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Drawing Pencils Explained

6/30/2015

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Graphite 12
 Staedtler Lumograph
thick handle pencils
sandpaper block
Dick Blick studio pencils
Anyone interested in sketching and drawing should be familiar with "the pencil". The principal ingredient in modern pencils is graphite, a variety of carbon. The finely ground graphite and clay, are mixed together. A larger amount of graphite in the mix will yield a softer and blacker pencil. The graphite forms the pigment and the clay the binder. 

Pencils range from the softest 9B to 9H, the hardest. These materials are ground, pressed and baked and then inserted into wood. If the pencil has an F designation it means it can be sharpened to a fine point and is harder than an HB. Normally the F designation is used in technical or mechanical pencils. Generally, an HB grade about the middle of the scale is considered to be equivalent to a #2 pencil using the U.S. numbering system.

snap off blade knife
For sharpening you can use a pencil sharpener or a utility knife. I prefer the style with the snap off blade, for an instant sharp that cuts like butter without using much pressure. If you think you may want the knife for other purposes consider a heavy duty knife, otherwise a standard one will do the trick. You can also achieve a longer "lead" which you can then take to a fine point finish with a sandpaper block. I've also used a rough drawing paper or a fine sandpaper that I purchased from a hardware store. 

vacuum mount sharpener
If you use a pencil sharpener it should have two blades, one specially for cutting the wood and a smaller one for pointing the lead. Avoid single-bladed sharpeners, they tend to break the lead. Or if you want to go all out there are vacuum mount sharpeners available. These are versatile, offering multiple size openings and easy use.

Softer pencils will dull faster than harder leads and require more frequent sharpening, so keep sharpening tools close at hand.

A "H" pencil may be easily erased when used without much pressure and I often use this when initially constructing my drawing. If you need a dark line, use a soft-grade pencil rather than by rubbing over the same spot with a harder pencil. This will produce an ugly shine. Pencil can be layered to produce an almost photographic effect, or used to simply express a moment in time with one or two simple lines. One of my favourite mediums, it is a challenge to master.

There is no specific industry standard for the darkness of the mark to be left within the HB or any other hardness grade scale. Thus, a #2 or HB pencil from one brand will not necessarily leave the same mark as a #2 or HB pencil from another brand. Most pencil manufacturers set their own internal standards for graphite hardness grades and overall quality of the core, some differences are regional, and mixed for the consumer preferences. It is worth the money to purchase a good quality set of pencils for creating art. Cheaper brands will have impurities in the mix that can cause a real problem when drawing. The wood also can break easily and not hold the lead, which in turn will also break. The quality of the wood is important, which should be soft enough for easy sharpening, yet strong enough not to split.

Smudge Sticks
Pencil can be rubbed with a finger, smudge stick, or even cotton swabs. I prefer to use the pencil without smudging, but try both ways, and also a variety of papers to see what offers you the result you are looking for. Like with all art making it is a process and what works for one person may not for another. 

Finding what works best for your own artistic needs is generally a matter of personal preference and experimentation with different brands of pencils. What ever you settle on keep in mind that a pencil drawing must be fixed like a charcoal drawing to protect it against rubbing and smudging. 

Paper choice is important for the final result. I've already touch on the subject with an article titled
"What is the difference between cold pressed and hot pressed paper?" 

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Illustration Concepts

1/21/2015

 
Book Jacket Answers
The most difficult part of any illustration is the concept. Creating a work of art, (often about an unfamiliar subject) involves a lot of research with countless ideas roughed out on paper. It can also lead to many sleepless nights, and sketching at 3 o’clock in the morning.

The concept needs to check the boxes on three points.
  • First - it must work for me. I always ask the questions: “Does it tell the story” and if the client chooses this sketch, can I live with it?
  • Second - it must satisfy the client, touching emotions and selling points.
  • Third - it must reach out to viewers, grabbing their attention, inviting them in.

Author Myron Ball contacted me about a rewrite of an earlier publication that I had created the cover for. The book would have a new title, he would rewrite the pages, and he wanted a new cover.

The concept I presented is simple: ancient knowledge updated for the current generation. Extensive research led me to many different cultures and how their knowledge was passed down through the written word in decorative presentations. I wanted this cover to convey the same look.

The hidden meanings of these manuscripts are only understood by scholars, and those that seem to possess an inner wisdom. Myron takes this wisdom, and offers it for the modern reader.

This book will show you how to tap into to a spiritual world of energy by observing your conscious mind and imagination. Easy to follow step by step instructions teach you to influence events near and far, respond to premonitions, expand your work skills, find solutions and motivation. You will learn to let your own inner wisdom be your guide as you journey on a path to success. It is for everyone interested in finding solutions to everyday problems.

