Tools of the Trade

Ever wonder what I work with?
I am always curious to see other artists' studios, the tools they use, even down to how they brush the paint on. It fascinates me.

I'm working on a project right now that has forced me to look closer at what I work with and why I work with it.

You can find commentaries on blogs, forums, and Facebook about how one artist will voice their favorite pencil, while another artist in the same field will swear by another brand. Call it the sport of art if you like (I'm sure there's an artist out there with a rabbit's foot).

Most of my tools have a story or memory attached to them. 

The oldest tool I've used every day in the studio is my kneaded eraser.

My dad is an art teacher most of my life, so I grew up with this wonderful tool laying around his art studio coiled up or made into small pyramids. Something to do while thinking or working. I was introduced to it very young.

The next tool oldest to me is a retractable Tuff Stuff! The moment I discovered this eraser years ago I fell in love and haven't gone back. It gets into the little spots and is always a clean erase. I don't go anywhere without it!

My pencils are newer to me. I have worked with mechanical pencils for at least 15 years now, but the one I used as a teenager...well....was great for a teenager.

Two years ago I did some research and tried Pentel GraphGear 500 on a whim. Love them! Great body weight, good lead selection, amazingly priced! The green Pentel is their most standard. Pentel P205...still a great drawing pencil!

Sketchbooks are personal, in every sense, like a diary. I have always favored the large Strathmore or Canson spiralbounds, 9x12 inch. I have several moleskines too that are smaller....and I adore them, but I like space for my hand when I draw, this allows it.

Color Theory wasn't around in the beginning for me, so I just picked colors that worked to my eye. This did not help in finding the best palette for me, or how to lay it out even.

All of my palettes up to several years ago were rectangle and felt rough to me. Nothing progressed fluidly for me, only manageable.

There was a teacher of watercolor where I work (The Des Moines Art Center) who had a round palette out during one of her classes, and I was introduced to the Stephen Quiller Palette. A circle! Imagine color on a wheel!

I took her class, several times, and have since learned how to better use my palette effectively.

The paints I use are a blend of  Daniel Smith and Winsor Newton.  I always have a messy palette, it's cleaned maybe once every two months. I also paint on primarily Arches Hot Press and Cold Press 140lbs. It's a comfortable inbetween weight and their brand is one of the oldest. I'm open to other papers, but I'm a snob about Arches. The brushes? Cotman series 666.

If you know my work you'll notice my use of white. This started in the phase of trying to keep the white of the paper and failing. I taught myself watercolor, so I turned to problem-solving (an illustrator's best trait).

First it was FW liquid acrylic. I would brush it on, but it cakes easily. Nowadays I usually water it down.

The other partner in crime is the white gel pen. Discovered this while watching watercolor videos on YouTube. Genius! I don't think I use the best one, your basic Gelly Roll, but will be ordering a UniBall gel pen and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works!

Last but not least, the infamous indigo colored pencil. 

I started using this prominently last year while working on Tangerine. I was first introduced to Verithin Colored Pencils by Prismacolor a couple of years back. They're fantastic because of the harder lead with less wax. Because I'm not a colored pencil artist, this worked great for sketching!

The indigo was an accident. I was sketching with it, and as I added color (without thinking of the muddiness it could create) I noticed how it's more dulled tone worked. After Tangerine I continued to sketch with it. The hue is attractive to me, mixed with graphite or color. It helps to provide me my shadows.

Although indigo can create mud very quickly (it's not for the inexperienced), it does create a more earthy visual of color hues in the painting. I trust it so much I paint with indigo as well.

I try to sharpen always with a blade so that I don't go through the pencil as fast (taught by my dad), and the electric eraser was a gift to me. Never knew I would have a need of it until I discovered it erases the indigo colored pencil wonderfully!

Do you have a favorite pen or material that you use a bit religiously?

The Tangerine Process

I don't know about you, but the month of May has to be one of the busiest months of the year next to December. SO many wonderful birthdays, graduation, and other family/friend get togethers.

I am very blessed but feel weighed down when I have to stop and think of all that still must be done. Again, blessed, because I have a focus and direction....and now....I true desire and passion for one of my, I believe, greatest pieces to date.

It all started with a beautiful sketch, which evolved from frustration and many sketches. Beauty truly blooms from trial.

I was looking and looking for the right face, and without much reference the Lord gave me this. Wow. I am so in love with her grace and movement! Now the scary part....moving her from an 11x14 drawing to a 20x28 piece of watercolor paper.

On a stormy night when my husband was out of town, she emerged in indigo.

I go in and add more pencil. I love making lines pop and giving strong definition to drawings. My first love will always be drawing.

With trembling hands and lots of deep breaths, I began paint. Tried to keep it simple and light, even though I was anxious to bring her to life.

Starting to punch out the colors and define the space within the background. My goal was to get the background up and the eyes finished as soon as possible. These help keep me focused once they're in place.

Background and eyes finished. Beginning on the hair. I had to change my studio set up, standing and bending over wasn't working (getting old!). 

Where I am today. 

And this is what I look like while painting. :P I typically paint mostly at night, and I am always in my pjs, no make up, hair...could care less.

My goal is to have her finished in time for the Iowa State Fair. Regardless of what happens in that aspect, I have fallen in love with painting this large. It's challenging, but for all of the right reasons. I don't know if this is a one time event, but I will definitely try more!

BTW - she's on arches cold press (you know I only work on hot press), and I'm using indigo as my shadow hue since it worked so well in the sketch. I adore it for the mermaid...and so glad I discovered it.