This month, I’m giving you a sneaky peek into my illustration process. Most of my work is digital (although I hand draw everything first) but once a year my work goes off to be shown at the Bologna book fair and for that I like to show the full range of things that I can do, so there will be some digital, some collage / mixed media work and some hand drawn and painted work – you never know what people will be looking for! Here is the process of one of my Bologna illustrations using Derwent Coloursoft pencils (my faves!)

First I start with an idea. I love pictures with houses and ‘Home’ themed projects, so this year I thought I would do a whimsical house. I start to sketch some ideas in pencil; everything is a bit messy at this stage as I fight to get all of my ideas on paper before they drift off again! No-one usually ever sees this part so I feel free to be messy and make notes onto my picture, cross things out, draw over things – as long as I know what I mean, it’s OK!

Once I’m happy with a composition and ironed out any problems.Sometimes I discover I can’t draw what I want in my picture particularly well, so I’ll do a few studies of it from reference material until I’ve perfected it or I might need to practice the perspective and proportions of things until I’m happy.

I then draw it out very lightly onto my paper – I keep the strokes very light so they blend more easily, especially around light areas.

At this point I’ll start adding areas of colour, keeping everything very soft so I can still work over it and adding shading and highlights or even erase something if I think it doesn’t work. This is the hardest stage for me; the colours look quite flat and it can be disheartening because it doesn’t look like the picture in my head yet – at this point I want to abandon it and start over! But instead I usually put it away for an hour and come back to it with fresh eyes (and newly sharpened pencils!)

Once I’m happy with the colour balance I start adding shading. I love to blend lots of colours together; I still work lightly or the surface of the colouring can become shiny too quickly and it can be difficult to add more colour.

Finally, I use a pen to add details over the top. I occasionally use a black fine liner but mostly I use a grey or brown brush pen as you can get finer detail and the finish isn’t so harsh. It really depends on the piece – here I’ve used a grey brush pen to pick out the details such as blades of grass, birds' feet and eyes, leaves on the trees and other little bits and pieces – just make sure not to smudge the ink before it has time to dry!

Thanks so much for popping by to take a sneak peek into my illustration process and share my sketchbook secrets – I hope you’ll come and share yours over on the Derwent Facebook page; we’d love to take a look.

I’ll be back soon!
Sarah x

www.sarahhurley.com

Our next Featured Artist is Tiffany Budd, an artist from Surrey. Tiffany has worked with Derwent for many years and recently featured on our packaging for Pastel Blocks. We asked Tiffany a few questions about her work:

What inspires you and your work?

There are many things really, but as artists go, the often forgotten Russian Constructivists inspire me. The way they created new exciting work using shapes, perspective and light is brilliant. They were primarily inspired themselves by the Cubist movement (Picasso and Braque), another one of my favourites. For use of colour, Patrick Heron and Howard Hodgkin are masters in my eyes.  

My Fractured style of painting came from visiting a Russian Constructivist exhibition at the Tate Gallery about 4 years ago. It was like a light bulb moment! I got home, sat down with a glass of wine and sketched the said glass and bottle in a way I hadn’t done before, extending out lines and shading in the blocked up areas. I’ve not looked back since!

When I think of a painting idea, light, reflections and movement get me going. Unusual building shapes are great too. I am about to do a large scale drawing of the Millennium Wheel in my Fractured style, I am very excited about that! I love photographing water and waves too, then translating it onto my canvas as a later date. This is why I always carry a small digital camera with me. You never know what might grab your attention for the next drawing.

What are your goals as an artist?

To create something unique, that no other artist has done before. And for the viewer to look at it, appreciate it and enjoy it, and you never know, purchase it!

Which artist inspires you?

Do I have to choose one?! Aleksandr Rodchenko (Russian Constructivist), Picasso for his diversity and incredible talent, and then Carravaggio for pure drama. Oh then there’s Matisse, Patrick Heron, Howard Hodgkin like I mentioned before….see? Impossible to choose just one!

Do you have any top tips for drawing?