Available on Amazon.

Great Gifts for Artists

11/24/2014

 
Choosing a gift for an artist can be very challenging. Here are a few suggestions that may impress any artist on your list. I want to give you some essentials to help any artist master their craft. There are thousands of books available, and these ones are the top of the list.


The Artists Handbook of Materials
and Techniques

by Ralph Mayer
I cannot say enough about this book. If the artist only has one book in their library, this is the one it should be. If you ever had a question and couldn't find the answer, chances are good that it's in this book.
Drawing on the Right Side
of the Brain

by Betty Edwards
This book will open your eyes, and help you see things in a way you never could before. It will not only enlighten you, but also gives you lessons to develop your own skills as an artist.
Even people with little or no natural talent exceeded expectations.

Interaction of Color:
by Josef Albers
A required book from my undergraduate days, this book is invaluable in helping artists understand how colors are influenced by the colors next to them and how the are perceived.

Color Harmony Compendium:
A Complete Color Reference for Designers of All Types

by Terry Marks, MINE, Origin
Every artist needs some help now and then with color and combinations of color. This book is jammed packed with information and examples.

Master Class in Figure Drawing
by Robert Beverly Hale
This book takes the reader through lessons and lectures of America's greatest teacher of figure drawing and artistic anatomy by using examples from 118 Masters.

Brushes

types of brushes
Watercolor Painting Brush Sets
Acrylic Painting
Brush Set

Plein Air Painting
Brush Set

Synthetic
Brush Sets

Kolinsky Round
Brush Sets

If you are not an artist, choosing the best products can be a real challenge. In the art making process there are some things you can skimp on, brushes are not among  them.

A good brush will last a life time, and if cleaned and treated well, it can be passed down to the next generation. Part of the artists tool box, a good brush will help the artist do good work. Don't bother with student brushes but go for the high quality brushes right from the start. The difference is quite amazing, not only for the longevity of the tool, but also for the finished painting.

Each artist should have some basic brushes to start out with. Some artists prefer sable, other like squirrel, or synthetic brushes. I think all have their place, depending on what the artist is trying to achieve. My primary tool box for watercolors has Kolinsky sable for the most part, but I also have a few synthetics. I've used camel and squirrel hair, and they too should be tried. The round synthetics tend to curl up at the point after a short time. Flats don't have that problem.
 
Watercolor brushes should be kept for water color and not used with oil or acrylic. Each discipline should have its own set of brushes.You have two ways to go, individual brushes, or very economical sets.

If the artist doesn't already have a good collection started for brushes or paints, I would recommend buying both in sets. There is usually quite a big savings and it will also allow the artist a chance to try something out.

The links here all go to Blicks Artists Materials and included to get you pointed in the right direction. I've used Blicks, and there has never been any problems. There product selection is amazing. They also cover both Canada and the USA and they have some nice discounts for Black Friday.

Another idea for gift giving to your favorite artist is our gift package. It's a chance for the artist to get online without annual membership fees. It's your opportunity to be a patron and show your confidence and pride, giving a leg up just when its needed most.

What is a Crow Quill?

11/8/2014

 
Crow Quill Nibs
A Crow Quill pen is the finest of steel drawing pens. The nib of the crow quill is extremely slender and firm, allowing very delicate and precise lines to be drawn. Prior to the production of steel nibs in the early 19th century, the crow quill pen was actually made from the wing feather of a crow.

There are many others nibs for drawing and lettering available to artists to try. These were once part of every artists tool kit and should still be included.

Inks
Ink that should be used in a work of art is called drawing ink and is especially made for use in permanent works of art and will not fade over time with exposure to light. A permanent or water resistant form is called India ink, but there are also water soluble forms that may be preferred for very fine lines and delicate manipulations. 

Chinese ink is similar to India in, with minor ingredients added to enhance brilliancy, working qualities and range of tone. After it's made it is dried into sticks or cakes, which the artist puts into solution by rubbing the ends on an ink stone with a little water. I've also purchased this in liquid form.

Japanese ink, also called sumi or black watercolor, is made in sticks resembling their Chinese counterpart. Distinguished by numerous subtleties of quality and grade, the sticks are made and used according to ancient traditions. Although it may seem tedious to use stick ink and grind it on an ink stone, I find it is very much a part of the creative process. 

Try different inks with a crow quill and brush, to find what works best for you. Also try different papers. 

