Just Like a Rainbow in a Box

I don't know, but I think I just might have enough colors now when I sit down to do my next sketch.  Just look how beautiful they look.  It's like a rainbow in a box and and I'm SO EXCITED!   This is the REALLY big box of Prismacolor pencil.  There are 150 to be exact and I can't wait to start using them. Just look at all those shades of gray and blue! 

Lately, I have been watching a talented color pencil artist from Australia by the name of Sheldene Visage at Sheldene Fine Art.  She has a number of excellent tutorials on YouTube and I'm learning a great deal from her.  I decided that if I was serious about the medium of color pencils then I needed to invest in the largest set they sell. I guess I'm just going to have to get busy and sell a bunch of greeting cards or a couple cowbells to cover my investment.   

To make myself familiar with all the colors available in the set I decided that I was going to make my own color reference chart to go along with my pencil set.  I used 4 inch strips of poster board separated in 1/2" sections.  Each try contains 25 pencils and so my color chart follows that same order that they were shipped.  I'm really hoping that Prismacolor wouldn't steer me wrong.  I can use the little swatches of color when trying to determine the closest shade.  I can just lay the card up to the reference photo or still life and find the right color.  

Sheldene has her color charts hole punched and on a ring so that they stay together but she can have access to each card separately.  I was even considering the possibility of having them lamented so that they are protected so they stay clean and intact.  Maybe I will do that as soon as I'm sure I have them organized correctly and that they are functional.  I may decide that I need to expand the color to include both a dark and light tone for each color.  So many decisions just to get organized.  At this point, I'm not even certain the best way to keep my pencils organized.  Maybe that is a good question to ask several experience CP artists and include their answers on a future blog post. 

Example of Color Swatches done by Sheldene

How Do I Put the Rose in the Cheeks?

Almost 2 years ago, I had the pleasure of spending the day under the instruction of artist, Colin Pringle. He was conducting a color seminar and I even took a day off from work so I could attend.  We only painted swatches on canvas panels, but I learned so much.  I'm so glad I took that effort because a few months ago, Colin passed away and it turned out that was my only opportunity to paint with him.

This week I started a new piece of a little Native American Girl holding a puppy dog.  My first attempt last week at the flesh-tone recipe for a Native American portrait I thought lacked a realism and a glow so This morning I dug out my notes from that day long ago.  Colin gave us the base recipe for each skin tone and so I thought I would just share that information today.

Caucasian:  1 pt Cad Red lt

                   2 pt Cad yellow lt and wash with burnt umber

Asian:          1pt yellow ochre

                     1/2 pt Cad Red med

                     1/4 pt burnt umber

                     white

Dark Skin:   2 pts burnt umber

                  1 pt blue

Mexican:   1 pt burnt umber

                  1/2 pt cad red med

                  1/4 pt yellow ochre and wash with burnt umber

Native American: 1/2 pt burnt umber

                         1 pt cad red med

                         1/4 pt yellow ochre and wash with reds

Initial sketch based from a photo retrieved from the public domain library of photos on a Facebook page I follow

Rough draft of my current painting that I'm working on.

This is how the piece looks with just rough blocking in. Of course I know that there are many different opinions but I thought I would start here and experiment with these to see what I come up with.  I do know that I need to work on the coloring of my little girl because she has no glow.

More detail added but still have a long way to go before she is finished

I've worked here on glazing the face and adding more highlights.  Over all I think this piece has potential and hopefully I can pull of the beautiful handwoven blanket and bring life to her fuzzy little companion.  As someone who adores jewelry I am amazed and the pieces this young girl is wearing.  Bracelets of silver and large adornment hanging from around her neck.  It appears to be made of silver, shells and turquoise.  There are even large silver buckles on her little belt.  I'm working from a old black and white photo so I'm really guessing on the colors for this piece.  I'm sure I will be blogging again about this one before she is finished.