Using Colored Pencils on Pastelmat For The First Time!

Hi friends, today I am going demonstrate colored pencils on Pastelmat paper by Clairfontaine.

Pastelmat is a unique textured surface that was designed for holding many layers of pastel but is also popular with colored pencil artists. It has an almost flocked feeling to it but the surface is hard and not soft like velour paper. It’s textured but not rough like sanded paper (one of my favorite colored pencils surfaces.) If you want to see colored pencil demos on sanded paper I have a blue jay painting here and a sunset here. Although these are both textured paper they are very different in how they take colored pencil.

Pastelmat allows the artist to apply more layers than they would on ordinary paper but doesn’t grab as much pigment as sanded paper does meaning you can add more thin layers on Pastel mat and it also means that it will take a lot longer to create a finished work of art. In today’s real time demo I will paint one bud, a branch and some leaves. I’m not sure how long I spent on the flowers but it was several hours. I really like the look of my painting on this paper but it sure took a lot of time. I plan on testing this paper with different pastels next to see if I like it more with those mediums.

Supplies: (affiliate links used)

• Pastelmat in Burgundy
• Prismacolor pencils
• Derwent Drawing Pencils and I also used Derwent Signature but they are discontinued. Derwent Lightfast is a great alternative.
• Gamsol *I put a small amount in a jar with a couple cotton balls to disperse the solvent and clean my brush on. It also makes it spill proof.
• References from the Artist Photo Reference: Flowers by Gary Greene

So, what do you think? Have you tried Pastelmat? I need t use it more and with other media before I make my final decision. I do like the lo of this painting but it was very consuming. Let me know what you think and til next time happy crafting!

PS I forgot to post my SatChat here yesterday so if you are looking for it you can find it on my YouTube channel.

Pelican in Pencil & Happy Father’s Day!

Hi friends! Happy Father’s to all the dads out there. I hope you have a special day:) Today we are going to work in a variety of black, gray and white pencils in a grey sketchbook.

You can also use charcoal and chalk for this. The grey of your paper will take out some of the work of shading. You can find a real time version of this tutorial in Critique Club. Critique club is a monthly membership group in my teachable school that allows you to upload 2 paintings a month for an individualized critique from me to help you grow as an artist. You are not required to upload any artwork though, if you want to join just for the bonus tutorials and camaraderie of other like minded artists that’s fine too:) All are welcome! In addition each month you get 2 new long format intermediate/advanced art tutorials from me. You also have access to all past tutorials while you are a member (there are currently 36!) and you can get inspired by past creative prompts as well if you need inspiration. Click here to learn more about Critique Club or sign up today!

Now, on to the time lapse!

Supplies:

• White, cool grey and black colored pencils, I used Prismacolor and Derwent Drawing
• Black Blick Studio Marker
• Toned Grey Sketchbook: Arteza or Strathmore
• Texture plates
• White gouache or if you want it to be archival Brush & Pencil Touch Up Texture and Titanium White
• Reference photo

Want more help in the drawing department?

Drawing is the foundation to all art. If you are feeling weak in that area I have a course that will teach you how to draw what you see as we work through a variety of lessons. You will learn drawing, shading, perspective and other techniques so you can go from “I can’t draw a straight line” to “I can draw whatever I have in mind!” Click here to find out more about Learn to Draw with Lindsay. It makes a great Father’s Day gift too!

I think we are going to take a drive to the coast today. I hope you find a nice way to spend the day and til next time happy crafting!

Blue Jay in Colored Pencils on Sanded Paper with Powder Blender

Happy Mother’s Day! I hope you are able to safely visit with your mothers, children or grand children this year whether in person, on the phone or via the Internet. Today I am sharing a painting I did in colored pencil.

It was a lot of fun and really satisfying to draw/color/paint. Partly because of the pencils, they are decent quality but not so expensive that I have to worry about using up colors and partly because of the sanded paper and powder blender which let me layer up loads of saturated color. If you have never tried colored pencils with sanded paper before you are in for a treat, it is effortless to lay down color and build layers. Watch the video for a time lapse demo. If you are interested in a real time tutorial of this painting you can find it along with dozens of other long format tutorials that are more advanced than what I do on YouTube in Critique Club.

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Reference photo from Artist Photo reference series: Songbirds *The other books in this series are excellent as well for building an at home reference library.
• Colored Pencils (Cezanne)
• Sanded pastel paper
• Colored pencil powder blender
• Texture fixative
• Touch up texture and titanium white from Brush & Pencil.

Have a great Sunday everyone and til next time happy crafting!

Review of Cezanne Colored pencils

Hi friends, today we are going to take a look at the new 120 set of Cezanne colored pencils available from Creative Mark. These pencils are also available in a set of 72.

Overview: These are touted as a lightfast brand of artist quality blendable wax-based set if pencils that can hold up to other more expensive brands. Today we will put these pencils to the test on a variety of surfaces from watercolor paper, to sanded paper to a coloring book page and standard drawing paper.

