Orchids with Gold

Here is a new colored pencil piece I have been working on between pet portraits. I took this reference photo of an orchid I purchased against a dark wall and was intrigued by the contrast of colors and the drama of the composition. My original photo seemed "top heavy" so I added a few more roots moving in different directions to the bottom of the plant.

The surface I used is Strathmore Art Again paper, Moonstone colored, and the drawing is 12x12". As an experiment, I chose a neutral gray color in which to work, leaving some of the paper showing through on the roots. The blossoms are very delicate and I always enjoy creating shadow and values in white by using various colors instead of gray. I am always fascinated by the unique shapes, lines and colors of orchids and so enjoy drawing them.

When I finished rendering the orchids in colored pencil, I mounted the paper onto a 12x12" Ampersand cradled Claybord securely with Grafix Double Tack Mounting Film so I would work on the background in watercolor pencil and the paper wouldn't buckle. I began with a layer of Derwent Inktense and Caran d'Arche watercolor pencils in various brown colors and then added water with a brush to create an even wash, working carefully around the orchids. However, if I did get some of the watercolor on the waxy pencil drawn areas, I could easily wipe it off.

 When the watercolor was dry, I added Prismacolor Black Raspberry, applied lightly but evenly all over the the background. The brown watercolor underneath and the Black Raspberry were still too warm for a background so I added layers Prismacolor Utramarine and Black Grape over the Black Raspberry but around the flower, leaving the Black Raspberry showing through in areas near the borders for change.

Above is my test sheet. I usually make a test sheet for each piece so I can test colors before I put them on my drawing. At this point, I wanted to add gold to the piece and thought about gold leaf but then thought it might be too solid and detract from the delicate orchids. As an experiment, I picked up some Rub N Buff and tried it on my test paper. I liked how I could apply it unevenly and vary the thickness or thinness of the application so I rubbed it with my fingers into the composition around the orchids, using a masking paper to cover the orchids.

If you're not familiar, Rub N Buff is made of wax and powdered pigment and is used to touch up or restore antiques and frames. I've used it to touch up dents in frames and decided to try it in my drawing. Depending on the light the piece reflects, it will be bright or subtle. I am going to varnish this piece and frame it in a floater.

Drawing on Multiple Layers of Vellum

I've been intrigued by the thought of experimenting with colored pencil on multiple sheets of drawing vellum (also called drafting film in some cases) in which one layer would show through another to give my composition a 3D type quality. I purchased several 18x24" sheets of Duralar matte vellum and chose my photos of carousel horses for my composition. My intention was to use three sheets of the film; one for the foreground, midground and background of my drawing. I started this piece in January, using Prismacolor pencils and working first on my three foreground horses which will be the focal point. Next I moved on to the second sheet of vellum and began working on the next grouping of carousel horses as they recede for the midground (top photo) and the objective is to have these horses fade a bit into the background. I had planned the third sheet of vellum would be used for the shadows and part of the carousel center.

However, as I began to work on the multiple layers, I quickly found the vellum isn't quite translucent enough to achieve I color I need to show through on multiple layers. The vellum is smooth and takes the pencil beautifully, colors are rich and intense on the surface. What I like about the translucency of the vellum is that I am able to work with the colored pencil on both sides. The smooth surface only allows minimal layers of pencil and if I've saturated the front, I turn the sheet over and continue on the opposite side to achieve additional color and value. It is also easy to erase mistakes with a drafting eraser and I've also heard rubbing alcohol will remove smudges and fingerprints but haven't tried it just yet.

What I have learned so far ... I'm going to have to adjust my layering process. I may only use two sheets of vellum instead of three. I may add more of my composition to the top layer and let it fade into the next layer. It's trial and error as I work but learning and enjoying the process.

New Grouping of Boxes

Started another grouping of my Ocean Life boxes on 5x5" Ampersand Claybord boxes. I have sold several of the last series of boxes and decided to create another series of boxes. Shown here are seven new cover drawings and three new inside drawings. All of the cover drawings are worked on white Stonehenge paper with image transfer and colored pencil. I adhere them to the Claybord surface of the box top with Grafix Double Tack Mounting Film. I like the bottom drawings to be sturdier so I use white Strathmore rag illustration board, again with image transfer and colored pencil and glue them onto the bottom. The box top drawings are sprayed with one coat of Krylon UV Resistant Clear, three coats of Krylon Kamar Varnish and then several layers of Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS to make them smooth and glossy.

