Colorpencil

If it's all in the details then Mardell Schuster has nailed it! Take a look at a quick step-by-step as you learn more about her and her stunning artwork.

Editor-in-Chief

Sally Robertson

Copy Editor

Kimberly Woods

Contributors

Heather K Andrewski

Danielle Calderon

Sung Choi

Lisa Clough-Lachri

Kim Holden

Wendy Layne

Mardell Schuster

Barb Sotiropoulos

2016 Art Challenge Winners

Sponsors/Advertisers Blick Art Material

Craftsy

Faber-Castell

Legion Paper

Jerry’s Artarama

PanPastel

Prismacolor

UART

Publisher Platte Productions LLC www.platteproductionspublishing.com

Advertising and Marketing Edward Robertson ed@coloredpencilmag.com www.coloredpencilmag.com/advertise

For Subscription & Purchase Information www.coloredpencilmag.com contact@coloredpencilmag.com

P.O. Box 183 Efland, NC 27243

Copyright © 2016 Platte Productions LLC

COLORED PENCIL Magazine

All Rights Reserved

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from the copyright owner.

EDITOR’S NOTE

For the past three months we have sold out of print issues, despite ordering a greater number each month. We are so appreciative of all of your support! It is great to be growing so quickly. We also want to make sure we meet demand, though, so if you love our magazine, consider subscribing. This not only guarantees you will get an issue and helps us know how many issues to plan for, but also ensures that you will get it at a lower price than when buying individual copies. Want the very best price? Be sure to subscribe on Cyber Monday, November 28th when we have the absolute lowest prices of the entire year!

This month's issue starts off big - Wendy Layne creates a six foot tall piece of art with colored pencils and the help of PanPastels. Next, Kim Holden shows you how she created color cards to help choose the right color, complete with a download template so you can create your own! We also have another download this month. Our Q&A columnist, Barb Sotiropoulos, helps you keep records of your projects with a customizable spreadsheet. If you want to start a project or work on some Christmas gifts, Heather K. Andrewski has a great idea on how you can use your colored pencils on canvas ... shoes! Lastly, we are honored to feature the incredible artwork of Mardell Schuster.

The moment many of you have been waiting for has arrived. We have selected 12 winners from over 450 entries into our 2016 Annual Art Competition. Making for more than twice as many entries as last year, this gave our judge Lisa Clough-Lachri's a difficult job indeed! View all the amazing entries at: www.coloredpencilmag.com/competition

Thank you to this year's sponsors Primsacolor, Legion Paper, and Blick Art Materials.

Lastly, we have a special giveaway this month from Orbital Holding - A COLORED PENCIL Orbital Easel worth almost $160.00. This was created especially for colored pencil artists, complete with pencil holder and your choice of two easels, desk top or table clamp. Buy one direct or enter to win at: www.coloredpencilmag.com/easel

Wishing you a special Thanksgiving shared with loved ones.

Sally Robertson Editor-in-Chief sally.robertson@coloredpencilmag.com

Sax in the City

by Wendy Layne

After picking my favorite street musician photo and combining it with the best graffiti background, I was ready to set up my paper and begin the process of creating my largest art piece to date.

About Wendy

I dabbled in arts and crafts for many years while working full time in IT, but in September of 2014 I discovered my natural talent with colored pencils and decided to take art seriously. In two years time I have created over 60 colored pencil drawings, exhibited in art shows, achieved recognition and awards in art competitions, and begun teaching colored pencil workshops.

The majority of my photorealistic drawings are created with a combination of Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran d’Ache Pablo pencils with a few Derwent Drawing pencils on Stonehenge 100% Cotton paper by Legion Paper.

While I enjoy an occasional still life, my true love is in drawing portraits. I enjoy drawing people from a wide variety of cultures and walks of life. There are many stories hidden in the facial lines and eyes of each subject, and my goal with each portrait is to capture those stories and depict them as accurately as possible with my pencils.

Most of my drawings take from 40 to over 100 hours to complete, depending on the size and the level of detail. I record the process of each piece of art so that I can easily look back and see exactly how long they took and then later use them as a teaching tool when sharing my love of the medium.

Sax in the City - The Concept

Usually, my creative process begins with a photo that I love and can easily visualize as a drawing, but creating “Sax in the City” was a completely different process. I planned the drawing in my mind long before I had any references. My vision was to draw a very large portrait of a musician with a colorful background.