Pros:

• Price (around 50 cents a pencil)
• Blendable
• Performs well on all surfaces tested but better on more textured surfaces as it allows for more pigment saturation.
• Sharpens well to a strong point. (I only had one issue with breakage with a handheld sharpener and it is in the video, that pencil sharpened well in an electric tho) It also sharpens well with a blade.
• Nice selection of colors although many pencils in the 120 set are “samey”
• Colors layer well
• The tin is nice and the trays are sturdier than most.
• Very little glare or wax bloom even when burnishing.

Cons:

• Not available open stock
• Several leads not centered making it wasteful when sharpening with a pencil sharpener so a knife was needed to sharpen those.
• The white is weak, better as a blender than a white

Paper I tested these pencils on:

• Strawberry: 140# CP watercolor paper
• Drawing paper (poppy stamped images, see photo above)
• Goldfinch: Toned watercolor paper
• Coloring book
• Sanded pastel paper (Blue jay)
• *on the sanded paper I used Colored pencil powder blender, Texture fixative, touch up texture and titanium white from Brush & Pencil.

I will have upcoming videos for the bird artworks.

Bottom line, the more I used the Cezanne pencils the more I like them. I think they are a good value for your money but not as pigmented as Polychromos or Prismacolor. I recommend adding a Prismacolor white to this set for maximum versatility. These pencils felt more like an oil-based pencil (more like Polychromos than Prismacolor) than wax and they worked very well on sanded paper with the powder blender technique. I plan to use that a lot with these pencils as they are much cheaper than Polychromos for practice. I got much nicer results with rougher paper and had a bit of difficulty getting the color saturation I wanted on the smooth coloring book page but the smooth drawing paper with just a bit more tooth worked well. I recommend these for non-permanent work because even though the tin say these pencils have good lightfastness there are no ratings on the pencils.

I hope you found this review useful and til next time happy crafting!

Markers + Colored Pencils on Toned Grey Paper is the Best!

Hi friends! I really enjoyed creating this drawing. I think one of my favorite sketching combinations is markers on toned paper. It is such an interesting experience.

Watch the video and see how it all came together!

Supplies (affiliate links used)

• Colerase pencils
• Ohuhu brush markers: NEW 120 Set now available! (48 set on sale currently) Also available in a 72 set and a skin tone set
• Prismacolor Pencils (sets and open stock)
• Toned grey mixed media paper
• Reference photo

You can find a real-time tutorial for this project in Critique Club. Critique Club is a monthly membership group that allows you to upload 2 of your original paintings a month for personalized feedback from me and it gives you access to dozens of in-depth, more advanced tutorials. I add two new long tutorials and a new creative prompt every month and while you are a member you can access all past tutorials and prompts. You get all of this for $5 a month and you can cancel anytime:) If your goal is to grow and improve as an artist Critique Club is for you! Learn more here! That’s all for today! It’s March, that means Spring is on the way and soon we will have real flowers growing outside to paint (in the north anyway:) and that is an inspiring thought. Happy crafting!

Sketchbook Sunday: Rainbow Roses!

Hello friends! Today in my sketchbook I decided to paint a rainbow rose!

This was a fun loose watercolor that I enhanced with Prismacolor colored pencils. Watch how it all came together in this weeks Sketchbook Sunday timelapse:

Supplies (Affiliate links used)

• Watercolors (Mission Gold)
• Colored Pencils (Prismacolor)
• Sketchbook (Fabrino Venice Book)
• Fountain pen (Jane Davenport Inkredible pen)
• Fountain pen safe india ink
• Brushes: Royal & Langnickel Menta vegan watercolor brushes *I just found these the other day at A.C. Moore, I have not seen them online yet.
• Reference photo

I also wanted to share this lesson I added in my Essential Tools and Techniques for Watercolor Class. If you purchased this class in the past you have access to it in now in the classroom. If you would like to enroll you can use coupon code DRAWME to save 50% on the class (Regular price $79, sale price $39.50 with coupon code DRAWME through 3/31/18)

The Hydrangea lesson is focusing on the skill of negative painting and I think it rounds out the Essential Tools and Techniques for Watercolor course very well. If you are new please make sure to do the lessons in order so you get the most from the class as the hydrangea lesson assumes you have already completed the previous lessons in the course. I can’t wait to see your work in the classroom!

You can also save 50% on my new Learn to Draw with Lindsay Class or Texture Toolbox Feathers & Fowl (and I am working on an extra goodie for students of that course too!)  but don’t wait if you want to save 50% as that deal is only good through 3/31/18. *Enter coupon code DRAWME if the discount isn’t shown.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks Sketchbook Sunday video, tell me, what are you working on in your sketchbook today? Let me know in the comments below and til next time happy crafting!

5 Cards & 10 Fun Techniques with 1 Stamp Set!

Hi friends! Have you ever bought a stamp set and made one card with it and then never inked it again? Maybe I am the only one guilty of this but I know I feel better when I find many ways to use one supply. The other benefit is that you end up with a whole bunch of cards from one crafty play session so if one technique fails you still can feel good about what you made. I find that trying new things, even if they fail, spark new ideas!