Thinking Creatively (Part Three)

3/12/2014

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Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain by Betty Edwards was my first introduction to the “creative side of the brain”. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Until I studied this book I had no idea  where creativity came from. I just did what I did, and never really thought about it. It drove me crazy trying to figure out why some days my creativity was unstoppable, my drawing skills were exceptional, and I felt I could do anything. Followed by days that I couldn’t put a creative thought together, my drawing skills tanked and I felt like I was wasting my time. 

Some Techniques For Forcing Your Creativity Into Action

This led me to look at studies in psychology and how the brain works. I needed to understand the process and what was going on inside me that could produce the consistent results I wanted. In part 1 and 2 of this article I talked about what goes on in the brain during creativity and insight, but what I really wanted was strategies of how to get there. In addition to sketching, I found the following very helpful.

If you are stuck, you can force your brain into thinking more creatively.

Overcoming an assumption about anything can cause this to happen. It allows the right brain to take over and wander though the landscape, looking for treasure. The right brain is much more sensitive, and can more easily make connections that previously were not there, developing an insight, finding the treasure. 

Mundane tasks help release the gate keeper. First define your issue.  Then stop doing what your doing, and put the problem into the back of my mind. Go do a mundane task. Dishes,  sweep the floor, pull those over grown weeds in your garden. It doesn’t matter what the mundane task is, just something that doesn’t challenge your mind. 

Doing something is better than doing nothing. Doing nothing activates day dreaming and occupies your mind and takes you off task. 

Avoid doing a demanding task that refocuses your mind such as a crossword or doing your taxes. The point here is to let the problem you are working on meander through the right side of your brain, not get off at the next exit. 

You are turning inward, cutting off the distraction of your inner voice telling you it can’t be solved. This will increase your creativity. It will allow your right brain to make the connections it needs to make.  

Put on some music, or go with complete silence. If you choose music, choose it wisely. Familiar tunes bring back memories and emotions that can distract you from what you want to achieve. 

Take a long drive if you can. Driving is automatic, and allows the creative side of the brain to work it’s magic.

Do something completely different. If you’ve been painting, try writing. Julia Cameron recommends starting your day with writing in her book “The Artists Way”. Try it. Even while in the creative process your brain can become fixed, and doing something different usually releases the fixed position. It helps make new associations and approach problems in a different way. 

Try doing something you do often, in a different way.  Ask yourself: “How many ways can this be done?” You might be surprised what this can accomplish. 

Mediation works great at removing the mental handcuffs. Focus on the in and out of your breathing, monitoring the lengths of breaths. But this can be a real challenge for many and I’m one of them. So instead I do mindful mediation when walking. I notice each step, the sound it makes and how it feels to walk. 

You can also practice it while doing house hold chores, mowing the lawn or doing any daily activities. Focus 100% on that one activity and you are being mindful. You will be amazed at what you now see that you have never seen before. 

How will you know when you reach the creative part of your brain? I always know when I’ve reached the creative place in my brain before an insight happens, because I feel peaceful, and a calm washes over me. The next step is usually the spark of enlightenment. 

Try a few of these techniques and see how they work for you.

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What is the difference between cold pressed and hot pressed paper?

3/8/2014

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Cold press paper has texture, with small bumps and groves that hold the water and pigment. It also absorbs the water quite quickly. Cold press is a good choice when you want to convey texture in your subject, such as rocks or trees. Some manufacturers such as Arches also offer a rough paper.

Hot press is super smooth without any texture. The pigment or water will not be absorbed as quickly as cold pressed, but instead will tend float on top of the paper, allowing you to play around more, like re-wetting edges of pigment. If you plan to add pen and ink in your process this would be a good choice. 

The weight of a paper is also something you should also think about when choosing your surface. A light weight paper will buckle with water or pigment that is added. If you work very wet, you will want to use a heavier paper. 

The importance of acid free or archival paper cannot be stressed enough. Have you ever wondered why old newspaper clippings tend to yellow with age? As an artist, if you want your originals to look as clean and crisp as the day you created them for all time, choose acid free paper.

