Monthly Sketch Project

Apples

By: Lori Talbert

10/03/09

There is a blog called Monthly Sketch Project http://monthlysketchproject.blogspot.com/ and reference pictures are posted each month for artists to use. The idea is to see how each artist represents the reference picture. The different ideas and mediums that are used.

One of the reference pics for October was this photo Apples by Leslie and above is my work from that picture. It is soft pastel pencils, 5x7 inches on Vellum Bristol Board.

I haven't worked that much with pastel pencils and usually work in graphite or colored pencils. One of the things I liked about the pastel pencils was the ease of application. This work took about 2.5 hours and if I had used colored pencils would have taken several hours. The things I didn't like about the pastel pencils was that the colors are not quite as rich and it is very easy to lose detail because of the ease of blending. I may not have used the best surface though.

I haven't done any art in months so a big thanks to the Monthly Sketch Project for getting me going again!

Just A Pet Peeve

Do any of you have children or other family members that get into your art supplies?

The other day I came home from work and found my color pencils all over the place. I asked my son why this was so and he said he had a homework project that he was supposed to color with colored pencils and he had used mine. I asked him what happened to the color pencils we had purchased for him before school started and he said they were at school.

Now I am not a stingy person and I don't mind if others use my things as long as they don't damage them, but I really expect them to be put back where I had them and not left out where they finished using them. That really bothered me.

Does this happen to any of you and does it bother you?

An Award From a Fellow Blogger!

My good friend and wonderful artist Jan at Pets to Posies http://petstoposies.blogspot.com/ has given me this blog award. Thanks Jan, especially since I haven't been as active here the past couple of months. I appreciate it and love to get the blog awards and pass them on. If you haven't viewed Jan's blog please check it out.

I am supposed to tell seven things about myself and pass the award on to seven other bloggers so here goes.

First seven things about myself that I haven't told before:

1. I've gotten hooked on the cable show Clean House. I just love seeing houses that are more cluttered than mine. It makes me feel so much better!

2. I've told on here several times that I love the beach but I don't think I've told that I love to walk the beach and hunt for fossilized shark teeth. I try to beat the ones I have found before and am accumulating quite a collection!

3. I am terrified of mice and snakes. Apparently while we were at the beach for 8 days a mouse moved into our house. I spent most of Sunday night screaming and scaring it as bad as it scared me. I practically moved out of my house. Thankfully we caught it last night and none too soon. I think I was driving my husband crazy!

4. Spiders don't bother me at all.

5. I wish I had more time / motivation to do my artwork.

6. I really want to start painting again (I haven't painted in many years) but keep putting it off due to not wanting to deal with the mess. Drawing and colored pencils are so much cleaner.

7. I love to take Sunday afternoon naps.

Well, now that you know more about me than you probably ever wanted to know I will pass this on to other bloggers:

Jenna at Color Conscious http://color-conscious.blogspot.com/
Michelle at Following My Muse http://followingmymuse.blogspot.com/
Jill at Pencil Portraitworks http://pencilportraitworks.blogspot.com/
Robin at The Midlife Artist http://themidlifeartist.blogspot.com/
Teresa at Tresses Art Blog http://tressesartblog.blogspot.com/
Dave at Wildlife Art http://davelarsonstudios.blogspot.com/
Laure at Painted Thoughts Blog http://paintedthoughtsblog.blogspot.com/

These are wonderful blogs and artists that I enjoy very much. If you haven't seen their blogs please check them out!

Hopefully I will get back to my art soon!

Pastel Pencils

Acorn

By: Lori Talbert

3/31/09

I have heard a lot about pastel pencils from others and decided I would give them a try. I have several pastel sticks or chalks and while I like the way they blend and the ease of application, I didn't feel I had the control for finer details as I did in graphite or colored pencils.

So, I purchased a small set of pastel pencils at Hobby Lobby and looked through my reference pictures to see what I had. This picture is from a drawing challenge on a forum I belong to. The challenge is long over and I cannot remember at this time who posted the pic. But I pulled it out and sketched it on a piece of 4x6 bristol board and gave the pastel pencils a try.

As with the chalks I liked the ease of application and blending, (colored pencils take a lot of work) but I was frustrated by the lack of colors in my set of 12. In colored pencil work I use the white pencil frequently to blend and to change the colors to what I want. I had no white in my set of 12 so I resorted to pulling out the chalks to finish the piece.

I enjoyed the experiment and was surprised by the ease and quickness of completion in comparison to my colored pencils. Colored pencil work for me takes a lot of blending. I generally use a colorless pencil for this frequently going over the entire piece with it and once I'm through my hand and arm are tired as it takes some effort.

I would like to try more with the pastel pencils but I think I need to purchase a larger set with more colors. So I will shop around for the best price. Do they make a white pastel pencil I wonder? Also any pastel pencil tips would be greatly appreciated.