Eileen Brautman; Artist

Well how cool is this?  A hand painted Christmas card for yours truly from fellow artist Eileen Brautman from the States.



Eileen is probably the singular reason that I began dabbling in pure watercolours; having attended her art lessons on the Celebrity Eclipse on a cruise to Iceland and Norway.  I fondly recall my feeble attempt at a remote house in the wilderness of an Icelandic landscape. Along with my 'day after the night before' abstract attempt to represent an astonishing night sky. Thank you Eileen, and a very merry Christmas and New Year to you and Bob as well

MIND Aberystwyth

So yesterday (after a break of a few weeks while feeling poorly) I managed to make it back to MIND and do some painting. 

RbaArt Protograph: Watercolour with top surface paper removal

This one was completed using Cotman student quality watercolour paint on watercolour paper. The image was constructed with two layers of wet-on-wet paint.  The second layer after the first layer had dried.  Only six colours were used.  Cerulean Blue, Cobalt blue, Light Red, Paynes Gray, Raw Sienna, and a purple thingy. Sorry about the technical term, but I can't recall the name of the last half pan.  It would have been five colours, but alas the singke blue didn't work alone and another one had to be found. Mind you, there were about forty eight half pans in the tin, so I think that I done well in deciding to limit my palette! 

A stiff palette knife was used to indent the paper when it was wet, and the sharp edge if that particular palette knife was used to lift the paper as it dried.  Finally, a scalpel was used to lift more of the paper to expose bits of the clean white layer underneath after all of the painting was done.

Remembrance

This one was painted on Remembrance Sunday 2016 with the poem also written on the same day. 

ArtRba Photograph: Remembrance Poem and watercolour painting

The poem is to the right of the painting

(click on the image to open full size if it is cropped on your screen)

The poem 'Remembrance' has six lines, each with three feet.  The artwork was completed using Winsor & Newton Sanguine Red, Smalt Blue and Aqua Green along with Daler-Rowney Cadmium Yellow, all put down on a 16 x 8 inch sheet of Daler Rowney 300gsm Cold Press watercolour paper.  When the watercolour painting was dry, 'Staedtler' Pigment Liners sizes 0.05, 0.3, and 0.7 were used to draw in the trees and hedgerow.  

I offered the Royal British Legion a watercolour and unique poem a year ago now, but alas it appears that my art and poetry on that occasion wasn't good enough.  I mention that, because the Legion never took me up on my offer.  That watercolour painting was much larger than this one, and consisted of two stretcher bearers carrying a casualty with a third soldier thanking them.  The casualty was draped in the Union Jack and each of the three standing figures were from different military periods.    

That poem that accompanied the artwork was titled  'Poppy Fields', and the first stanza went;

Do not forget the fallen of that war,

The one chosen by Kings for Common Man.

Red Poppies falling neatly in line,

As chopping bullets fell without restrain.

Twilight Colours

I'm fortunate enough to now own and enjoy using a significant range of Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour paints.  But one of my favourite colours is a tube of Sanguine Red from their Twilight Colours range. 

Photograph: Winsor & Newton Twilight Colours 

The keen eyed amongst you may have noticed that particular colour popping up in my recent A5 sized Elephant image.  Sanguine red has a real vibrancy to it.  I'm also using half pans in the main, and I know that half pans are semi-moist.  So I expected tubed watercolour paint to dry out and be unusable.  But for some reason that's not the case, and dried paint on the palette re-works when water is added with the brush. 

Sky Landscape

I don't always get around to doing the things that I should, when I should. This is probably why I've only just settled down to watch the second episode of the second series of the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year Competition.  And I must say, that I wholeheartedly agreed with their final three.

Albeit in all fairness I had my doubts about the stencillist. And those doubts were there before he was declared the Heat Winner.

Mainly because he was (if I heard the dialogue correctly) printing off and cutting out photographs that he had taken.  I would have been more enthused if he had drawn images and made a direct connection with the landscape.  But hey ho, who am I to criticise, especially seeing that my submission wasn't good enough to make the cut. 

Landrover Discovery

I'm about three hours in with this piece, including the longed out coffee and chat when I began on Tuesday and the pot of Assam B.O.P. when I revisited the artwork this afternoon.