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Thinking Creatively (Part Two)

2/13/2014

 
Understanding the Creative Brain: What’s Going On Inside?
Child on Toy Train by Donna PidlubnyRiding The Rails by Donna Pidlubny
The right brain is your creative side. The pathways are formed differently. 
They cover a larger area and meander like a winding road. 
The right brain takes you through forests, past lakes and farmland, on a slow Sunday drive in the country, a place to smell the roses, where you can stop for a picnic beside a lake and enjoy the warm summer sun on your skin. 
The right brain is independent and pretty much on it’s own to figure out it’s own way, which is what it’s built to do. There are no rules on the right side of the brain. It is built for intuition and insights.
The right side of the brain usually takes a back seat and goes along for the ride. When the left brain tells us to run, because the pretty tiger is going to eat us, we listen or die.
The left brain is the dominate partner in the collaboration. It acts much like a super highway, getting you from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ faster. There isn’t much scenery and there are lots of exit ramps to get you to a gas station or a place to eat. 
The left side of the brain is where our education, business and pretty much everyone lives most of the time. It’s easy to teach 2+2=4, but not as easy to teach how to draw a tree. The left is where we focus our energies most of the time, where we learn to interpret what we think, see or hear. 
The left side of the brain is filled up with easy to follow rules. ‘I’ before ‘E’ except after ‘C’; measure twice, cut once; floss and brush daily; put the milk back in the fridge . . . This side of the brain is built for speed, giving you the most information in the shortest amount of time.

It can only work with what it has. There is no innovation, just reaction. The trick is to stimulate the right side of the brain into action, by forcing the left brain to take a back seat. In Part One I talked about sketching, as a solution even for the non-artist.  
In Part Three I will give you some other suggestions on how to accomplish shutting down the gate keeper that stands guard so firmly in all of us.

Thinking Creatively (Part One)

2/2/2014

 
If you are stuck in your old way of thinking, your creativity is blocked, and you just can’t seem to think beyond the scope of your experience, you may just need a little help thinking creatively. 

The Brain Has A Gate Keeper

The best method I’ve found for shutting down the gate keeper and allowing your creativity to flourish is sketching.

It’s guaranteed to work to solve any problem I am trying to solve. Not just the visual ones, or ones that concern the painting I’m working on, but any problem that I’m trying to solve. My sketches often have notes in the form of single words or phrases written on the same page. Unrelated thoughts or ideas that materialize as I sketch. Evidence of the process at work. 

Sketching is especially good because of it’s immediacy. I carry a small unlined note book or a sketch book with me at all times. Always at hand, and easy to reach, I would never think of packing for a trip without including my sketch bag in my carry on when I travel. It’s contains graphite pencils, eraser, sketch book, watercolor pencils, ink pencils and a brush with water in the handle.

If you are not an artist, and feel uncomfortable picking up a sketch book for fear of the gate keeper standing over your shoulder, try instead to draw the alphabet. Start with the letter ‘A’ and work your way to the end. Do capital letters and small letters, write in your own handwriting, then print, then try different looks and styles and flourishes. Try different words, and try your signature. Any lined notebook will do. No need for a sketch book, a special calligraphy book, special pens or pencils. Anything at hand will work. Draw the letters, the words, your signature.

Cut out words from magazines in different font styles and put them in your notebook, and practice drawing them. It keeps you from just making the letters the way you usually would, it focuses you on drawing the letters the way you see them, not the way you think you see them. 

Turning your sample styles of lettering upside down will completely free your mind, and remove your preconceived notions of what that letter is supposed to look like. It will focus you mind, and shut down the gate keeper, allowing you to think creatively. 

On the surface it may look like you are creating a drawing, but in reality, you are working on another project or idea. This is the Chameleon working it’s magic.
Visit Your Local Museum by Donna PidlubnyVisit Your Local Museum
The illustration is an example of the results of shutting down the gate keeper.

I was commissioned to create an illustration for an advertisement for a small community museum.  The building itself is a museum piece, and they wanted only a painting of it for the ad. 

The ad was about getting people into the museum, not just the building. I wanted to convey that by putting people going up the steps and through the door, but there was still something missing. 

Since the painting had to show the outside of the building, my personal challenge was to show why they should go in. I didn’t want to do the cliche of putting pictures of artifacts like a frame around the image. So I added the ancestors. The ones who once owned the possessions the viewers were going to see. My client was very happy with the result. When I showed the curator she said “I thought we were just going to get a boring picture of the building. I didn’t expect this. It’s fantastic” 

How To Come Up With An Idea For Anything

12/30/2013

 
Stuck by Donna Pidlubny"Stuck" by Donna Pidlubny
An introduction to possibilities 
There is a video circulating online, produced by an airline company. It is a Christmas holiday promotion with deeper meaning.  

The company set up an almost life size video screen at the passenger terminal, at their check-in area. The customers were asked to scan their tickets which then activated a Santa, who asked one question. “What do you want for Christmas?” Everyone booked on the flight was asked; children, parents and grandparents. The answers were as varied as the people. A toy train, a ticket home for Christmas, socks and underwear and a large screen TV. Everyone laughed and had a nice time while they waited to board their flight. 

