Title: River Pebbles, No. 10

• Size: 5" x 5"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Caran d'Ache Neocolor I and II, Olbein Oil Pastel.
• Miscellaneous: Clay Shaper, Tortillions & Paper Stumps, Prismacolor Colorless Blender.
• Surface: Art Spectrum Colourfix Supertooth Board
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord (2" thick) and framed.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

For techniques used in this artwork, please see blog post River Pebbles, No.3 - Melting Artist Crayons

When I look at a reference photo like the one above, the question I always ask myself is: where's Waldo?

Waldo, for an artist like me, is a good composition hidden in the randomness of nature. Even when I'm the one setting up the still life, I try not to interfere in the way pebbles fall into place. I just take many pictures while anticipating the game I will play later on my computer.

Waldo can be elusive at times. I have images taken years ago that never produced a single Waldo. But my ability to "see" is constantly evolving; I know there's a Waldo waiting to be found even in the most hopeless image.

Meet Waldo! I found him in the center of the image. Now that I have him, I want to show him off but, as you can see, he looks a little drab. Light and color will do magic.

Here's what he looks like in black and white.

Much better - Waldo is coming to life. I just lightened the top left quadrant and pushed the overall value contrast.

Now we're talking!

And here is my finished piece - in honor of Waldo of course!

Title: River Pebbles, No. 9

• Size: 5" x 5"
• Medium: Caran d'Ache Neocolor I and II, Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils, Derwent Coloursoft Colored Pencils
• Miscellaneous: Clay Shaper, Prismacolor Colorless Blender, Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Surface: Art Spectrum Colourfix Supertooth Board
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord (1/8" thick) and framed.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

For techniques used in this artwork, please see blog post River Pebbles, No.3 - Melting Artist Crayons

Title: Poppy, No. 4

• Size: 6" x 6"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils, Derwent Coloursoft Colored Pencils
• Miscellaneous: Prismacolor Colorless Blender, Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Surface: Fabriano Artistico Extra White, Hot Press, 300 LB - primed with a thin coat of clear Colourfix Primer
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 6" x 6" Ampersand Claybord (1/8" thick) and framed.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

Title: River Pebbles, No. 8

• Size: 5" x 5"
• Medium: Caran d'Ache Neocolor I and II, Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils, Derwent Coloursoft Colored Pencils
• Miscellaneous: Clay Shaper, Prismacolor Colorless Blender, Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Surface: Art Spectrum Colourfix Supertooth Board
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord (1/8" thick) and framed.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

For techniques used in this artwork, please see blog post River Pebbles, No.3 - Melting Artist Crayons

Title: River Pebbles, No. 7

• Size: 5" x 5"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils, Derwent Coloursoft Colored Pencils
• Miscellaneous: Prismacolor Colorless Blender, Derwent Blender, Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Surface: Fabriano Artistico Extra White, Hot Press, 300 LB - primed with a thin coat of clear Colourfix Primer
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord (1/8" thick) and framed.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

The outline was accomplished with Prismacolor Verithin on the cool zone of the Icarus board.

In this step I blocked-in the main colors on the warm zone with very low heat, just enough to soften the waxy pigments without melting them or blending them.

After setting the temperature control at medium, I added additional color until there was enough pigment to obliterate the paper. Then I began blending using the point of a tortillon or the side of a paper stump with a very light touch.

Colorless blenders were used to soften edges and details.

Title: River Pebbles, No. 6

• Size: 5" x 5"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencil, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils
• Miscellaneous: Tortillions and Prismacolor Colorless Blender
• Surface: Art Spectrum Colourfix Supertooth Board
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord with 2" cradle.
• To see how I mount and varnish my artwork, please refer to my post on Glassless Framing.

In preparation for the upcoming Laguna Beach Festival of Arts I've been working on small and large pieces concurrently and I haven't had the time to scan and put together the step-by-steps and videos. However I've been jotting down all the interesting technical aspects that I encountered so that I won't forget to share them with you when time permits.

In this particular piece I struggled a bit with the surface. Colourfix Supertooth is very rough and, although it's well suited for rocks and pebbles, it might be an overkill. The bigger issue with Colourfix paper is that the texture is inconsistent, sometimes it's toothier than others and I don't like surprises.

Priming my own paper gives me much more control over the final results. It's very easy to do it and also less expensive than buying already-made Colourfix paper.

Title: Snake River Ripples

• Size: 12" x 16"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils, Derwent Coloursoft Colored pencils
• Surface: Art Spectrum Colourfix Supertooth Board
• Miscellaneous: Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 12" x 16" Ampersand Claybord (3/4" thick) and framed.
• To learn how I mount and varnish my artwork, please read my post on Glassless Framing.

"Snake River Ripples" is my contribution to the ART-TO-GO fund raising program. The Laguna Beach Festival of Art exhibitors donate one or more artworks to The Artists Fund which promotes, displays, and sells their work through retail and auction activities. The fund serves as financial relief to artists suffering economic hardship.

The 2012 ART-TO-GO Preview Exhibit is co-hosted by the Laguna Beach City Hall and the 1st Thursday Art Walk members. It runs from May 24 through June 26 at the City Hall. The artists reception is scheduled for Thursday, June 7, at 5pm.

Title: Poppy, No. 3

• Size: 6" x 6"
• Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (Verithin and Softcore), Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils
• Surface: Fabriano Artistico Extra White, Hot Press, 300 LB - primed with a thin coat of clear Colourfix Primer
• Miscellaneous: Tortillions & Paper Stumps
• Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
• Mounted on a 6" x 6" Ampersand Claybord (1/8" thick) and framed. To learn how I mount and varnish my artwork, please read my post on Glassless Framing.

The outline is accomplished with Prismacolor Verithin on the cool zone of the Icarus board. I don't like to add too many details at this point, only the principal lines.

I'm blocking-in the main colors of the poppy on the warm zone with very low heat, just enough to soften the waxy pigments without melting them or blending them.

After setting the temperature control at medium, I add additional color until there's enough pigment to obliterate the paper. Then I begin blending using the point of a  tortillon with a very light touch.

Sometimes I smooth out the color gradations with the side of a paper stump if the area in question is large enough. The very small veins are created with a white Verithin which lifts and lightens the original color underneath.

The last step includes refining the edges (cool zone), polishing the color gradations (warm zone), adding the fuzz on the stem (warm zone), filling in the white speckles of paper that are still showing (warm zone), and the signature.

I like to sign my name with a Verithin pencil on the warm zone. I use a lighter color than the background and press enough to create an indentation which is visible even after varnishing.

The Icarus Art April 2012 Newsletter was just sent out. If you'd like to register for our newsletter, you can go to the homepage of Icarus Art and click the sign-up button on the top right corner.

Yesterday I attended the Festival of Arts Preview 2012 Exhibition. It is designed to give the public a sampling of some of the new artists whose artwork will be on display on a larger scale this summer at the festival.

If you're in Laguna Beach, California, make sure to stop by the Wells Fargo Bank downtown to view the exhibition that will be on display until June 10.

For hours and directions please refer to the invitation in this post.