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Colored Pencil
Techniques:
Create Faster, Richer
Effects
colored pencil techniques:
create faster, richer effects
W
hen Janie Gildow demonstrates techniques for filled with water,” she recalls. “I remember saying to myself,
drawing with colored pencil during the Art I think I’ll do this forever. There was something about the
Methods & Materials Show (www.artmethods. process of recording my observations with colored pencil
com), she will be revealing some of the methods that that was very satisfying.”
sparked her interest in the wax-based pencils more than 10 When Gildow retired in 1995 after more than 30 years of
years ago. “Something clicked with me when I completed teaching, she was already winning awards and developing
my very first drawing of Queen Anne’s lace sitting in a jar a following among collectors with her drawings of animals,
Secrets
onions from life and I kept
2001, colored pencil, 8 x 11.
Gildow’s Materials
having to slice up more and Private collection.
more onions every time Gildow recommends her students bring the following supplies
I sat down to work,” she to a workshop:
explains. “The air in my stu- adjust the values and con- MEDIA OTHER
dio became saturated with trast. “I don’t get involved in ■ Prismacolor colored pencils ■ plastic palette
the smell of onion, and after manipulating the images in (48 color set or larger) ■ battery-powered
a few hours the shriveled my computer, but I do take ■ water-soluble colored pencil sharpener
objects no longer looked like advantage of the easy process pencils ■ kneaded eraser or poster
sliced onions. I realized it of cropping images, mak- ■ a few soft pastel sticks putty (for lifting color)
takes so long to develop a col- ing them lighter or darker, ■ watercolor set (a basic ■ blending stump
ored pencil drawing of any or reducing the contrast. set of tubes or pan colors) ■ paper towels
size and one can’t count on When I’m satisfied with the ■ HB graphite pencil ■ toothbrush
a living subject remaining photographs I make prints ■ black extra-fine ■ scissors
static for that long. Besides, and refer to those while I’m permanent marker ■ dust brush
it is much easier to re-create drawing.” ■ soft white eraser
the appearance of a two- Because of the amount BRUSHES
■ water container
dimensional subject on a of time that it takes Gildow ■No. 6 round
■ masking tape
two-dimensional surface.” to complete a drawing, even watercolor brush
Like many artists, Gildow when working from photo- PAPER
has a digital camera that graphs on toned surfaces, ■Saral graphite
allows her to preview her she writes notes to herself transfer paper
photographs and easily about the specific pencils
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