If you think something is not quite right, but can’t figure out quite what, try looking at it in a mirror. For some bizarre reason, the ‘mistake’ jumps out! Don’t ask me why, but it does!  Also, take your sketchbook and camera everywhere like I mentioned before. You never know when something might inspire you and get your fingers itching! When using coloured pencils and want to remove the pencil marks to create a smooth image, a blender pencil is invaluable. It doesn’t affect the colour but blends it all nicely together.  And finally, buy the best quality pencils you can. Cheap ones tend to break and that can incredibly frustrating.

How and when did you start drawing?

I’ve always drawn, as long as I can remember. It was something I was good at school (unlike Maths!). I was at a school which had a fantastic art department. They really encouraged me to develop my talent, and in the process, recommended I give up trying to do A level Biology. Which I did willingly! At Christmas and birthdays growing up, I always asked for art materials. (I still do) I can’t imagine not drawing or painting.

How has your style changed over the years?

Quite dramatically. I wanted to learn how to draw first and foremost, so would copy, sketch figure studies, still life.  Once I could do that, I tried other things, abstracts, collage and I developed a range of floral work using the collage. I still do those, but I’ve moved onto my Fractured work more now. Every now and then, I still do the basics, almost like a refresher course. I love drawing so just want to keep on improving and developing my skills. I believe you need to know the basics of drawing, perspective and copying before you can develop your own personal style.  But that’s just me! Some people have a distinctive style from the outset, but I didn’t.

 

What have you learned about yourself and your work over the years?

Be yourself and be patient! I used to be incredibly impatient and would rush things and inevitably ruin them. It took years for me to slow down and concentrate more on my work. I do things slowly and carefully now. Although saying that, I have begun to do demonstrations for art societies and you have to complete a painting in 2 hours and talk at the same time! That does tend to speed you up a bit! I also used to try and do styles which just weren’t suited to me. I admire people who do loose, free work. So I tried it, and it didn’t feel right, or look right. Stick to what you’re best at! I also like chatting to and being with people, which is why I began to do art demonstrations. Being an artist can be quite a solitary experience, so this works perfectly for me.

Which country would be your dream drawing destination?

Easter Island! I have had a lifelong fascination with tribal sculpture and beliefs. The fact that this island is as far away from anything you can get, and yet these mysterious, beautiful giant heads gaze inland, not out to sea is incredible. I would love to sit there all day and draw, and think about what they mean! I imagine the light on this island is crystal clear and bright.

What are the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of being an artist?

Creating something which people enjoy, and that I enjoyed doing myself. Getting paid for it is also a bonus!!! I love being an artist, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.  

You can find out more about Tiffany on her website: www.tiffanybudd.co.uk

 

In June last year, we blogged about DiegoKoi, a photo-realistic artist from Italy. We were so astounded by his work that we caught up with him to see what he’s been up to.

Since we spoke last DiegoKoi has been awarded the Audience Award for Best Artist at NonfermArti 2011 and will be collaborating with esteemed artist Calidonna Isabella in an exhibition.

DiegoKoi sent some recent drawings including some close up shots showing his remarkable analytical ability. Despite only being 23 years of age, DiegoKoi’s ability to show light & shade and unbelievable perspective in his work has astounded viewers worldwide.

What do you think?

You can 'Like' DiegoKoi on Facebook

Val Webb takes us through an illustrated guide to drawing eyes - let us know what you think!

Eyes are challenging to draw, but they are also a lot of fun -- and the eyes are often the key to expressing human emotion in a drawing. Here's a short, step-by-step tutorial on drawing realistic eyes in pencil. For your model, cut a pair of eyes out of a magazine photo or crop a pair from an online image. Cut away the rest of the face so that you won't be distracted as you concentrate on this drawing exercise. When you have finished, I'd love to see your results! My email is studio@valwebb.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Val Webb is an illustrator of flora, fauna & fairies - she also teaches botanical and nature drawing. Please visit www.valwebb.com for more information.

Cartoonist Colin Shelbourn guest blogs about how he uses Derwent Studio 33 pencils to create his fantastic illustrations.

 

The Derwent Studio 33 pencil; it’s slim, perfectly formed and the secret weapon in a cartoonist’s armoury.

When drawing for newspapers, the deadlines are tight. In the case of a front page cartoon it can be as little as three hours. This includes reading the headlines, sketching at least four ideas, discussing them with the editor and then drawing the finished artwork. As part of this process, the Studio 33 is indispensable.

