I paint with colored pencils, using them in a way that creates the visual depth of oil paints and emulates the color transition and vibrance of watercolors. I strive to instill these painterly qualities in my portrait drawings. When I began to experiment with colored pencils and different solvents, I was able to achieve those attributes. I found solvent to be the key to smooth color application and blending with colored pencils. This technique allows me to create portraits with greater depth, eliciting the inevitable "I can't believe this is colored pencil!" My portraits often tell a surreal story of the subject with fanciful images and vivid, over-saturated colors. A flowering vine across a window, water lilies in a pond, even tangled Christmas lights add fuel to my imagination and inspire visual motifs for drawings.
This story is from the August/September 2023 edition of International Artist.
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This story is from the August/September 2023 edition of International Artist.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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Intrigue in the ordinary
I've \"'ve never had any formal training always had a strong attraction to the arts and the practice of painting
Paper Textures
John Lovett guides us through the varying properties of different watercolor surfaces
Creating Ambiance
Mona Parker Weidner selects colors palettes and light sources that emphasize the mood of her interior scenes
Visual Depth
Blending and smoothing with solvents, Holly Siniscal creates painterly portraits in colored pencil
Sharp Precision
Working with craft blades and tattoo needles, Conor Smith etches realistic renderings of wildlife
The architecture of water
When Then I moved from Toronto to a tiny community in Nova Scotia, I became fascinated by the ocean, its reflections and endlessly shifting patterns of color and light
Saturated World
Emphasizing the beauty of nature, Joe A. Oakes paints landscapes with warm colors and imaginative compositions
Pure Bliss
Working alla prima, Andreas Liss takes on a loose, unbridled approach in his artwork
Sculpting the Paint
Using a palette knife allows oil painter Maria Iva to create clean colors and rich textures
Forwad MOMENTUM
Artist Lisa Gleim shares the evolution of her career and how she grew into her preferred medium of pastels