ArtRba Photograph: ink pencil on watercolour paper 

It's intended as a gift, so I hope that the recipient likes it when it's done.  I'm using Daler Rowney 300gsm A4 size Cold Pressed watercolour paper.  I drew a grid using a watercolour pencil to lay out the design with an intention to wash away the grid lines as I construct the image. The dust cloud is a tad heavy at the moment, but I'm looking to soften that by applying an Inktense wash using a brush, and or a white Pablo colouring pencil.  It doesn't really matter whether that works or not, as it's all about learning and experience. Art is for enjoyment and relaxation; we mustn't get too hung up over techniques and outcomes. 

New Zealand Traditional Art

Well, how cool is this! 

ArtRba Photograph: blank greetings card with New Zealand Art on front cover

All the way from New Zealand courtesy of the lovely Barbara and equally lovely Rhiannon. They also sent me a stunning 'Clare Reilly' New Zealand Calendar 2017 that I will probably photograph and showcase when it's in place on my wall.  I met Barbara and Rhiannon while enjoying a coffee in a little Italian Cafe in Wales. 

As for the above piece of art; I love what was used to create the image, and the  3D effect that has been achieved, on what is after all just a flat surface. The artwork is both awesome and relevant to the short mark-making course that I recently attended and enjoyed.  It's yet another way for the artist to express themselves.

African Elephant

All framed and ready to gift. Watercolour on 12 x 16 inch Arches rough Block using a variety of mark-making techniques.  The frame was off the shelf at Wilko. 

ArtRba Photograph: Elephant in watercolour 

(Don't forget, if the image is cropped, click on the photo for full size) 

Venice, Inktense Pencils on paper

This is today's output, well when I say today, I mean finished today after two hours per week for six weeks. It's an image of the Grand Canal Venice, drawn in Inktense Pencils on a piece of old discarded paper at MIND that was probably heading towards being thrown out.

ArtRba Photograph; Venice, Inktense Pencils on paper

(Click on the image to open it full size)

This one is a gift for someone who attends the same weekly art group as me.

Elephant using various Mark-Making Techniques

Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours on Winsor & Newton Artists' 300gsm acid free A5 size watercolour paper.  Original idea taken from an old edition of 'the artist' magazine' and three tester versions subsequently worked up by yours truly using Derwent Inktense pencil over this Summer. 

ArtRba Photograph: Elephant, Watercolour on watercolour paper 

(Click on the image to open full size)

This is the first time that I've painted this image in watercolour albeit I've put together a similar image with Inktense Pencils over the summer.  But the Inktense ones were more about brilliance of colour, speed of work, and mark-making through pencil strokes.

In terms of Mark-Making this image has:

* Masking fluid lines to preserve the white of the paper

* Masking fluid dots again to preserve the white

* Dry brushing on rough paper to achieve broken edges

* Wet surface and then wet on wet watercolour painting

* Dry surface and then wet on wet watercolour painting 

* Wet to dry and wet over dry watercolour painting

* Brushed lines including some overlayed on the previous line

* Splatter technique using a brush 

This particular painting is intended as a gift for some African friends who live in North America.  As I have four black African friends now living in the USA and Canada, I'm loathe to say which country; as that will spoil the surprise of having the painting land on the carpet or deposited in the post box outside of their home.

I've now sketched out and laid down the masking fluid on another version using 12 x 16 Arches paper.  On that example I've gone for a two tone yellow background using the wet on wet technique applied to a wet surface.  This 'on the go' painting is also a gift.  This time for a Greek friend who's partner is Nigerian.    

Malta and the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year 2016

Well not being part of this years; "Sky Landscape Artist of the Year" (2016) Competition, doesn't stop me whittling up my interpretation of a Maltese landscape.

ArtRba Photograph: Malta, Acrylic on plywood.

(Click on the image if needed to open it up full size)

Whilst this one was finished earlier today and ready to be gifted to a friend; I have several other pieces of art currently on the go. Well, I sort of write 'several', almost tongue in cheek.

There's an A4 ish sized watercolour of Venice, in which I am about 3.5 hours in, when I just had to set it aside and wait until I'm back in that zone.  There's the construction lines for something around A3 size, depicting the Old College and Sky from a close and low viewpoint.  This one will be drawn and painted using Inktense Pencils.  There's another Inktense and Watercolor Image of an African elephant on 14 x 10 paper, but alas like the others this is also unfinished.  There's something around 10 x 8 in watercolour of the Thames and one or two bridges.  Setting this one aside created a problem, as the dried masking fluid tore the expensive paper and damaged the surface.  In the soft pastel range; I have a portrait (yes unfinished) and a landscape which I set aside half way through.  There's also a repaired huge canvas that nothing has been done on, and there's the detailed 'Grand Canal' scene in Inktense that turned from being a 'labour of love' into just labour.  