We were planning a trip to visit our children in Austin, Texas and decided to take an excursion into downtown Austin to check out the street musicians who were in town for the SXSW Music Festival. I wasn’t disappointed. Out of the hundreds of photos taken during the festival I ended up with at least a dozen that had the potential to become an amazing drawing. But there was still one more element that I needed to photograph before I could complete the composition of my drawing.

We took a trip to the one-of-a-kind Castle Hill Graffiti Park. Located in Castle Hill on Baylor Street in central Austin, this park is actually an abandoned hillside-turned-art-project which was launched in 2011 by the nonprofit organization HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere). All kinds of artsy tourists along with locals show up throughout the year to participate in the project by climbing the hillside to spray paint their own designs on the many concrete walls and slabs. I took dozens of bright and colorful graffiti photos. After picking my favorite street musician photo and combining it with the best graffiti background, I was ready to set up my paper and begin the process of creating my largest art piece to date.

Material Selection & Setup

From the very beginning stages of planning this piece I knew that I wanted it to be quite large. My favorite surface for drawing with Polychromos colored pencils and PanPastels is Stonehenge 100% Cotton paper by Legion Paper. Thankfully, Stonehenge happens to come in very large rolls. I decided that the vibrant colors of the graffiti wall would show up the best on white paper.

I knew I would need a huge easel or board to hold my paper in order to plan such a large drawing. My husband came up with the suggestion to hang a piece of plywood on my art studio wall so I would have a smooth surface. It was a brilliant idea. I needed to make sure that the acidity or any chemical treatment of the plywood would not affect my paper, so I purchased a large roll of glassine paper and used acid free artist tape to line the plywood sheet before clipping the paper to the surface.

I planned for this artwork to be a combination of PanPastels and colored pencils. Using pencils alone would mean the finished artwork could take many months or possibly years to complete. I pulled out all of my pencils including Faber-Castell Polychromos, Caran d’Ache Pablos, Derwent Drawing, and a wide selection of pastel pencils.

Challenges of Drawing Large Scale

There are a lot of things to think about when planning a drawing that is almost 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall. First, I had to figure out how to get my sketch onto such a large piece of paper. My art studio isn’t large enough or set up correctly to use a projector for this scale of artwork. I also wanted to take some creative liberties with this piece, so I didn’t need to copy the exact proportions of the photograph. I decided to freehand the art by using my iPad as a reference.

Free-handing, in this case, didn’t mean just picking up a pencil and starting to draw on the large piece of paper; rather, it took a lot of careful measuring of my photo. I measured the distance from the edges of the photo to the center of the ear and then scaled up and marked that location on the paper. I continued this process with various reference points in the photo until I was confident of the placement of the subject on my paper.

Even after carefully measuring and making my reference marks, the freehand drawing proved difficult simply because the paper was so large. I am only 5’6”. I had to figure out a way to easily reach the top of the paper and also comfortably sit on the floor to reach the bottom. To begin with I used scaffolding, but it soon became too difficult to position myself and my materials so that neither would fall to the floor. After a few days of up and down the scaffolding, I was ready for something new. My second method to reach the top of the drawing was to lower the paper closer to the floor and use a step stool. This plan worked!

The next challenge was how to keep my iPad reference close to the drawing and also have my hands free for holding pencils and pastels. Once again, my husband, who I often refer to as my own personal MacGyver, had a solution. He used laminate board flooring to create a very long surface that hung vertically from the top of my makeshift plywood easel to the floor and included small feet at the top and bottom to keep the board from touching the surface of the paper. The feet were lined with glassine paper so that the board could slide horizontally across the plywood, which was also lined with glassine. Last, I attached large clips to the surface so I could then fasten my iPad case to it at any place and slide the hanging board from left to right across my drawing as needed.

With the easel built, the paper hung, and the sketch outlined, it was time to begin creating art.

Creating with Colored Pencils & PanPastels

What I like most about combining colored pencils with PanPastels is how much time it saves me. I started by sketching the ear of the street musician with colored pencils and then filling in the skin color with PanPastels. Once complete, the ear was much easier to use as a reference point, working my way outward from there to measure where to start the hair and eyes. Keeping my iPad close and making sure I kept it to scale with my drawing made it very easy to work my way all over the drawing, little by little, until the entire drawing was complete. Most detailed areas started with me sketching with colored pencils and then filling in with PanPastels.