It’s the best blue pencil in the world and it has magical properties.

When scanned in black and white, blue lines disappear. They simply don’t register, which means I can sketch the final artwork with in blue pencil and go straight to ink without the need to erase any lines. This saves a huge wodge of time plus it avoids wrecking the paper surface and subsequently creating a splodgy inky mess.

The printed result is a finely-crafted cartoon of elegance and tranquility; the frantic, blue pencil scribbling beneath the surface is hidden from view.

But the magic of the Studio 33 doesn’t end there. It extends into the wild, where it prevents conflict, altercation and unseemly behaviour.

Drawing in trains, cafés and at live events is tremendous fun but carries a risk: I’m a cartoonist so when I sketch someone, the results may not be flattering. An ink or 4B pencil cartoon can be spotted from several yards away but the magic blue pencil is invisible. This gives me plenty of time to spot an incoming victim and turn the page before they arrive. Oh look, I wasn’t drawing them at all, it was my shopping list.

Colin Shelbourn is a professional cartoonist. He can be found extolling the virtues of the Derwent Studio 33 pencil to anyone who will listen, but usually at workshops or in the pages of his new book, Drawing Cartoons (Crowood Press). www.shelbourn.com

© Colin Shelbourn

We asked world-renowned web designer Grace Smith to tell us a little about how she uses sketching to develop ideas for her design work.

Sketching & Design: a Perfect Combination

Sketching isn't optional for me as a designer, it's essential. I can't go straight to digital at the start of a project, I always start off with some browser templates or Moleskine (and a few Derwent pencils!)

Sketching kick-starts my creativity and allows me to get ideas out on paper and is the fastest way to brainstorm and convey as many ideas as possible with the least amount of effort.

Process

Staring at a blank Photoshop canvas is not a great way to start a project. Although it may sound exciting to just jump straight in, it can also be quite overwhelming. Sketching gets you over this hurdle and allows you to quickly explore concepts and ideas. I see it as the frame upon which I craft my projects.

Whether it's a website design, logo design or iPhone app design, it all begins with a pencil and paper. Sketching enables me to break down ideas and fully explore design and layout options and I find putting it down on paper tends to raise questions and ideas, and leads to changes.

I focus on wireframing and layout when sketching for Web Design and iPhone UI Design, looking at the overall picture instead of minor details too early in the process. I usually start by jotting down the main points and goals of a project on a separate page, which I can then quickly refer back to when I'm sketching.

This is the exact process I used when redesigning my own site - Postscript5, which was recently relaunched. Brainstorming ideas and sketching out layouts for each area of the site led me down some creative avenues I wouldn't have experimented with had I not taken the time to sketch!

I sketch quickly and freely as I'm not concerned with how it looks but on developing and exploring ideas. Plus usually no one but you sees the sketches so don't get caught up in  trying to draw a masterpiece!

My process for Logo Design differs slightly in that the sketches are scanned and digitally treated (in Photoshop or Illustrator). However before the sketches are treated they are shown to the client for feedback and revised, only at this point are they then scanned and given a design treatment. This allows for quick iteration and feedback and makes for a much more efficient design process.

Benefits

As you begin sketching at the start of a project, you soon discover potential obstacles and problems that you may not have seen until much later in the design phase. I've therefore found that while the approach may differ slightly on each project, sketching has cut down dramatically on revisions later in the design stage.

As a designer it now means huge amounts of time aren't invested in refining concepts and solutions which may not be in the right direction, as the sketch (or a sketch turned into a wireframe) can be shown to the client, for approval.

Resources

1. Sketching Resources for User Experience Designers

2. To Sketch or not to Sketch

3. Collection of Printable Browser and Wireframe Sketching Templates

4. An in-depth look at my Wireframing process

Conclusion

Too many people get hung up on not being able to draw, but great drawing skill isn’t necessary to capture your ideas. Sketching should be fast and loose, you're not trying to recreate a Picasso, it’s about transferring ideas from your brain to paper.

It's the place where you make your mistakes and your discoveries and lay the foundations of your ideas.

Now excuse me while I go and grab my Derwent Pencils and Moleskine and get sketching!

Bio

Grace Smith is the principal designer of Postscript5, a small, boutique web design studio based in Northern Ireland, where she works with clients from around the globe.

