
your advantage as part of the look you are trying to achieve.
Acrylic ink is my favorite wet media to use with colored pencil.
There are a few brands on the market that work great like FW
Acrylic Ink and Liquitex Acrylic Ink which are professional
grade artist mediums. This versatile ink is great if you like the
look of watercolor but want something that has high satura-
tion with water resistance and very little application. A little bit
goes a long way with this medium. Unlike watercolor, however,
once it dries you can’t rework it, so plan wisely. Colored pencil
layers quite well over this medium because it seems to soak into
the paper rather than sitting too much on top and changing
the quality of surface you are
“Giant Panda” 6.25×4.5”
working on.
Colored pencil, watercolor, and
acrylic paint on mixed media paper
Send your questions to: qa@coloredpencilmag.com
COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 25
“Lion Tamarin” 6.25x4.5”
Colored pencil, watercolor, and acrylic paint
on mixed media paper
Acrylic paint can also be used in conjunction with colored
pencil, but you are a lot more limited. Watering it down or
using a high flow acrylic version as a wash is the ideal applica-
tion. Because acrylic paint tends to have a plastic-like texture
when it dries, too much will not be suitable for adding colored
pencil on top. Some colors won’t show up well over acrylic
paint so this medium might take the most experimentation. In
this combination, lighter colored pencil on darker paint colors
works best.
Another option to explore is mixing wet mediums and colored
pencil in a piece without layering on top of one another at all.
By leaving some areas just for colored pencil and others just
for the wet media you can create a rich, dynamic piece. For
example, you might choose to create most of your background
with acrylic paint while saving your subject matter for colored
pencil work. Artists like Lisa Clough of Lachri Fine Art use
this method often in their work very successfully.
IMPORTANT NOTE
If you are planning to sell your finished original piece it’s
important to research the lightfast rating of the media you are
using with your colored pencils to ensure you are working with
the best archival quality. Even if you end up mostly covering
your wet media layer with lightfast colored pencil the media
underneath can still potentially be susceptible to fading.
When choosing to mix your colored pencil and wet media
together, however, the important thing to remember is to
experiment and have fun!
Eurasian Eagle Owl
by Jennifer Watson Step-by-Step
I love wildlife. I own dozens of nature documentaries, and I’m an annual
pass holder at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo in Florida, which is where I get
most of the reference photos I use for my artwork. It’s an amazing zoo
- the animals are alert and engaged, and there are always opportuni-
ties for great photos. Every time I attend the bird of prey show I hope
their Eurasian eagle owl, Ivan, will be performing. His impressive size,
stunning eyes, and effortless grace make him an instant favorite with
his handlers and the zoo guests. When I captured this reference photo
I knew I had to draw it someday!

You too can draw Ivan! Download this photo to use as a reference and
follow along at www.flickr.com/groups/theclassroom. If posting on social
media use #DrawingIvan so we can all view it. You can also tag the zoo
by adding @TampaZoo. Visit them at: www.lowryparkzoo.org.

Tips:
• Layer your colors with a
light hand. Don’t flatten the
Background - Base
tooth of the paper so early
that you can’t add additional Using a very light hand, I layered
layers or correct mistakes. my lighter background colors.
Because the background is out of
• Pay close attention to the focus, colors needed to overlap
texture of the feathers in any a bit to prevent any shapes from
given area - birds have up to being too well defined. After a
five different feather types.
few layers I used odorless mineral
The feathers of an owl are
specially designed for their
spirits to blend colors together
hunting style. and fill the tooth of the paper. I
repeated until I achieved the color
• Don’t lock yourself into saturation I wanted.
a mindset that will only
allow you to see feathers as
feathers. Sometimes feathers
don’t look like feathers, and
it’s better to see them simply
as abstract shapes.
Background - Bokeh
• Wit h Fab er- C a stel l
Polychromos pencils, which Because I consistently used a light hand in
are oil-based and therefore layering my background colors the paper still
more translucent, you can had plenty of tooth left. Starting with cream,
focus on achieving values I lightly layered the light spots into the back-
and then “glaze” with other
ground, putting a greater concentration of
pencils on top to achieve
greater color saturation
spots into lighter areas of the background.
without completely covering Then I used ivory for brighter spots and, finally,
up previous layers. Polychromos white and Derwent Drawing
Chinese white for the brightest spots of light.

26 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

Eyes
I completed the illuminated parts of the eyes first by layering
yellows, oranges, and a little bit of red. I also layered quite a bit of
white to block in the highlight; then I put down a very light layer
of dark sepia to mark the shadows. I layered orange, red, and dark
sepia alternately to complete the shadowed portion. Only the pupil
and corners of the eyes are actually black. I left some tooth to the
paper at the top of the eye to add a white sheen around the highlight,
which gives the eye more dimension.