The oil based Polychromos pencils can go right on top of the PanPastels and vice versa. If a pencil mark is too strong it’s easy to soften it with PanPastels, and when you need sharp detail it’s simple to finish with colored pencil. Any area that I know is going to be very detailed, however, like eyes or small buttons or letters, I tend to use 100% colored pencil. Using PanPastel for the skin on top of the eye feels almost like you are applying makeup. When creating the background I used mostly PanPastel, touching it up here and there with the Polychromos pencils.

Framing Large Scale Drawings

Deciding how to frame this extremely large drawing was an interesting problem of its own. The unframed size was 45”x72”. Thankfully, I have a highly skilled framer, Kari Schmidt with Cornerstone Framing in Conroe, TX, who actually comes to my house with her trailer full of frame samples for me to select from. She also has extensive experience framing large scale pieces. I was in good hands.

Kari had to use unconventional methods to frame such a large piece. She used an interior frame as the frame space with a heavy duty frame on the outside so that it wouldn't bow. This created a very stable piece of art. With the drawing and frame completely assembled, the artwork became a whopping 80”x53”. Kari attached mirror strap hangers on the back of the piece, but I opted to have my husband build a large wooden easel for display.

When creating such a large piece it’s important to consider how you will transport it, be that for exhibits or if you plan to sell it. I chose to use a very high quality acrylic, because with such a large piece you risk breaking the glass each time it is moved. Glass also increases the weight significantly. I made sure that the finished piece would fit in the back of my Honda Odyssey. It took some work, but with pillows and boxes for support and moving blankets for protection it fits at an angle in the van. I have already transported it to three exhibits without issue.

Conclusion

It took me only 351/2 hours to complete the portrait, thanks to the use of PanPastels with my colored pencils. The process was relatively fast for such a large piece and extremely rewarding. “Sax in the City” has won multiple blue ribbons and has come to be one of my all time favorite drawing experiences. You can watch the entire process in the time lapse video on my YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/wendylayneart.

If you are interested in learning how to use PanPastels with colored pencils, I’ll be teaching workshops at Art of the Carolinas, Nov 11-13 in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can register at www.artofthecarolinas.com

Colored Pencil Color Cards

by Kim Holden

Recently, I found myself at the point where I want to start completing my own artworks from scratch (with nobody to tell me which colors I should be choosing - deep breath!). I looked around for something that would help with my color selections, even something to help point me in the general direction of how to layer colors to match the one I am after. I stumbled across a YouTube video of some color cards made for markers and decided to use a similar idea for my colored pencils. After considering exactly what I wanted I came up with the following list:

Features:

• PORTABLE -

Pack and carry without getting damaged

• COMPARISON -

Compare pencils to specific colors in a reference image

• EXCHANGE -

Replace a pencil I don’t have or am running low on with another one close in shade/tone (especially useful when travelling)

• COLOR RANGE -

See the color range a single pencil can create

• COLOR SCHEME -

Help me pick my own color schemes

As a very new colored pencil artist, I have found one of the most difficult aspects of drawing is choosing the right colors. I have quite an assortment of pencils and no idea which ones I should use to make the colors I need. Because of this, I tend to stick to the wonderful tutorials professional colored pencil artists produce. These tutorials give me an idea of which colors to choose and of course how to apply them to my support to make them look stunning!

These cards took quite a while to make. I found them very relaxing to color, though, and along the way I learned the feel of each different brand of pencil as well as the shades available. I also discovered the individual pencils that I don’t like. I keep my pencils in drawers or tote bags sorted by brand, so I chose to group my cards by color, intermixing all brands. This makes it very easy to find similar colors when required.

If you would like to make yourself a set of color cards, you can download the templates for free from: www.kimaginations.net/colour-cards

Currently, there are printable templates for 19 brands inlcuding Caran d’Ache Luminance, Faber-Castell Polychromos, Prismacolor Premier, and all your other favorites! A blank template is also included.

One Two

Download the appropriate template and print onto the paper of your choice. You can use simple photocopy paper or, for the most accurate results, you can use what you would normally choose as your substrate, such as Fabriano Artistico, Stonehenge, etc. If you normally use a toned paper then I suggest using that as your base.