So 'pushing on' with the Malta image over the last few days has been a rewarding experience.  Using a palette knife can be so liberating.  Better still; the image fits in with some mark making stuff that I've been doing.

Landscaping in Palette Knife

Well, to link in with the theme of the last post.  Which is something that I haven't done for a while.  It's only fair to mention that my feeble attempt at applying for the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year Competition 2016 was a failure.  None of us like rejection, and like many others I felt the full force of the disappointment.

It took courage to decide to enter, and to find amongst my shed load of art, some pieces worthy of consideration.  It took even more courage to fill in the convoluted Application Form.  Only to find out that my chosen image sizes were all wrong for the Online Entry.  It all became a tad stressfull, and I debunked from the process and paid someone to re-photograph the art and thereafter produce it in a file size that lay between the minumim and maximum megabytes permitted.  Before regaining the courage to submit the work and press 'Send'.

I don't regret the Landscape Artist process, because I gave it my best shot.  My unworthy submissions included a watercolour of the wake of a cruise ship leaving Venice, a mixed media scene of Venice with some washing hanging out that was not too disimilar to the scenes that were often painted by Whistler (but I hasten to add, that I'm no Whistler), and a pencil drawing of a sunken boat, that was included to simply show that I could draw. 

What would I enter today, if indeed the Sky Landscape Artist Competition was beginning instead of currently broadcasting weekly on television?  I think that it's a given; that my 'after' Turner, 'Fishermen at Sea' painting (which I completed in acrylic), would be my 'prove that I can paint and draw image'.  The pastel drawing on the watercolour base of a sort of Aberdyfi scene would be a likely contender, along with my charcoal take of John Piper's 1939 sketch of 'the Lower Pirian Falls' on the Hafod Estate in Wales.  Maybe the Inktense Pencil drawing of the coastal light house scene would appear instead of the Aberdyfiesque image.  I don't really know, as it's all choices, and I'm not particularly good at making them.

The thing being; that my failed attempt consisted of a watercolour, a pencil drawing, and a mixed media of mono printing, chalk, and ink.  Whereas a current attempt would consist of an acrylic painting, a charcoal drawing and either a soft pastel over watercolour or an Inktense Pencil drawing.  Now, I don't think that you can get more diverse than that!  And in many ways that diversity sort of sums up where I am with the arty thing at the moment.

If it isn't Inktense Pencils, then it's watercolour.  If it isn't watercolour, then it's watercolour markers.  And if the markers aren't out, well that means that maybe the soft colouring pencils are.  But that doesn't mean that the Acrylics have been put away.  Nope, good old 'Cryla' and its variants get an occasional run out as well.

Here's the current piece being worked up in Palette Knife, using Acrylic on Gesso prepared Plywood.  

ArtRba Photograph: Palette knife on board 

Although the larger areas have been completed, in many ways this image is still in its initial stages.  There's a fair bit of artistry that needs to be applied to the central theme. And as such the amount of work left to do; will far outweigh the time taken to get to this stage.

Landscape Artist of the Year 2016

Landscape Artist of the Year 2016.  Series 2, Episode 1: at blinking last. 

The three paintings chosen in this episode as the 'Heat Finalists' were worthy of the accolade. And for me, this has been the first time that I've agreed with their choices.  In the first series, I quite often felt that the programme was worth watching for art tips and ideas; but that the judging fell short. 

But that was not the case tonight on my recorded episode. Nope, it was absolutely brilliant. Well edited, well executed, and well chosen. 

I really look forward to the next instalment. Gone are the giveaways, gone are the disillusions regarding work that doesn't quite look finished, because it simply ain't finished! Nope, it's all come together and Sky Landscape Artist of the Year is shaping up to be a good fight.  

All we now need to top it off; is a neutral 'wildcard' winner.  A winner that is taken only from the unique wildcard entries and not by someone knocked out of the competition proper.  The case in point being, that tonight's wildcard winner was also a worthy champion.  And in the absence of anyone else, I would be happy to see him progress. 

