Conclusion Concluding a new book is always a bittersweet moment. The excitement and anticipation of getting to the end is a feeling of accomplishment. Knowing that all the illustrations are done and the manuscript is complete brings me such a huge sigh of relief. But all of those feelings are soon replaced with the edgy anticipation of what to do next. It doesn’t take long after I complete one book before I find myself wanting create the next. I could have easily turned each chapter of this book into a book all its own. I have thousands of references of flowers, birds, and butterflies calling me to look at them, begging me to do something! Being creative leaves little time for rest or regrouping. Soon I will be starting a whole new drawing. It may be hard to believe, but at one time I actually hated drawing with colored pencils. It's true! At the beginning, I was just doing it wrong. I had no teacher to instruct me as to how to properly apply colored pencils, so I just winged it. That didn’t work well. I became so frustrated, in fact, I almost threw them away. Instead, thank goodness, I just put them in a closet and returned to my graphite drawings. That was a technique I thought I had mastered pretty well. But things changed. I literally woke up one day and was in the mood to try colored pencil again. And suddenly, I seemed to know what I had been doing wrong. I had no technique at all! In areas that should have been soft and layered, I was applying the pencil too heavily. In areas that should have been burnished and smooth, I was applying the pencils too lightly. Nothing came together until that day. Once I tried colored pencils again and controlled my application, I was well on my way and learning to love them. Within a short
Memories of Mom, Prismacolor on Moonstone Artagain paper, 8" x 6". Colors used: Cream, Beige Sienna, Magenta, Process Red, Neon Orange, Chartreuse, Apple Green, Olive Green, Dark Green, Light Aqua, Black, White.
amount of time, I had written my first book about drawing with colored pencil. It's now my favorite medium after graphite (I'll always love that the most). Don’t get frustrated, and don’t give up. It will take time and practice to learn new things. Keep practicing. Be patient. Try new approaches, and experiment with techniques and paper colors. In time, like me, you will master it! Thank you to all who've taken the time to read this book. I hope you enjoyed the illustrations and step-by-steps. I've shared techniques that I’ve never included in a book before, and I hope you’re encouraged to try new things. The possibilities are truly endless. Drawing is such a fun, fulfilling activity. I wish you many hours of inspiration and excitement as you pursue your artistic dreams. Thanks for taking me along on your journey. Until next time!
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