Color in each template. There's no need to be too fussy. You aren't going for a masterpiece, just a sample of the color. Fill in the rectangles from top to bottom as follows:

1. Reserve the first rectangle for a hole punch

2. One layer at pressure 1 - very soft pressure to get your palest tone

3. One layer at pressure 3 - approximately the pressure you normally write with, though this can be adjusted to get the right mid tone after you have complete the fourth rectangle

4. Burnished - very hard pressure to get the darkest coverage you can

Hole punch each color. If you like, you can hole punch after laminating, but I chose to do so before laminating because:

1. The laminate may change the look of your color, depending on which brand you use and the age of your cards. If your hole also has laminate over it you will still be able to choose the right color for your reference because it will have the same tinge over it when you place your card on top.

2. Laminate can end up fraying or peeling open where it is not fully sealed. After the many hours spent to make these little treasures you don't want to have to remake them very often.

Three Five

Cut your cards apart. You can use scissors because it doesn't have to be exact at this point.

Laminate your cards. Lay them down in rows on your laminate sheet, ensuring there is ample room to cut them apart and then resize them to all be the same size.

Cut the cards apart. First, cut them apart with scissors, then trim them to size using a paper trimmer so that all of the cards are exactly the same size.

Six Seven Eight Nine

Hole punch the top grey rectangle. (Also hole punch each color if you chose this option in step 4.)

Optional - round off your bottom corners with a corner punch. This keeps the corners from jabbing you or catching on your things.

Sort your cards into the color order of your choice. Last, thread a ribbon or metal ring through your cards.

I hope you find these as useful as I have. Happy creating! www.kimaginations.net

Mardell Schuster Featuring

Fortunately for me, I have had the opportunity to work in many different creative positions throughout my career. I have worked in advertising, printing, technical illustrating, and marketing, each of which have allowed me to stretch my creative wings.

I majored in illustration at The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and have probably watched over a thousand hours of artist tutorials on YouTube. Though I've experimented with about every art medium known to mankind, colored pencil has always been my favorite. I am a bit of a control freak, and I find that colored pencil is the only medium that I have complete control over.

A few years ago I bought Colored Pencil Painting Bible: Techniques for Achieving Luminous Color and Ultrarealistic Effects by Alyona Nickelsen. I was amazed by her artwork and fascinated by her blending techniques. In short, the book inspired me to push past

my comfort zone. I started taking more risks with my drawings by using colors that I would not normally have chosen and adding way more contrast. I also started burnishing, which I had never done before, and experimenting with different types of solvents.

Since last year, I've started using markers for the under painting to my drawings. I use Prismacolor dual tip art markers to block in areas of color and then generously layer colored pencil over top. I have found that the markers actually intensify light colors and really enrich dark colors. It was a wonderful discovery, dramatically improving my artwork.

I love to draw, but more accurately, I need to draw. If I don’t have a project in the works I go crazy. I always have two drawings going at one time, in different stages of completion.

For me, the hardest part about starting a drawing is trying to decide what to draw. I prefer realistic still life, because I enjoy having the freedom to choose the subject matter and the lighting source. I generally take 50 to 60 photos of a still life scene before choosing one photo to draw. Looking for objects of different sizes and textures, I normally pick out all of the items a week or two in advance and set them on a large cutting board on my kitchen counter to look at periodically. During that time I will move the objects around, adding and removing until I am satisfied with the colors and composition. My goal is to create a moment in time using color and light. I either take my photos in early morning or late afternoon. I especially love afternoon autumn light for the warm glow it creates.

Currently, I am working on a series of drawings that I call my "Tea Time Collection." My aunt left her tea cup collection to me after she passed away a number of years ago. It was so beautiful that I felt I needed to do something with it. I added one of the cups to a still life, but I still felt like I needed to do more. I am currently on my fourth piece of the collection and have really enjoyed creating these drawings.

"Tea Time with Plums"

Mardell Schuster

"A Walk in Hyde Park"

"The Blue Ribbon"

"Don't Wine!"

"Five on a Log"

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Includes:

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SKETCHBOOK NEW BOOK!

THE EVERYTHING ART HANDBOOK BY

WALTER FOSTER CREATIVE TEAM

The "Everything Art Handbook" is an all-inclusive, go-to resource for artists of any skill level. Divided into sections focusing on different art mediums, it includes a basic overview of the technique, instructions for selecting and working with the right tools and materials, step-by-step sample artwork, and helpful sidebars with advice from professional artists. Provides clear, informative explanations and tips for achieving the best results.

Retail Price: $24.95 $20.40 BUY: http://amzn.to/2dPMYBb

ART STICKS!