We will do the following techniques (in no particular order)

1. Resist: Heat emboss resist
2. Resist: Versamark on Glossy paper
3. Rainbow Brayer technique
4. Leftover ink brayer technique
5. Coloring: White gouache on kraft paper plus colored pencil
6. Coloring: Alcohol marker on cardstock
7. Background Technique: Stamping with clear in and chalking
8. Selective Glitter technique
9. Background Technique: Using pigment powders
10. DIY Domed paper dots

Here is the technique packed video!

This tutorial is sponsored by Top Flight Stamps! SAVE 10% off your next order with coupon code: thefrugalcrafter10 *USA orders of $50+ ship free!

Supplies:

• Stamp set: Scrapcosy #4 by PaperArtsy 
• Watercolor paper
• White neenah cardstock for markers
• kraft cardstock 
• Glossy white cardstock
• Cardbases or cardstock
• Versamark ink 
• Versafine black ink
• Ranger Archival ink Sepia
• Memento ink in Rich Cocoa
• Quickie glue pen
• Fine clear glitter
• Rainbow inkpad
• Soft brayer
• Ball end stylus
• Colored pencils 
• Brush pens (Waterbased)
• Alcohol markers
• Pigment powder such as PaperArtsy Fusion, Ken Oliver Color Burst, or Brusho 
• Clear embossing powder
• Glitter embossing powder
• White gouache

Here is a closer look at the cards:

I hope you try some of these techniques the next time you are crafting. If you don’t have the exact supplies I used try the technique with the most similar product you have before buying new. There are so many products that can do double duty in our stash and trying them out is half the fun! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Sketchbook Sunday Episode #1

Hi friends! Today we are starting a new series called “Sketchbook Sunday” where I share a process video from my own personal sketchbook. I have developed the habit of getting up before other members of my family on sunday mornings, making coffee, putting on a podcast or audio book and working in my sketchbook.  I’d often share photos of my sketchbook work on Instagram later that day and many folks asked me if I had a video tutorial of the projects so last week I let the camera roll as I worked and then I took the footage and narrated it.

I hope you enjoy this time-lapse and more than that I hope you make a bit of time every week to work in your sketchbook too:)

Supplies I used:

• Sketchbook Fabriano Venezia (current fave)
• Watercolors: Qor,  Turner and Prima
• Prismacolor colored pencils
• White gel pen (uniball signo broad)
• Book I mentioned: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Speaking of sketching I am working on a new online drawing course. Here is a sneak peek!

 

My new drawing class will be in my online school on March 9th 2018. Stay tuned for an exclusive discount offer for current viewers!  Drawing and sketching can provide so much happiness and satisfaction and I am so excited to help people learn how to draw!  Have a great day and til next time happy crafting!

Huge Coloring Media Giveaway & Marker/Pencil Gel Pen Layering Technique!

Hi friends, the lovely folks at ColorIt are having a free instructor lead coloring party AND giving away over $500 in prizes! Below is the loot going to one of my lucky subscribers!

Sign up for a chance to win the coloring supply bundle I showed you ( including 50 Markers, 72 Pencils, 48 Gel Pens, Colors of Nature and Around The World) here If you live in the USA. Links to the international giveaways are on the right hand side of the giveaway page. You can sign up for the free live coloring party here, it will be Thursday at May 11th at 9pm eastern time and they have a coloring page for you to download and print so you can follow along with the professional instructor who is leading the free tutorial.

In today’s video you can see the prizes up for grabs and I will show you how layering media in your coloring books or stamped images for cardmaking can yield beautiful results. I have linked all the supplies I used below the video but feel free to use the supplies you already have:)

Here are the butterflies from the book that I showed in the video. I really love the paper in the Color It books, my markers and pens lay down smoothly but there is still enough tooth for pencil. I really love the depth of marker plus colored pencil as illustrated on the large butterfly but I also love the shimmer from over-layering the gel pen. So many options!

Supplies: (Refills are available for all Colorit coloring products! Save 10% with coupon code: frugal10)

• ColorIt Set of 50 Markers 
• Color it Set of 72 Pencils
• Color it Set of 48 Gel Pens 
• Colors of Nature and Around The World Coloring Books 
• Silicone tipped tool (for gel pen blending)

Techniques:

Example 1-Marker + Colored pencil: Color image with marker, let dry and shade and highlight with colored pencil to build richness

Example 2-Marker + Gel Pen: Color with marker, let dry, apply a small amount of dark gel pen to shadow area and blend with silicon tipped tool. Repeat with light shades until satisfied. Works well with glitter gel pens.

Example 3 – Colored Pencil + Gel Pen: Color with colored pencils and then add gel pen over top and blend with silicone tipped tool. The gel pen will stay wetter over the wax pencil so you have more time to blend.

I hope you try some of these techniques and make sure you head over to the Color It website to sign up for the giveaway and Free coloring party! Happy Crafting & Coloring!

Sponsored by ColorIt