In the last series I left the natural wood box sides showing and varnished them for protection. In this series I've decided to experiment with painting the wooden sides or collaging some of the box sides with rice paper. I'll explain that in my next post about the boxes.

Ocean Life Claybord Boxes

Here they are, my nine finished boxes. Each are 5x5" with a colored pencil drawing on the top and a smaller drawing on the inside. Inside drawings were done on Strathmore illustration board, outside drawings were done on Stonehenge white or cream paper attached to the claybord surface with Grafix double tack mounting film. I had so much fun with this project, pardon the pun but it was "out of the  box" for me. I like the idea of creating 3D art, doing something a little different other than work that hangs on the walls. I will be exhibiting these pieces at my Providence Art Club exhibit opening Sunday, October 21st and am excited to get feedback from the viewers. Also, I will be selling the boxes individually or in a grouping.

This last photo is a better look at the nine inside drawings.

Experiments with Colored Pencil and Varnish

This photo is a cropped portion of a 12x16" colored pencil and pastel drawing I did several years ago. In fact it was accepted into and shown at the 2007 CPSA Explore This! Exhibition in Brea, CA (before Explore This! exhibitions became on-line only). I did the drawing is on black Stonehenge paper with colored pencil and bumped up the vibrant colors with pastel on top. The drawing looked so vibrant until I put it under glass to frame the piece. It made the rounds to different exhibitions but never sold so it came back to my studio and hung for a few more years. If it was light in the studio, the piece looked very vibrant but if it was a dark day, it looked dull. I kept glancing at the piece and wondering if I could somehow varnish it so that it wouldn't need to be shown under glass but I was afraid to varnish paper. After reading and learning about Ester Roi's blog entries on glassless framing, I came up with an idea. What did I have to lose? Just a piece of artwork ... but it was worth a try.

First I unframed the piece and adhered just the drawing to a 12x16" Ampersand Claybord with Grafix double tack mounting film adhesive. Next I sealed the drawing with Lascaux UV Protect spray, let it dry and then sprayed two coats of Krylon Kamar Varnish to seal and protect the drawing. I thought the spray might darken the colors but they were vibrant enough and remained so. The drawing sat for 24 hours and next I brushed on several coats of Golden UVLS Polymer Varnish Gloss letting each one dry in between. Here came the problem; I wasn't careful enough when brushing on the varnish, not only was I getting tiny air bubbles but I was getting brush marks. I tried to smooth out one "gloppy" area after the varnish had begun to dry and thus ended up with brush marks. Because the surface is so glossy, if I held the piece to the light, one could see all the imperfections. I learned that you have to be very, very careful when applying the Golden UVLS Polymer Varnish, any imperfection on the surface can be easily seen and detracts from the artwork.

I remembered that when I called Golden company tech support, the person I spoke to told me to be sure the artwork was sealed and protected with a spray varnish before brushing on the polymer varnish. The polymer varnish is water based and he told me that for conservation purposes, if museum quality artwork needed to be cleaned and re-preserved years from now, the polymer varnish could be easily washed off, the piece cleaned and preserved as the layer of spray varnish would not wash off and preserve it.

I was very frustrated with my piece so I took it to the sink and proceeded to wash off all the layers of the polymer varnish, holding my breath and just hoping I wouldn't damage the artwork. All of the polymer varnish washed off but the piece looked wet and cloudy for about a day. I was worried and discouraged I might have ruined it but was pleasantly surprised when I came back to the studio two days later and found the drawing perfectly dry, looking like it had before I started. The double tack mounting film kept the drawing perfectly adhered to the claybord also. I was really happy! I began again brushing on coats of the polymer varnish, much more carefully this time. I made sure I diluted the varnish exactly two parts varnish to one part water and let each coat dry before I applied the next. I didn't count how many coats I applied but I think probably about 6 or 8. I'm very excited because I accomplished what I set out to do, with a little bump in the road in which I learned from. I'm ordering a frame and will exhibit the piece in my studio or in a gallery and will most interested in viewers' comments.