DERWENT INKTENSE BLOCKS

This convenient stick form of Inktense can be used dry and then washed over for a permanent watercolor-like effect. Sold in sets and open stock.

Retail Price: $2.89 $1.73 each

BUY: http://bit.ly/2cWUU6S

COLOR CHART: http://bit.ly/2dy2MNL

NEW PORTABLE LIGHT!

JERRY'S EVERYWHERE LED TASK LIGHT

24 LED's delivers a color-correct light source anywhere, anytime. Plug it in to an outlet or USB port or power with four AAA's. Two brightness levels adjust with a tap of the base.

A must-have for any artist, plus makes a great gift!

Retail Price: $25.00 $12.99

BUY: http://bit.ly/2cZk3t2

VIDEO: http://bit.ly/2dxXz8T

&ArtSole

by Heather K Andrewski

Every year I buy a couple pairs of plain white canvas tennis shoes and let my imagination run wild. Here I share some tips and tricks on how I make them so that you can create one-of-a-kind shoes of your own.

About eight years ago, I was looking for a fun and unique pair of shoes for an event. After looking for weeks, I said to myself, you’re an artist! Make some! I designed a pair of shoes to honor the memory of my nephew Jayden who passed away from SIDS. I wore them for a SIDS awareness parade we marched in. While honoring his memory, I drew a lot of attention to the cause.

I also attracted interest in my artistic abilities. It seemed like everyone wanted to know how they could get some one-of-a-kind shoes, too. I love being creative in as many different ways as I can.

As artists, we often struggle to get our art out there. Well, what better way to do that than taking it with you wherever you go!

Supplies:

• A pair of plain white canvas tennis shoes or slip-ons

• Colored pencils and/or pastel pencils

• Fine tip roller ball black ink pen

• Fixative spray

• Ideas for what to draw

Color!

To get your layout started, begin with the lightest color you will be using. I don’t recommend using lead pencil to do your layout. It doesn’t erase well off of the shoe and, unless you are using a lot of dark colors, all of the lines will show through in the end. With your outline down, you can color the shoes pretty much how you would a piece of paper, building up your colors from lightest to darkest and remembering to leave the white of canvas blank for your white areas and highlights. Don’t press too hard with the pencils in the beginning stages. You can always darken areas, but it is difficult to lighten them if you make a mistake.

Now that you have most of your colors set, use your black ink pen for any outlining or truly dark areas. A pen adds that deep black that you can’t get from even the darkest pencils on cloth canvas. It adds much more dimension to the artwork itself and makes the colors pop.

Tips!

When you are happy with your final piece (or if you are like my other artist friends and me, just do this step quickly before you change your mind on whether you're satisfied or not), take your shoes outside or to a well ventilated area.

Stuff the shoes with newspaper before spraying them with a light coat of fixative. You don't need to get really close when spraying. Remember, the goal is to protect your design and not to soak it. Let them dry, then add a second or third coat (I usually do two coats).

Use a stiff canvas shoe. This way you don’t have to hold your fingers inside to support the fabric while you draw. You can use any brand shoe you prefer. I usually pick up a pair when I find them on clearance and tuck them away for whenever a design idea strikes. The last pair I bought for $1.00. The clerk cautioned, “But there’s some dirt on them...” I said, “That’s okay, I’m going to color on them anyway!”

Softer colored pencils or pastels work the best for layering and blending colors. You can use a combination of both, although I recommend sticking with colored pencils because pastels tend to rub off on things after a while, even when using fixative. A black permanent marker can work for your black pen outlining, but be sure to test it first to make sure it won’t bleed. I’ve found that some fabrics take the ink better than others.

Most importantly, DO NOT WASH YOUR SHOES. While the fixative keeps your shoes and artwork looking nice, it will not hold up to a washing machine (or a torrential down pour).

Once your shoes are dry, throw away that newspaper, slip your feet into your brand new one-of-a-kind shoes, and hit the town. Watch heads turn and be prepared for your friends, family, and passers-by to ask, “Where did you get those, and how can I get some, too?!”

www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/heather-andrewski.html

WINNERS!

Congratulations to the winners of our 6th Annual Art Competition. A special thank you to our judge, Lisa CloughLachri, and our incredible sponsors, Prismacolor, Blick Art Materials, and Legion Paper. Look for the winning artwork in our 2017 Calendar, on sale now at: www.coloredpencilmag.com/calendar.