 

THIS COMPETITION FINISHED AT 12PM, 17TH AUGUST

Derwent make their fine art pencils in one of the most beautiful parts of England, the Lake District so they are very conscious of how important it is to love and protect the world around them.

Derwent cares about trees; it uses Californian Incense Cedar wood from forests accredited to the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) in the manufacture of its pencils.

The new Derwent Fine Art eco Sketching Pencil, with its hexagonal barrel and unpainted natural finish, is made using high quality artist-grade graphite, a naturally occurring substance sourced from Sri Lanka. It is available in 5 key degrees from a crisp, non-scratchy 2H for fine lines to a soft and smudgy 6B for darker shading. The first time, Derwent believes, that an eco-friendly sketching pencil has been made available in a range of degrees which are perfect for sketching and drawing.

To limit waste the packaging is made from recycled paper and is 100% recyclable. You can also remove the perforated hanging tag and re-use the pack to store the pencils when not in use.

Derwent works hard to protect the planet. They have been awarded the Queen’s award for sustainable development for their commitment to the environment. They developed a unique eco friendly process, using UV light, to coat the barrels of their pencils thereby avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and solvents. And, when they built their new factory in Lillyhall they incorporated a number of eco-friendly features; they store and re-use rainwater, while waste wood chippings created in the manufacturing process are burnt to heat the factory and all the offices feature motion sensor lighting in order to save energy.

To win 1 of 20 packs simply answer this simple question:

What kind of wood are our pencils made from?

Just leave your answer at the bottom of this blog post to be in with a chance! We'll pick a winner from the correct answers at random on Wednesday, 17th August 2011 at 12pm. Only one entry per person please. Good luck!

Alison Spratley who works here at Derwent has described how much volunteering and providing pencils to orphaned children in St Lucia meant to her:

My dream was one day to volunteer abroad and work with young children.

Research led me to an organisation called African Impact and The Happy Africa Foundation (THAF), an organisation who are dedicated to sustainable change and progress for underprivileged communities in Eastern and Southern Africa.

I secured a place on the Orphan Day Care and HIV Education project in St Lucia SA. 

On my arrival the team at African Impact made me feel very welcome and in no time at all, we were planning my schedule of work for the coming weeks with my fellow volunteers. We were involved in various community projects, looking after and teaching young Zulu children at three different crèches, managing Holiday and After School clubs, providing HIV education, gardening or working on the 10 families projects.

Many of the schools and crèches in Khula and Eswenalisha are poorly funded and seriously lacking in resources.  Some of the most basic facilities are missing from crèches and classrooms. African Impact wants to help ensure that every child can be cared for and educated in a safe and sanitary environment, whilst benefitting from the facilities that most of us take for granted.

Before leaving the UK I wanted to organise as many donations as possible, and was overwhelmed by the generosity of my work colleagues and friends.

Derwent kindly donated a large quantity of pencils and accessories.  With the support of my work colleagues and Bill Bailey from Rexel South Africa the Derwent donations were delivered safely to African Impact. With the pencils provided the children demonstrated how creative and expressive they could be with their drawings and colouring.

I would like to thank Derwent, Bill (Rexel SA) and my friends for their kindness and support for such a good cause.  

I was touched and inspired by the children of Khula, many of whom melted your heart with their cheeky grin, lovely smiles and loveable nature.  A lot of the young children are orphans and looked after by their grandparents, therefore the work that African Impact does is vital to their daily lives, giving them an opportunity to learn, be loved, and feel safe in their environment.

My time in St Lucia was truly an amazing experience, worthwhile and very rewarding, but most of all it made me realise the importance of helping others less fortunate than myself. Without organisations like African Impact you can’t image what some of the children and families have to endure on a daily basis.  Therefore it is important for me to continue supporting African Impact by doing what I can here in the UK.

If you are interested in the progress of African Impact SA please visit their website to find out more, http://africanimpact.com or visit them on Facebook  

Before leaving the UK a friend said to me “that if everyone of us gave up 3 weeks in our lifetime, what a difference we could make in the world”.  On that note, I hope to one day return to Africa, where I can try to make that difference!

