Member News: 2010 Explore This!

Chapter 219 member, Rex Barron, has done it again, His piece titled Train Dream has been accepted into the 6th CPSA Explore This! Show - Congratulations, Rex!

*click on the image to the left to visit the Explore This! website and review the full list of accepted artists.

Member Question: Archival Matting/Framing

This question comes from member and President, Betty Lehnus: I have a neighbor who needs to re-mat but not re-frame a watercolor that's a family heirloom; she's asked me where to go and I generally do my own mat cutting & framing so I have no recommendations. Do any of our members have a suggestion?

CHALLENGE: I've noticed that we rarely get comments here on our blog, which is set up to be an ideal forum for discussion - why is that people? I hereby challenge you to post a comment to this question - even if it's to say you have no idea.
thanks
-melinda-

Member Suggestion: Colored Pencil Newsletter Wet Canvas

Detail from Green by Elen

Hello Chapter 219!
Bettey Lehnus as shared another great link with us from Wet Canvas: Online Living for Artists. They sent out a nice email newsletter focusing on colored pencils, take a look at this link.

Member Suggestion: American Artist

Betty Lehnus has found another informational gem for CPSA Chapter 219; Inside the new issues of American Artist is an article on new papers. Download the full PDF here.

Member Suggestion: Colored Pencil Demo

Melody of Fallen Leaves (colored pencil, 12½ x 9½) by Alyona Nickelsen

Click here for an article called Colored Pencil Demo: Alyona Nickelson (from the Artists' Magazine online).

Suggested by CPSA 219 Member, Betty Lehnus.
Thanks Betty!

Discussion: Making Your Art More Salable

An article titled 8 Ideas to Help Sell Paintings from the blog of M. Steven Doherty, was suggest by chapter member Betty Lehnus:

These ideas on how to make paintings more salable are surely open to debate . . . but worth thinking about . . . Betty

The comments section is open - let's make an effort for each member to leave an opinion!!

MEETING 6/27/09 Scanning & Digitally Processing Your Artwork

Hello CPSA Members!
Get ready for our meeting this Saturday by selecting a piece of artwork you would like to have scanned!
Chapter member, Melinda Beavers, will be running though the scanning process and also touch on some basic digital editing processes. Bring your sketchbooks and pencils as well, after the overview presentation, Melinda will invite members with artwork to scan to go through the process individually - other members will be welcome to watch or draw on their own during that time.

*Please note: If you are bringing a piece of artwork to scan, it must be smaller than 8.5 x 11".
Also, due to time constrictions, we cannot garuntee that every person who brings a piece of artwork will have the to opportunity to have it scanned. If you have a small portable USB hard drive or a blank data CD-R, please bring it along to receive your scanned artwork file immediately, otherwise delivery will depend on email - and not all mailboxes can receive large digital files (3MB or larger).

Melinda will be demonstrating with the VueScan program, software that is available for both Mac and Windows platforms and for various consumer scanners. The software is available for online purchase/download here.

MEETING 4/25/09 Yupo Process

Hello everyone!
We had a fabulous meeting on Saturday - and we have images of the event to share.
Chapter Member Betty Lehnus did a demonstration of the watercolor pencil & Yupo paper technique - what fun!
She also brought enough samples for everyone to experiment with - we all got to draw, play, and share the process as a group. Please see the images below for an overview of the supplies and process, examples of Betty's finished works and contact Betty for an questions you might have. :)



Don't forget you can click on the images for a larger view.

Member: Betty Lehnus

Betty Lehnus recently contacted CPSA Founder, Vera Curnow, to discuss some of her thoughts about working with colored pencils. At her request, here is that discussion to share with our group:

Betty Lehnus to Vera Curnow:

I've just finished realing Alyona Nickelsen's Colored Pencil Painting Bible. It's filled with solid advice and information, esp. about how to make good use of digital tools. But, as with almost every publication about colored pencil, the working assumption is that a very tight, nearly photo-real approach is what we are all looking for. I'd love to see an exploration of abstract, semi-abstract or simply "loose" cp techniques and work in To the Point. Surely as artists we don't want to limit our work/goals to one approach!