Water Color Markers now being used

Well, the pack of Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers have been used for the first time!  Along with a 'Seawhite of Brighton' watercolour postcard.  Both items were combined to make a thank you gift for a good friend of mine who showed me a kindness last Thursday.  

ArtRba Photograph: Winsor & Newton Tin of 12 Watercolor Markers 

If you can't see a particular image properly, click on it to open full size

I bought the 12 x Watercolour Postcard pack when we were recently in Malta. So it was lovely to combine these two new things to create some art.  The Watercolour paper is 350gsm so it's a tad heavier than what I'm used to, and as such, it has different handling qualities.  The thicker paper makes for a better posting process as the artwork should hold up better when travelling through the postal system.  Although I must admit that I address the postcard and write on the back in the usual way, but also pop it inside an envelope to address and stamp that!

Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

Awe what a lovely surprise when I got back from town and found that these Winsor & Newton Watercolor Markers had arrived today!  

Photograph ArtRba: Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

This is really good news on several accounts; as (1) I am really enjoying the original three markers that I already have (and which were gifted to me by the lovely people in Art Shop on Pier Street, Aberystwyth), and (2) we had popped home earlier in the day and they weren't with the post.  

I had forgotten all about the modern thingy of a courier service.  So disheartened, I went back to town; while unknown to me, the delivery chappies continued to work in the background.  

My experience so far; suggests that these Watercolour Markers can't be classed as the perfect water-soluble thing, but they can be classed as the perfect 'something different'.  I've read online that they are Cotman standard, and I would wholeheartedly disagree with that statement.  Don't get me wrong, their not Professional Artist quality Watercolour, but they ain't Cotman either.  Nope, the pigment is to vibrant to reduce them to that level.  

Now I need to find my level with these Watercolour Markers, by trying out some new techniques, trying out some new reference images, and then see how we get on.  They sell these in 6's, as single units, this 12 and I've sen other variations in quantity with and without the relevant Marker Pad.  I'm using different kinds of watercolour paper to see how the product handles and to find out what watercolor support if anything works best for me.

Oh ps they retail these at circa £44 but I sourced this set at £26 including delivery, so shop around!  

Watercolour Paper

Buying watercolour paper can, for the uninformed; be a tad confusing. So this little post is my humble attempt to sort of help you out.

In very broad terms there are three different kinds of watercolour paper.  Yes, we can talk about acid free, and mould free, and cotton, and whatever, which is all very good when you understand the basics and find some stuff that you like.  But for now, let's just keep it simples.  In no particular order of merit nor importance, the types of watercolour paper are;

(Type 1)

COLD PRESSED

CP

NOT

[They all mean the same]

The ideal stuff to paint a landscape or seascape in watercolour paint, or using watercolour pencils.  The 'NOT' stands for 'Not Hot Pressed', so watch out if you're in a class and a particular watercolour paper is recommended. You could mishear what's being said.  

(Type 2)

ROUGH

Great for a nocturnal scene, or a landscape or seascape where you want texture. This may be (but is not restricted to) imaging a rusty old fishing boat in part of the scene. The 'Rough' surface of this Cold Pressed/CP/NOT paper, catches the watercolour pigment when you are 'dry brushing' over a particular area of the paper.  This can also be beneficial when using watercolour pencils.

(Type 3)

HOT

HOT PRESSED

HP

Again they all mean the same thing.  I think that this is dreadful paper for landscaping and seascaping.  The paper simply dries out too fast and leads to cauliflowering. But of course it is great paper for botanical illustration.  The smooth surface of the paper aids the botanical artist to provide detail.  The rapid drying becomes irrelevant, as the artist is working on one area of the sheet, rather than right across the sheet. 

The quality of the manufactured paper can vary greatly between manufacturers.  Some are so badly treated that the surface is more akin to blotting paper, whereas others are a dream to use.  In all instances you can buy these papers; (i) loose, (ii) in a tear out pad, (iii) in a spiral binder, or (iv) with all four sides glued in a block, whereby you slit the edge to remove a dried sheet, in order to expose the next sheet for painting. 

Another Version

Accidentally making the move to trying out Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers has been a good, albeit frustrating thing.  The good points are that I like the product, I like the ease of handling, and I like the three colours that I was gifted.  The bad point is that I need a yellow, and you can't buy these watercolour markers (individually or in a set) in Aberystwyth.  So if you know anyone in Winsor & Newton product development or marketing, tell them to find me on social media and get in touch.  Because at the moment, I'm confined to a red, a green, and a blue marker.  Albeit, they are a pretty good red, green and blue.