Head Feathers & Beak

The feathers around the eyes and on
the top of his head came next. Notice
how Ivan has very fluffy, almost fur-like
feathers around his eyes and beak but
very sleek, contoured feathers on top of
and around the rest of his head. I used
quite a bit of ivory, burnt umber, and
dark sepia to block in these areas then
glazed with colors like burnt sienna,
bistre, and similar shades to add addi-
tional feather colors.

Because the beak isn’t high gloss I

didn’t want it to have an ultra-defined
highlight. Allowing a softer transition
between light and dark better repre-
sents the texture of the beak. I also tried
to capture the imperfections that cast
different reflections in the light.

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 27

 Lower Face
I’m won’t keep any secrets from you -
this was unequivocally my least favorite
portion of this piece! If you look at my
progress shots, you’ll see that I moved
away from it and worked on the wing
before finishing this area. Here are my
tips for working on the “face fluff.”

1. Getting the direction of the feathers

right is more important than copying
the reference photo exactly. Don’t stress
too much about getting it all perfect.

2. Don’t let too many of the tufts and

clumps of feathers be too well defined.
Gradual changes in value represent
softer textures while hard lines make
something look firm or wiry. Giving a
general sense of the feathers is better
than defining the feathers too well.

3. Focus on your values. This is what will

create dimension and push some tufts
forward and others back.

4. Keep a light hand. You may find it

works well to layer in darker colors and
then pull out lighter feathers by using an
eraser or by layering ivory down on top
of the shadows. If you’ve damaged the
tooth of the paper you won’t be able to
do this.

Shoulder
Because the shoulder is rounding
away from the viewer, the feather
pattern doesn’t have much rhyme
or reason. I didn’t stress too much
about making feathers look like
feathers - remember, sometimes
they just don’t. I copied the shapes
and patterns in the reference photo,
looking for the little details that gave
dimension (light and shadow) and
the appearance of feathers (colors,
patterns, lines, gradations, etc.).

28 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

Wing
The wing to the viewer’s left can be a challenge
because of the way the wing is curved and partially
extended. Some feathers are seen head on, some
from the bottom, some from the side. Some are on
top of the wing and in full sun while others are on
the bottom of the wing and completely in the shade. I
found that working in sections helped me - I worked
on groups of feathers that were facing a similar
direction before moving on to another section.

Contour and value are the best things to focus on.

This is another area where I found myself using
quite a bit of ivory, burnt umber, and dark sepia
to block in the feathers and then glazing various
areas with burnt sienna, bistre, and different ochre
shades to add additional feather colors.

Note: I did not use black at all for wing shadows.

I used the same techniques for the shadowed

portion of the wing as I did for the body, and I
used the same general techniques for the second
wing as I did for the first wing. Once more, I
focused on shapes, colors, and values over trying
to draw actual feathers. I used browns and sepia for
the shadows with a little bit of black to accentuate
the shadow that separates the wing from the body.

Body
I started the body by focusing on
the small portion that’s in full sun.
Here are more feathers that don’t
look like feathers. Again, I focused
on shapes, colors, and values. For
the portion of the body that’s in
shadow, I began blocking in the
darker feathers in dark sepia, and
then I layered over the entire body
with various shades of brown. To
avoid making Ivan appear flat, I
looked for how the feathers follow
the contour of the body. Because
the body is in shadow the feathers
aren’t incredibly detailed.

www.thearteest87.com
Introductory colored pencil workshop coming
“Ivan” 11x14” May 2017 - follow Tampa Regional Artists on
Facebook for updates!

COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 29

 ART GALLERY

“Mean Machine”
13x10”
Faber-Castell Polychromo pencils on
grey-tint Stonehenge paper
Claire Murray
www.facebook.com/murray.paintings

“Grandma’s Love Machine”

Chuck Senecal
www.charlessenecaldesigns.com

“Soller”
11.5x16.5”
Faber Castell Polychromos, Derwent Drawing
Chinese white pencil on Canson Mi Teintes pastel
paper (#343 pearl)
Ewelina Kuczera
www.kot-filemon.deviantart.com

About the drawing: Soller is a town in Mallorca, Spain. It is Get YOUR artwork into the Gallery!
Post your “Latest & Greatest” on our Facebook page:
well-known for its old trams. The track passes through the
www.facebook.com/ColoredPencilMagazine
town's centre and goes through the main square.

30 COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com

Take the October
#1610: “Little Blue House”
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Use your own style and at least 80% colored pencils. Take as much
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COLORED PENCIL Magazine | October 2016 | www.coloredpencilmag.com 31
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