Thanks to Facebook we found an amazing artist who really astounded us with his skill at photo-realistic pencil drawing. We asked Diego to share his work and bio with us:

DiegoKoi was born in Lamezia Terme (CZ) October 25, 1989. As a young man he started out creating tattoo designs & was inspired by the work of Katsushika Hokusai.

In time, Diego’s technique moved on from the sharp and heavy lines of Japanese tattoo drawings and he progressed on to the lightness and delicacy of pencil drawing. The pursuit of perfection is an obsession for Diego.

He has the ability to see hundreds of shades of grey & achieve extreme realism in his works. He spent a brief time training with the great artists Calabrese, Maurizio Carnevali who helped him define his drawing skills to be able to communicate his vision.

Diego has made a great name for himself and is commissioned regularly from all over the world. His work goes beyond the simple picture and has wowed the public with exhibitions in the picturesque area of Calabria, Italy.

Diego uses Derwent Graphic Pencils "I tried many but the Derwent pencils are the best, because the feel of the pencil allows you to draw in a classic style, the core is also very strong & will not break."

See his work below - it really is beautiful. For more information on DiegoKoi please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/diegokoiart
http://diegokoi.altervista.org/
http://diegokoi.artelista.com/
http://www.equilibriarte.org/member/9004
http://www.ioarte.org/artisti/Diego-Fazio/

 

 

Above: The Courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts at Burlington House by Katherine Tyrrell.  

11.5" x 17" pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils in large Moleskine Sketchbook

 

 

We asked Katherine Tyrrell to guest blog for us; here's her 10 Reasons to Sketch with Coloured Pencils!

 

1. Not a lot to carry!

2. As many colours as you want

3. Go where other artists cannot go

4. Scope for mixed media

5. Get a true record of colours and tones 

6. Work small - and large

7. Impervious to rain

8. If you make a mistake....

9. Coloured pencils don’t run 

10. No waiting for the paint to dry!

 

 

This article focuses on sketching with coloured pencils - a topic that I feel passionate about, as I’ve been using coloured pencils for sketching for very nearly twenty years.  

 

It’s also a topic that very often gets too little coverage in coloured pencil circles.  

 

1. Not a lot to carry 

 

If you want to be able to sketch plein air - but don’t want to carry a lot – try taking a pocket sized sketchbook and a small pencil case.  Often it’s possible to use a sketching kit that you can slip in your pocket or a small bag.  

 

Below: Derwent Pencil Wrap and Coloursoft pencils

 

 

 

 

A pencil wrap is also a very suitable alternative to carry your coloured pencils and is easy to accommodate. 

 

Mixing the colours optically on the paper means you can do a lot with just a small number of coloured pencils.

 

2. As many colours as you want

 

Many coloured pencil artists work from complete sets of coloured pencils and would probably never ever contemplate taking their large wooden boxes or tins to sketch plein air.  

 

However there are lots of ways in which you can take LOTS of different coloured pencils on a trip without crashing through weight limits!  In fact there’s no limit to how many you can easily take away with you.

 

First you can create a collection of smaller pencils.  

 

I find I can take lots of colours out sketching with me just by picking out the stubby smaller pencils that I’ve used a lot and transferring these to my sketching kit.

Below: Colour sets in pencil wraps – because Venice means walking everywhere with your art kit

 

You can also take coloured sets of full size pencils abroad very easily if you use a pencil wrap for set of colours.  

 

I went to Venice one year with all these pencils!  A little OTT but it was a very lightweight way of carrying pencils and also made me happier!

 

3. Go where other artists cannot go

 

Coloured pencils have a major advantage over all other forms of coloured art media – because coloured pencil artists can take them places no other artists can go!

 

Few, if any of art galleries and museums will allow artists to bring art materials which involve water or solvents or dust into a gallery without prior application and special permission.  However dry media is usually acceptable e.g. graphite or coloured pencils and pen and ink (if contained within pen).

 

Permission to paint is typically only given to serious art students wanting to make a copy of a painting.  You see them now and again in galleries with an easel making studious copies.

 

However I have sketched with coloured pencils in virtually all the major London art galleries!  Sketching paintings by the masters is a great way of understanding how they work.

 

Here’s my latest sketch of a John Constable painting “Boatbuilding near Flatford Mill” which I drew while visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum.