Judged by: Lisa Clough-Lachri | www.lachri.com

Our July 2015 featured artist Lisa is a bona fide YouTube sensation with over 100,000 colored pencil artists and art lovers subscribing from all over the world. This California girl is based in Texas where she has dedicated herself to educating emerging artists on all things art related through the use of her social media outlets and her weekly show Colored Pencil Podcast produced by Sharpened Artist.

Sponsored by:

www.prismacolor.com

BEST OF SHOW

“Princess of the Meadow” 10x10"

Aura Skugariene

“I wanted to explore various mixed media applications and combining different ideas into one unified drawing. Inspiration for this portrait was a little girl and long summer days in Lithuania. Girls play in meadows and make wild flower wreaths to celebrate summer festivities and carefree days. I used watercolor for the background, colored pencils for the portrait, and grass imprints for the wreath. Using the actual foliage dipped in acrylic paint keeps drawings light and realistic.”

www.auraskugare.com

1ST PLACE

“Behind the Rose Colored Glasses” 21x26"

Barbara Dahlstedt

“This portrait is of a lovely lady named Hildi, a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. She never remembered me, but I was struck by her smile and was captivated by the patterns in the water, the texture of her hat, and the sparkling reflections in her sunglasses. I enjoyed sharing this piece with my high school students, because it showed the beauty of the elderly and the power of a smile."

www.Dahlstedtart.com

“Threesome” 16x20"

2ND PLACE

Terry Mellway

“My daughter and I and her two sons went to the local stables so the boys could have a ride on the horses. During that time these three beautiful animals lined up and posed for me. Their soft muzzles and the lines they created here really interested me. My daughter, after seeing the finished piece, commented that she just wanted to reach out and touch them, they looked so real.”

www.terrymellway.wordpress.com

3RD PLACE

“The Showgirl" 18.5x22.5"

Karina Griffiths

“I’ve been fortunate that my art has been warmly appreciated. My journey into colored pencils was inspired by one of my ‘living masters', Brian Scott, who inspired me and shared his knowledge of materials and technique. I’ve always loved portraits and the human image. I see beauty in wrinkles, lines, expressions, and movement. I’ve developed my style and respected my strengths, and I am now venturing into the world of classes, hoping to inspire others."

www.karinasfineart.com

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“Octopus” 12x16.5"

Margaret Minardi

“As I transition between major series I keep my mind busy by noodling. ‘Octopus’ was created during one of these periods. This is a self portrait that focuses mainly on texture. I studied the marks found on an octopus and incorporated those patterns into the skin of the figure. The result looks much like a tattoo. I also heavily layered and designed the hair which produced a fluidity of movement and integration of foreground, middle ground, and background.”

“Vintage Bicycles” 11x14"

Janet Shilling

“Colored pencils were the perfect medium for this drawing. They are very forgiving, mistakes are easily corrected, and the color range is practically unlimited. I loved the colors, rust, and hippie van in the photos, and enjoyed working on the many small details. Photo reference by Suzanne Wallick”

“Winter Alert” 16x20"

Bob Travers

“As a professional wildlife/landscape artist and art instructor, I am always looking for new combinations of mediums and surfaces to try and share with my students. This work started out as an experiment to see if the sanded finish of the pastel board would accept colored pencil in a similar way to pastels. Although the color is not as vibrant as pastel, I found I could achieve a soft finish by wetting the surface after the pencil had been applied.”

www.bobtraversart.com

“Budapest” 10x14"

Ewelina Kuczera

“My journey with colored pencils began in 2010. I used to draw people, now I focus mainly on animals, landscapes, and still life. I love taking on challenges. ‘Budapest’ was a challenge with everything here - architecture (The Great Market Hall), people, light, and still life. It was fun to play with the depth. I drew the fruit really carefully in the foreground; the background with people and architecture is blurred. I recommend taking such challenges to everyone.”

www.art-by-ewelina.blogspot.com

“After the Storm” 29x22"

Jesse Lane

“My aim is to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. ‘After the Storm’ is my way of achieving this. I drew a straight on face. Using lighting, color, water, and expression, I was able to take something very dull and turn it into something thought provoking.”

www.JesseLaneArt.com

“Companionship” 11.7x16.5"

Monique Castellani-Kraan

“‘Companionship’ is a drawing of Jack and Jess, my friend’s mother’s sweet old dogs. My aim in this drawing was to capture the warmth and tranquillity in their friendship. My passion is animal portraiture with the goal of capturing the animals’ personalities and expressions in art form. I work primarily in coloured pencils and also run a YouTube channel where you can find tutorials, art tips, and art product reviews.”

