This is a closer look at my second work in a new series of small art depicting some of my favorite subjects.
Title: River Pebbles, No. 2
Size: 5" x 5"
Medium: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil (Verithin and Softcore) and Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencil
Miscellaneous: Lyra Splender Colorless Blender, Gray Paper Stumps
Surface: Stonehenge Paper
Technique: Icarus Drawing Board
River Pebbles, No. 2 is mounted on a 5" x 5" Ampersand Claybord with a 2" cradle. If you are interested in learning how I mount and varnish my artwork, you can read the following post: Glassless Framing.
I always use Prismacolor Verithin to draw the outline of my subjects. It's important for me not to add too many details at this point, only the principal lines.
I prefer the back side of Stonehenge paper because it has a little more tooth than the front. That little tooth makes a big difference in how pigments layer, mix and blend, especially on the warm zone. A paper surface that doesn't have much texture is difficult to handle with heat.
Color mapping on this paper is a little more time consuming than on a sanded pastel paper. I apply my Prismacolor Softcore and/or Caran d'Ache Luminance with medium pressure on the cool zone until 80-90% of the surface is covered with waxy pigment.
Listed below are the main steps I follow to develop the colors and values on the warm zone (high temperature):
- Burnishing: I saturate the paper with pigment until the white of the paper is completely obliterated (I even burnish white colored pencil over the white areas).
- Layering: I layer the colors by using the side of the pencil.
- Blending: when called for, I blend the base and top color together with a paper stump.
I continue in the same manner as in the previous step until the whole drawing is completely burnished.
I'm adding more details to my drawing. I use the warm zone (medium to low temperature) to blend some of those details into the background, the cool zone to refine and polish with a colorless blender.
I continue in the same manner as in the previous step until the whole drawing is finished.
I need your feedback:
With my next small artwork I'm planning to start focusing on specific issues.
Do you have any suggestions? Are there any topics relating to my technique and my art that you would like me to address?
For example, Jill asked me to explain how I make my pebbles shine.
I'd love to get your input.
15 comments
Nannette
January 30, 2012
You may have covered this before, but I’d like to know how you begin. Do you grid? Do you use graphite? Do you use photos to work from - and if so do you take them yourself? What other subjects to you enjoy besides pebbles? Is there something you really don’t like to draw?
There - my ideas!
Jill
January 31, 2012
Thanks for mentioning me in your post! I can’t wait to read the answer to it. :)
Ester Roi
January 31, 2012
Nannette, thank you for coming up with so many great ideas! I’d love to address all your questions in a future blog post. Just give me a week or two and I will have it ready, so please stay tuned.
Ester Roi
January 31, 2012
Stay tuned, Jill. I will make a post on “how I make my pebbles shine” shortly. :)
Betsy
January 31, 2012
Hi, Ester!
Any additional burnishing tips for us? Do you burnish with the same color as your underdrawing, or use others?
Thanks!
Ester Roi
January 31, 2012
Hi Betsy, another great idea! I will dedicate a post just on burnishing, if you don’t mind waiting a little. Thank you for the suggestion!
Lynn Rank
February 01, 2012
Ester,
After visiting you last Tuesday (Jan 24), we went in search of a few art items. We found Michaels in Oceanside. We were looking and somehow this 86 year old woman and I started talking…in the end she knew all about the Icarus Board. Actually someone that teaches knitting workshops there had told her there was a “heat board” she uses when she teaches colored pencil on cruises. The women first thought this idea would be great for her granddaughter….well, by the end it was for her…..
No colorfix paper there so I got some “Golden” Fine Pumice Gel and a brush and thinned some down and put a thin coat on all my different types of papers to create “colorfix”. This seems a great way to add the much needede “tooth” to all of them. I spent the rest of the vacation drawing…..
Great to see this new posting…..
Oh, and that was a great swing picture,
Glad we could meet you….Lynn
Jill
February 01, 2012
Thanks for mentioning burnishing Betsy, as I’ve never really known what that is!
Ester Roi
February 01, 2012
I’m glad you liked the picture, Lynn! How interesting that someone in Michael’s knew about the Icarus board! Please let me know how Golden Fine Pumice Gel behaves with heat. I have some and have been meaning to experiment with it.
Lynn Rank
February 01, 2012
Ester,
Just thought of a topic/question….
OK, when you get your work all done…..
Have you ever attempted using any of the Ink Jet papers, that simulate a certain type of drawing surface, (they seem to be made by Canson), to make a copy of your work on…..using an Ink Jet printer.
If so, what were the findings and results…..
Lynn
Ester Roi
February 01, 2012
Lynn, I think you are talking about “Giclees” which are reproductions (digital prints) of artwork made on fine art paper or canvas with archival inks. I use a Giclee company nearby who photographs my art and makes prints on demand. They are, of course, much more affordable than originals.
Teresa Mallen
February 01, 2012
I so enjoy seeing these step by step posts. Fortunately you have lots of questions already. I can’t come up with one at the moment - but if I think of something I shall let you know. I liked the story of the 86 year old woman knowing all about the Icarus Board - very cool. Some very interesting comments! :-)
Ester Roi
February 01, 2012
Teresa, I always enjoy your visits! :)
Lynn Rank
February 01, 2012
Ester,I do know what giclees are and they are beautiful….as I bet yours especially are….
No the prints I am thinking of are to be some of my own work scanned in and put on some look alike of say Stonehenge or Mi Tientes? or you know fancy stuff paper purely made for a printer by Canson. Weird, I know and of course we talked about the “ODD” results from the computer to the printer. But, yes, they do make such stuff and it can be expensive if there are too many bad results…
Ah, the woman really didn’t know before about the Icarus Board, (or even who Icarus in mythology was) but does now…..and might be contacting you. Well, she does oils but has a “whole bunch of pencils” that she hasn’t known what to do with….Hey, what a great answer….get some wax “cooking”.
Lynn
Ester Roi
February 01, 2012
Lynn, I need to look into the paper you’re talking about as I’m not familiar with it.
Thank you for informing the lady about Icarus - and the Icarus board of course!