Betty Lehnus
CPSA Chapter 219
Albuquerque New Mexico

-----

Vera's Response:

I'm with you, Betty. This has been one of my contentions since the conception of CPSA. I'll be on the look out for the types of work you suggested for inclusion in TTP. I'll look to find something/someone to publish for this Fall issue.

As for books more open to the edgy, creative side of colored pencil, I'm afraid publishers like North Light and Watson-Guptil are looking for universally appealing works & techniques that will interest the masses. They have pigeon-holed our medium. (Deep Sigh.)

Thanks for writing, Betty. We are kindred spirits. I'm glad you "rattled my cage" on this subject.

Best regards,
Vera
Vera Curnow, Founder
Colored Pencil Society of America

Commercial Sharpeners: A Comparison

I recently decided to test a few commercial sharpeners which were all perchased through Dick Blick Artist Materials online.
Pictures below are the three I started with:

Dahle Chubby Pencil Sharpener $2.83
Helix Hand-Held Pencil Sharpener $1.29
Prismacolor Colored Pencil Sharpener $2.68

•As you can see, the Prismacolor Sharpener created the best point. The other two left the left lead with ridges and or cracks. I haven't fully tested any of the over time, so so far I am impressed with the Prima Color - and I was skeptical.














•As for functionality and shape, while the Prismacolor is a sleek space age shape, which great for travel/portability - I feel the fact that both ends 'pop' open could lead to a potential mess if you accidentally open the wrong end without paying attention or it bumps up against something.
•The Helix is pretty standard, and on the large side so you won't have to empty it as often. The twist top guarantees that the top won't accidentally pop off.
•The Dahle Chubby is also on the larger side, but is probably the least practical for portability given it's bulbous shape.

Hope this helps!
from DC219 member, melinda beavers

Accepted: EXPLORE THIS! 5

"The victory of socialism is well worth millions of atomic victims."
Ernesto "Che" Guevara, November, 1962

Local DC 219 member, Rex Barron, was accepted into the CPSA's Explore This! 5 show. Rex had this to say his piece,

"...this was certainly the least colorful of the two I submitted, but maybe the subject rang true with the latest headlines."

Congratulations, Rex! To see more of Rex's work, check out his website.

And CPSA now has a blog too! Read all about Explore this! 5 and other news & events here.

A complete list of the accepted artists is also available on the CPSA's website.

Member Suggestion: More ATC News

Here's a link for a FREE 25-page online sample issue of ATCQuarterly magazine --- lots of goodies about Artists Trading Cards and nice examples ...

from member, betty johnson

Online Critique

One more article, a critique of an colored pencil drawing: A Shining Example. Enjoy!

Member Suggestion: Framing Advice

Local Member Betty Johnson brought this interesting article on framing to my attention and thought all members of our group would enjoy it as well. Here is a direct link to the article: Playing with Proportion

Member Question: Wendell W. Unzicker

I am wondering if anyone has used the new Blick colored pencils and what they think of them? I pretty much limit myself to either Prismacolor, Bruynzeel, or Faber Castell and am loathe to try something new unless I know a little about it. Too many other brands of pencil out there are just not any good.

Materials Suggestion: Blick Studio Pencils

Does everybody know that Dick Blick (the online art supplier) has their own brand of colored pencils? They seem indistinguishable from Prismacolors and 25-30% cheaper.
-Betty Lehnus

Yes it's true! Dick Blick does have their own brand of colored pencils and they look good. Price listing is as follows:

Set of 12: $8.99
Set of 24: $17.49
Set of 36: $25.99
Set of 49: $39.83
Set of 72: $54.99

Single Pencils are $.75 (up to 12)
Mix & Match for bulk discounts: 12-23 at $.69 ea. and 24+ at $.64 ea.

Member Question: Betty Lehnus

I would love to have some guidance from our members on burnishing. I often get a kind of 'greasy' look instead of a nicely polished surface when I try to burnish. Have used both a colorless blender and the "marker" with solvent in it . . . what am I doing wrong? Too much pigment? Too much blending-burnishing? Something else entirely?
-BL

I found several web pages detailing tips and techniques on the subject:
Moores Art Gallery
About.com
Google Book Search 1
Google Book Search 2
Colored Pencil Art by Christine Taylor
Moores Art Gallery


Gary Greene offers workshops and several instruction/technique books.