Photograph: Venice

Using watercolour markers on circa 7 x 5 cheap watercolour paper 

ArtRba you can also find me on Social Media *

I've completed a few similar images, using various size and type of watercolour paper, as I begin to understand how the watercolour marker product works to best effect.  

I'm noticing that the nibs spread (but that was anticipated, so no problem there) and that the application of water needs to be thought through, as the paint merges (again, anticipated, but controlling needs to be learnt).  

The big pluses are (1) the vibrancy and punch of colour, and (2) the ease of use (which suggests that the Winsor & Newton Watercolour Marker is ideal for in the field sketching.

* ArtRba my posts on Blogger are always more detailed.

Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

I've had a stressful few days, so this is the sum total of my artistic dabblings since Tuesday morning.  On the minus side, I feel a tad let down by someone of whom I thought the world of.  Whereas on the plus side, I was delighted by someone of whom I expected nothing.  It's a funny old World.

So I tried to park the stress by using three Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers for the very first time this evening.  The watercolour markers that were used are Winsor & Newton 'Sap Green', 'Phthalo Blue (Red Shade)', and 'Alizarin Crimson Hue'.  Like most professional art products, they're expensive at £3.99 a pop. Although it's worth remembering that because they're watercolours, I don't own three colours, but four.  This is because the white of the paper is the fourth colour. 

Photograph: the markers and the initial drawing

As is often the case with Blogger: click on the photo to see the full image

ArtRba

It's a little Venetian scene, mainly because Venice is my 'theme of the moment', and I guessed that these watercolour products that have sat unused in my bureau drawer for many months; would lend themselves to this watercolour style.  Of course, after obtaining the markers, I went and completed a 'Colour Theory' course with the WEA-YMCA.  So I now know that instead of the green one, I actually needed a yellow. 

Hey ho, my hand will have to dip into my ever deepening pockets, and instead of a bunny, pull out some more dosh. This time, for a fourth Winsor & Newton Watercolour Marker. 

Photograph: the result after water is applied and spread to suit

Don't forget to click on the image!

ArtRba

The water spreading also includes 'on the paper' mixing.  This means that the watercolours get transferred around, blended, lightened, and darkened etc.,  Maybe this on the paper mixing is something that you could try.  Go on, you know that you want to!

Art In The City

Or is that ArtRba in the City?

I had a lovely weekend in the City, meeting up with family.  I even managed to get in a painting, which was a huge bonus. 

Here's yesterday's artwork (completed in Duke Street Caffè Nero) after breakfast in the city and then some shopping. It's on Bockingford cold pressed acid free 300 gsm (10 x 7 inch) traditional watercolour paper. Using professional quality Winsor & Newton; Winsor Blue Green Shade (one of my favourite colours), Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Ivory Black, and Yellow Ochre. Albeit the yellow ochre was more about the horizon.

In general terms (unless you're trying to create deliberate angles and cropped sections of a scene, or close in on the action on the high seas) water is self levelling and the horizon should be flat.  Which is fine if you have a ruler or have marked out the backing card of another watercolour block or pad, but is a tad awkward if you've got nothing to use, including no pencil.  At which point I used the end cap (without the water of course) of my watercolour Field Box, and dabbed Yellow Ochre here and there as I moved the cap along inline with the edge of the paper.  I then joined up the dots when I started on the sea part of the painting.  This meant some yellow ochre showing through on the horizon, which I overcame by using yellow ochre in a few places elsewhere on the sea.

Photograph: Cormorant in flight across the bay

All rights reserved RBA Bennett, i.e. ArtRba 

I bough the Bockingford pad from a lovely Art Shop called Pen & Paper in if I recall correctly, the Royal Arcade. I always buy something in there whenever we visit, as it's very important to support specialist high street shops who have to compete against Internet prices.  The thing is; once they're gone, they're gone, and I defy you to obtain the level of knowledge these Art Shop owners have elsewhere. Yes you may occasionally save a few bob, but you don't always guarantee original or even new stuff, and the subtle difference pays for itself. 'How?' I hear you ask.  Well, it's simples, all that knowledge that you squeeze out each visit, is free of charge, which is gobsmackingly cheap compared to the cheapest adult Art Courses at more often than not £100 a pop. 

South Beach, Aberystwyth

And here is today's output with my new Watercolour Field Box!