What these people didn’t know was that the airline had a huge staff in the destination city that was out purchasing these gifts. After arrival, the passengers waited patiently in the baggage claim area. When the carousel started to turn, instead of their luggage, out came the gifts. Every passenger got exactly what they asked for, including the large screen TV. 

I have to tell you, the expression on the guys face who had asked for socks and underwear, was priceless. You could see his disbelief and frustration. He was kicking himself for not asking for what he really wanted. He was limited by his imagination and his belief system. He asked for what he knew he needed and what he thought he would get, but he never asked for what he wanted. The little boy didn’t have any trouble asking for the train he wanted. He didn’t limit himself. That’s what he wanted, so he asked. He was delighted when his package arrived. As you can well imagine, so were the people who asked for the large screen TV and the woman who asked for a ticket home for the holidays. Tears of joy filled the eyes of some, accompanied by huge smiles from all. 

What would you have asked for? 
I would ask for a the new 15” Mac Book pro and Creative Suite software. I can almost hear my mothers voice saying something like, “That’s never going to happen” or “Be realistic” or “Do you really think you deserve that?”  

This is what most of us are taught. Lower your expectations, so you aren’t disappointed. We are taught to be ‘realistic’ and ‘you only get the reward you deserve’. We are taught to under value our worth. We are taught not to be greedy or selfish. We are taught our dreams are worthless.

With good intentions, teachers and parents taught us to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground. This is inherited through generations. They were taught it, as their parents were before them and passed it on to us, but they are wrong. We all deserve every bit of happiness and rewards that there are. We just have to believe it, focus on it and it will happen. Maybe not tomorrow or the next day, but it will happen. 
Believing this was a constant struggle for me and sometimes I fell into the trap, feeling hopeless. I was stuck, frozen in place, held back by beliefs from others, like most of us are. 
I learned how to break free from the ice pack and express what I wanted. When I did, I felt joy and excitement. I believed I could make it work, no matter the odds. I’ve done it time and time again and will continue to do so. I just have to hold on to that feeling. 
I didn’t expect anyone to ‘get it’ for me. I didn’t know how I would ‘get it’. I would ask because that’s what I wanted. It’s not “what I think I can get, it’s what I want.” I firmly believed that I deserved it, just as much as anyone else. We are all children of the same universe.

If I spoke my dream out loud to a friend, they would ask “How are you going to do that?” Sometimes I would have a plan, but usually I didn’t. I would simply answer “I don’t know, but I’m going to do it anyway.” I knew it would happen because I was excited. 

The people in the video didn’t know they were going to get what they asked for, but they asked. So now the question is, are you going to ask for socks and underwear or a large screen TV?  Are you brave enough to speak your truth without limitations and ask for what you want?

What will you do with your next painting, short story, video or business idea?  Will you limit what you do or offer because you don’t know how your going to achieve it?  Are you afraid to ask because you don’t want to be disappointed if it doesn’t show up? 

Perhaps you don’t know how to ask. Do you know what you really want?  A surprising number of us have no clue about what we want, but are very clear on what we don’t want. 

What do you really want? Way down deep, the secret you dare not speak. It’s time to give it a voice.

I’m not saying this is all going to happen right away. Your not going to open the door and find a red pony standing there. It doesn’t work like that, but it can happen. So start dreaming now.

Start a dream list. Don’t limit your imagination or worry about how you are going to get it. Imagine that you are holding a book with everything that you could ever possibly want, in it. Every page has something new and exciting. Some things make your heart beat faster, and you get excited. Write it down. Other things give you absolute joy when you think of them, write them down. Go into your deepest desires, the ones you have had forever, but have put aside because you didn’t think you could get them. Write them down. It could be developing a new skill or style of painting. It could be the house of your dreams. Write it down, describe it in detail. 

If you are a fan of a certain artist, look at her work and ask what you are attracted to. Is it the subject, the style, the technique? How does your work compare?  How can you incorporate the things you love about this artists work, into yours?  If you are a writer, musician or someone who wants to start their own business, do the same thing. Figure out what you admire, what you want to achieve, what gets you excited.  Then write it down because this is what you really want. 

Begin your journey today.

And for now at least, keep it your secret if you think you might appear selfish, greedy or foolish. This will help you be honest with yourself. Truth sets you free and truth heals, so start listening to your truth first.

But more about that later.

    The Great Hug Me Too by Donna Pidlubny

    Anna Lia & The Magical Christmas Gifts by Donna Pidlubny

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Copyright Notice: All artwork on this site is copyrighted and owned outright by the artist. If you wish to use any of the material you must provide payment for reproduction rights. Final usage rights not guaranteed. Contact Donna at 623-565-9918 to see if the image is available for your project.