www.youtube.com/wildportraitartist

“Let’s Dance Remembering” 10.5x13.5"

Donna Schwarz

“This piece ‘Lets Dance Remembering’ was inspired by a gift in memory of my stepdaughter's passing. The type of hydrangea is called let's dance. I did this piece for my husband. As I was taking photos God’s light was so beautiful it inspired me.”

www.donnaschwarzart.com

“Spring Celebrities” 26x15"

Michelle Sanders

“I have been drawing since a very young age and have used several mediums. It wasn’t until 2007 that I found my true passion in colored pencil. I am fascinated with contrast and shadows and didn’t realize until I created this piece that it would shape my direction for future endeavors. I am working and raising a family and look forward to devoting full time to my art.”

www.MiSaArts.com

&Q A

Keeping Records

Question: Answer:

I'm trying to organize my art business. What is the best way to keep track of the artwork I create?

Staying organized with your art business is very important for many reasons. When it comes to cataloging your art, you can take a digital or manual approach. The best method for you will be the one you will actually maintain. If you aren’t very tech savvy or don’t have access to a spreadsheet program, then logging your files digitally might not work for you. When I first

started keeping track of my art I had a notebook that I recorded everything in. This worked quite well for a while, but when I started wanting to include more complex information I moved it over to a digital platform. You’ll want to decide exactly what you want to keep track of to help determine the method that will make the most sense for you.

THE DETAILS

Some of the basics you may want to keep track of in your art catalog are:

• Date

• Size

• Title

• Media used, including specific brands and techniques

• Client or owner and their contact info

Add these categories if you are tracking expenses for commission projects:

• Estimated time to complete the project

• Supply, framing, and shipping costs

• Deposit amount

• Artwork price

It’s also a good practice to keep track of your time and expenses on projects that aren’t commissions or for sale. You can use this information on future projects that may be similar. This is extremely valuable for creating quotes and setting expectations between you and your clients.

I use Apple’s Numbers spreadsheet program to store my art catalog information. This method also works for Microsoft Excel, as the programs are similar. In my spreadsheet, I have a different tab for every year. I include a small thumbnail photo of the project along with all of the information previously mentioned. The photos don’t need to be professional quality, but they do need to be clear enough to give an accurate representation of the work so that, in worst case scenario, if you get back logged on your

cataloging you have a photo to help jog your memory.

At the end of each project row, I have a formula set up to show me what my profit is after expenses are deducted. This is an advantage to using a digitally system - you can set up formulas to do the math for you, making it easy to compare everything at a glance. You can also save time by copying and pasting the template over to the next year and, if you wish, exporting the compiled information.

FREE DOWNLOAD! Get templates for both Numbers and Excel: http://bit.ly/ArtTracker

ADVANCED TIP:

If you are taking on commission projects and invoicing your clients, you may want to create a docket system. An example of a docket naming system is 16-CPA-001. The name uses the last two digits of the year, followed by an abbreviation of the type of project, and then the number of that type of project for the year. In my art business, I have many different codes that I use since I create

art in different mediums. This system helps me track how many of a certain type of project I do in a year. It can also serve as a shortcut search term on your computer. Again, set up the naming system in a way that makes sense for you. You can also write this docket number on the backside of your art as an additional step to help you organize.

If you want to keep track of your projects and are looking for a more tactile, simple, and yet structured approach, you can try the COLORED PENCIL Project Book available through Blurb. There’s room to catalog the details of 14 different projects along with space for notes, sketches, photos, and swatches. The book measures 6x9”, a conveniently portable size. This particular book gives you the feel of a sketchbook with the structure of the important details listed for you at the beginning of each project.

BEGINNER TIP:

If you are in the beginning stages of building your art business, this book can also be a great training tool for creating the habit of cataloging your art. If you are participating in the COLORED PENCIL Magazine monthly challenges you can start by cataloging each of these and note your improvement each month! This will be a rewarding record to look back on as you progress year to year.

Both of these methods are effective ways to track your artwork. Choose the one you think will work best for you and make adjustments as your business develops. Art cataloging may seem like an intense process at first, but the long term benefits of tracking this information will be extremely valuable to your art business

If you would like to purchase the COLORED PENCIL Project Book visit: www.coloredpencilmag.com/books.

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