It's on a Langton Prestige 'Fine Grain' COLD watercolour paper Block.  Using my new travelling Filbert brush that I mentioned in a previous post, and the small travelling brush that comes with the Winsor & Newton Field Box.

Photograph: South Beach, Aberystwyth

(Painted outdoors at the location) 

ArtRba

I used Winsor Blue Green Shade for the sky and the sea, and mixed that with Winsor Yellow for the hills to the left and distance.  Yellow Ochre was used for the harbour wall.  Aliz Crimson mixed with Winsor Blue G/S for the foreground pebbles, with a deeper mix for the ones closer to the shoreline.  The same mix was used as shadow on the harbour wall, the small self contained lighthouse at the end of the wall, the sailing boat and the breaking waves.  Burnt Sienna provided some of the driftwood detail on the pebbles, and some contrast in pebble colour.

This one took about two hours to paint.  A lovely two hours sat in the chair that Mrs B recently bought me and wearing my floppy sun hat that one of my daughters bought me for using when out and about painting.

Interestingly, I kept my sunglasses on and didn't wear my reading glasses for painting.

Winsor & Newton Artist Quality Field Box

I've just taken delivery of an Artist Quality watercolour 'Field Box' from the Art Shop at No.5 Pier Street, Aberystwyth.  It's a lovely compact little thing, the Field Box that is, not the Art Shop. 

The Art Shop in Aberystwyth is stuffed with lots of lovely things, run by two lovely people, and Brian is uber knowledgeable. Indeed, it's quite scary what he knows.  And that knowledge and friendliness sort of gives the reason why we should shop local and not online.  Oh, and the price was keen as well.

This particular Winsor & Newton watercolour Field Box opens out to reveal 12 Artist Quality half pans, a natural sponge, two integral fold out mixing palettes, and a small pop out water bottle. The Field Box also comes with a small brush that sits in its housing, but when you take it out its in two parts, that push together to make a longer handled brush.  While the end cap for the Field Box doubles up as a water reservoir that clips back onto the main body.  So the watercolourist is self contained, with a compact and reasonably light portable studio. Oh, did I mention that it was nifty? Because this Field Box is nifty, and this watercolorist is well pleased! 

Photograph: Winsor & Newton Watercolour Field Box

(I opened some of the half pans in excitement before pausing to take the photograph)

I made a few alterations and additions to the set up: I've dumped the Chinese White that came with the Field Box and replaced it with Quinacridone Gold. This colour is a particular favourite of mine when painting Venetian scenes.  I've written out my name, and contact details and placed that under the half pans (just in case the Field Box goes missing or is stolen), and I've put together the names and colours on a small piece of card to remind myself what I'm carrying in this kit, compared to my main studio stuff.  With both the contact details and the watercolour palette colours: I cello-taped one side beyond the card, turned it over and done the same underneath, and then trimmed the surplus clear tape to fit. That should help with water spills and seepage when the Field Box is in use.

Although please note that I took the photograph before doing the taping. It's all so exciting, I just got carried away.  Indeed, I even left out the ArtRba bit and just used Roger Bennett!

Drawing and Painting

'Drawing is a way of seeing, and (...) painting is an extension of drawing' Weaver, P. 'The Artist', July 2015, p.43

How to No.8 Using colouring pencils

Well I don't think that's too shabby, a first attempt with my new Karisma Colouring Pencils.  I sort of hope that you agree, because I'm delighted with the outcome and this one has already found itself inside an envelope, all wrapped up, and posted out as a gift to someone whom I met on the P&O MV Aurora.  It's just pigment with the Karismacolor product, you don't add water or a wash.  Unless of course you're expanding your artistry into 'Mixed Media'.  So this is another example for the ArtRba file. The RBA bit stands for my initials and the rest is self explanatory.

Photograph: Venice, Karisma pencils on 165 gsm smooth paper circa 7x5 inches

(ArtRba all rights reserved [as is always the case with my Art and Poetry] 2016)

My learning outcomes as I move further into my 'teach yourself' coloured pencils home and coffee shop course, are:

(1) the intensity of the coloured pencil pigment laid, depends on both the pressure applied to the art pencil and the number of layers that an artist uses over their first and subsequent layers.

(2) the surface pattern that can be created when laying the pencil pigment is dependent upon such things as (but is not restricted to) [i] the type paper used, and [ii] the surface on which that paper rests, and [iii] any indentations into the surface of the paper that are deliberately made by the artist. 