 

Below: John Constable’s “Boatbuilding near Flatford Mill” – sketched in the Victoria and Albert Museum

11.5” x 16” – double page spread in A4 Moleskine Sketchbook

 

 

4. Scope for mixed media

 

There’s lots of scope to mix coloured pencils with other media.  They work very well over quick watercolour or acrylic washes – which can be pre-prepared as underpaintings if you so wish. They also work well with pastel pencils.

 

I very frequently sketch using both pen and ink and coloured pencils.  I find that the paper used in Moleskine sketchbooks is absolutely perfect for both and enables me to create the sort of work I want to do.  It’s like the very best Hot Press paper; it creates a lovely rich colour and takes any amount of punishment in terms of layering and scribble.

 

5. Get a true record of the colours and tones you see

 

Sketching is an invaluable activity for people who want to develop their landscape work. Photographs rarely record colours and lighting faithfully.

 

I started to use coloured pencils for sketching in 1993 because I was so fed up with reference photos that didn’t look like the scenes I remembered. I needed a better record of the things I saw on my travels and followed a tip from a professional artist who used them all the time.  

 

Coloured pencil sketches now provide me with invaluable information for developing work done at home in the studio. As a result I can paint landscapes that look like what I saw – and not what the photo looks like.

• Use your photos with incorrect colours and/or values as references for the architecture, shapes and relative proportions only.

• Use your coloured pencil sketch for the colours and values you actually saw.

 

6. Work small AND large

 

Although most people working outdoors tend to work in smaller sizes there’s no reason in principle why you can’t work large.  It’s essentially a question of experience, technique and the aides you use to help.  Plus of course a sketch does not aim to have the level of finish of a work in the studio.  This sketch of the blossom and scene in Smithfield took under two hours.

 

Below: Spring in West Smithfield by Katherine Tyrrell 

11.5" x 17" pen and ink and coloured pencils in large Moleskine sketchbook

 

 

7. Impervious to rain

 

If it starts to rain you don’t need to mutter expletives under your breath.  Unlike watercolours your work is not now ruined!  

 

Ordinary artists’ pencils are impervious to water – although you will obviously get a response if water mixes with watercolour pencils.

 

8. If you make a mistake…

 

You don’t need to worry – as you can erase coloured pencils!  I find one of the few essential pieces of kit I take out with me when sketching is my battery powered eraser as it enables me to create highlights and lowlights through erasing.

 

Below: Charing Cross Bridge & Parliament from Cleopatra's Needle, on the Embankment.  11.5" x 17", pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils in Large Moleskine Sketchbook 

 

 

9. Coloured pencils don’t run

 

Sketching does not require an easel.  If you’re working with your support at an odd angle you don’t need to worry that your watercolour paint will run the wrong way!

The sketch of the River Thames was done in about 90 minutes while perched above steps and on the base of Cleopatra’s Needle on the Embankment in London!

10. No waiting for the paint to dry!

Unlike those working with paints of any variety, if you work in coloured pencils you can get up and walk away as soon as you’ve finished.  There’s no need to wait for the painting to dry or to have suitable equipment for carrying your work while in a wet state.

Advice about sketching

You can find advice about how to sketch – and how to sketch using coloured pencils – on my Making A Mark website.  See How to Sketch – advice and information by Katherine Tyrrell 

View more sketches

If you’ve liked the sketches in this article, you can see more in the Travels with a Sketchbook page on Katherine's portfolio website.  Plus you can see new ones on a regular basis on her sketchblog – Travels with a Sketchbook

Plus you can see new ones on a regular basis on my sketchblog – Travels with a Sketchbook.

 

Note about the Author

 

Katherine Tyrrell is a writer and very popular art blogger.  Her main blog Making A Mark is ranked at #3 in the top 25 Arts blogs in the UK.  She is also a contemporary artist who uses coloured pencils on a regular basis for sketching and fine art drawings.  Her artwork has been regularly exhibited in juried exhibitions in the UK - by the UKCPS and the Society for Botanical Artists - and in group exhibitions overseas.  Her Travels with a Sketchbook blog and information and advice about "how to sketch" were recently highlighted and recommended by "The Times" newspaper.

 

All images and text copyright Katherine Tyrrell