MEETING: Nicholas Ng

Nicholas was kind enough to demonstrate his technique of colored pencil blending using many layers and rubbing with cotton. Thanks you Micholas - although many of us doubt we have your patience!

Nicholas displays samples of his work and them shows us how he starts very lightly with the pencil, then rubs with the cottom.

Sharpening pencils with a razor saves color! Barbara Nahler tests out Nichlas' method.

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.

Introduction

Welcome, DC 219 members, to our very own blog! Many of you may be asking what we can use a blog for and why we need one. Blogs are great for keeping on touch with group members, sharing and commenting on each other's current work, making announcements, and generally having a good time online - all in between meetings!
All members are welcome to become blog authors, meaning you can create your own posts whenever you'd like! If you're not sure about it, please feel free to email me directly, with an image and written description, and I can make posts for you.
Great to be here and let's start posting!

March 22 Meeting: Critiques by Martin Vela

Hi There, even though our meeting was on Easter weekend, we had nineteen in attendance. The program was great (as usual). Martin Vela, well-known colored pencil artist, critiqued paintings that members brought to the meeting for that purpose. Being the fine artist that he is, the comments and suggestion were excellent and well received.
-ben