(3) mark-making adds to the outcome of the finished image.  Such mark-making could include (but yet again is not restricted to) [i] short or long lines with intense pressure, [ii] stabbing into the paper, or [iii] moving the pencil in the direction of the shape [rather than a tendency to go horizontally across a page with watercolours], or [iv] indentations or raised edges forced into the paper, [v] scrubbing in colour (on good quality paper that can withstand scrubbing), [vi] hatching, [vii] shading.

(4) depending upon the quality of the paper used, highlights could be achieved by using an eraser or even sandpaper.  Alternatively the artist could use a white pencil of the same brand.  Unlike with watercolour where it's essential to preserve some of the white of the paper.  The lightening process could even include the use of chalk, or white soft pastel, or white oil pastel (notwithstanding that with the chalk or soft pastel a fixative would be required).

(5) pigment could be lifted from the colouring pencil [through sharpening or using a course nail file] and then allowed to fall onto parts of the drawing.

(6) layering a pencil colour on top of a previous layer can change both the intensity of the colour of the previous layer, and the final colour itself.

(7) after sharpening, the colouring pencil tips can be maintained sharp by using a small card and glass paper disposable nail file before the next sharpening.

(8) blending of the different pencil colour pigments can be achieved by using one colour on top of another, or with the use of a paper blending stick.

(9) controlled indentations can be made into the paper by using [i] the tip of a blunt dart that has been made blunt and cleaned using a metal file, or [ii] the small end of the nail art tools that are quite often sold by Poundland at, you have it, in the U.K. £1 for a set of four.  But don't hold me to that price!

There you have it; some useful advice courtesy of ArtRba

Karisma in England and the USA by Berol Karismacolor

I bought these beauties second hand a few months ago.  A full 36 set of Karisma 'soft lead pencils of the finest quality'.  Made by Berol in both England and the USA.  They came in at £125 but I have seen them sold for much more.  These highly blendable colours are highly sort after.  The box contains:

Indigo Blue 901

True Blue 903

Light Blue 904

Peacock Green 907

Grass Green 909

Olive Green 911

Apple Green 912

Green Bice 913

Cream 914

Lemon Yellow 915

Canary Yellow 916

Yellow Orange 917

Orange 918

Light Green 920

Vermillion 921

Scarlet Red 922

Scarlet Lake 923

Carmine Red 926

Blush 928

Pink 929

Violet 932

Blue Violet 933

Black 935

Tuscan Red 937

White 938

Peach 939

Yellow Ochre 942

Burnt Ochre 943

Burnt Umber 947

Sepia 948

Silver 949

Light Violet 956

Light Aqua 992

Bright purple 995

Grape 996

Yellowed Orange 1002 

To which I can add in loose format: 

Chartreuse 989

Spanish Orange 1003

Violet 1007

Dahlia Purple 1009

Pink Rose 1018 

Peacock Blue 1027

Warm Grey 20% 1051

Warm Grey 70% 1056

Cool Grey 20% 1060

Cool Grey 30% 1061

Cool Grey 50% 1063

Charcoal Medium

Which gives me a working set of 47 Karismacolor pencils, which should be enough for anyone.  The Karisma box set is lovely, but the pencil design was probably more about selling individual units.  Hence the slanted end.  Each Karisma pencil would be stored upright in the display stand and the approaching customer would see all of the lovely colours without having to read the labelling or pick up the product.  This kind of display meant that the tips weren't damaged during handling, which in turn could put off the next customer.  I suspect that the compact upright display also lent itself to less wastage from theft as everything was highly visible and in your face.  Another plus side was after sharpening a Karisma pencil past its label, the artist could return to the shop with the end bit and match it to a specific colour within the display.   

So giving its display and other advantages, along with the awesome reputation that the Karisma pencil pigment and blending properties enjoyed; we just got to ask ourselves why on earth did they cease manufacturing the Karisma pencil in its original format.  It seems so strange, especially when you look online and see that it costs circa £275 for a box of 76 Caran d'ache Luminance pencils. 

There is of course a downside to my now lovely collection of Karisma pencils.  Although they are really nice; I have no experience of using coloured pencils, other than when I was a child.  Watercolour pencils yes, Inktense pencils yes, graphite pencils yes, pencil pencils no.  So this could make for some interesting art as I flounder along on yet another self taught course.