Test of Colour Pencils

My "big" comparing test of color pencils - Part 1

I have always been fascinated by pictures that I see on the internet. I often thought I might be able to create similar pictures, but the artists seldom share details about the materials or techniques they use. This gave me an idea to make a small (big for me) comparison of pencils I have and post it. Maybe, it can be helpful for some starting artists, even though I think the best is to try them out yourselves... :-)

I decided for the following rules for my test (one could call it methodology):

1. I decided to use 6 colors – 3 primary colors (yellow, red, blue) and 3 secondary colors (orange, violet, green) from each set (it was not possible to do this with Derwent 24 Graphitint, because they offer totally different range of colors - see the photo below with the circle of brownish and greyish shades)
2. In my Daler-Rowney sketchbook I prepared a chart to test the pencils (see photo)
3. I arranged the colors according to the Chromatic Color Scale
4. I used higher pressure at the edges and lessened the pressure towards the middle. I tried to blend the neighboring colors to see how they blend and what the individual layers look like…
5. I used 7 different sets of color pencils, the 'special' ones were - watercolor pencils, Graphitints and Soft chalk pastel in wood pencil.

This is the result:

Except for the Soft pastel pencils (where I used my finger to blend the colors) the other circles are have not been blended yet (neither with paper, nor with any blending stumps, or fingers). I only use fingers for blending soft chalk pastel (it makes the surface of your finger dry and gives you better feeling when drawing large scale images). One should not use fingers for pencils (graphite or colors). Our skin is wet and greasy and if you are not careful you can easily destroy your picture... 

Well this is about it. My next post should be about individual experiences with each set of pencils and with a closer image of the circle above. I will also add some extra photos for you to see the ways the pencils can be used and some pictures that I have drawn with the pencils... (especially those water-soluble and the soft chalk ones are special). With some hints for shading... :-)

Please, let me know if this was helpful. I will be grateful for your comments, feel free to share your impressions or experience with the pencils. 

Thanks for reading.

Speaking Michelangelo...

A lovely yesterday evening, tough night and even tougher morning...
This happens, when an artist goes to bed and a language teacher wakes up, takes his pencils and starts drawing... (no thoughts of food there anyway...). Enjoy.

Thank you, my young and talented friends, for company yesterday. A lovely experience.

Idols

Having an idol is great. It's inspiration, objective and an important motivation tool. Of course, it's also healthy to want to exceed it and become better, unique, appreciated...
Here are only some of my idols...

Whenever I turn the book pages, I feel the urge inside to take a pencil and paper and start drawing...
Anyway, when it comes to idols, it doesn't really matter what you do. Drawing, sport, music, fashion or languages. When studying foreign languages, my idol is every educated native speaker... How can you do it in your country? Well, I mostly buy CDs and listen... the easiest... :-)

Fruitful Illness

I hate being ill so you can imagine how I felt when my sore throat started. But neither temperature, bed limitations (it's quite large) or headache, nor my runny nose waiting for the moment of my inattention to drop off, have put me off drawing... Here is the result.
This is my Jupiter with his moons...
I have Venus and Saturn now in my mind. I hope I will not have to be ill again to be able to finish the projects... :-)

Having the LIKE in mind...

It's 0:22, so this gives me the right to use the word YESTERDAY. Well then, yesterday was really busy, but luckily I managed to get to Art Class more or less on time, i,e, 20 minutes late. Without having a clear idea of what to practice that day (I only knew it would be some real people or object) I left the choice on the teacher.
'Have you done this yet?' she asked, having in hands an ugly grey bust of a woman with flat forehead, insignificant nose and barely defined lips, let alone the hair... The whole lot was set on an iron rod thus reminding me of a tribal war trophy.
'No, I haven't.' I replied with disgust. 'Sorry, I really do not feel like drowing that. She looks like a zombie! I'll rather do the bust of Amos again.' I said. My previous attempt was not that good so I didn't have positive feelings about the bust, but, still better than the ugly corps like head.
Actually, I wanted to try the sepia colour gioconda I bought a long time ago, so it din't really matter what I was going to draw. Well, this is the result.

In exactly 75 minutes I stopped and called the teacher to have a look, because I had to leave. She was happy and I, still having in mind the previous graphite version, was happy too.
And the point? Well, there are many ways how to achieve what you want. Choose the one you like best and is pleasant for you at the same time... Who's told you that memorizing is the only way to learn a poem by heart?! :-)

The Real Feedback

How often do you do something and wish to be recognised? Your work appreciated?
Always! It doesn't really matter what you do or are doing: the dishes, vacuum cleaning, planting vegetables, cooking, learning a foreign language or drawing... You always wish the others to tell you that your work is good, worth the effort and time. That's human nature.
This is even more true when you do something you are really keen to master. Getting feedback about your foreign language skills from your students or even your colleagues is nice (or maybe even great)... Nevertheless, can you compare it to the empowering feeling when a native speaker tells you your English is great? This is what I call a boost! You suddenly feel so motivated! You know that all those years of speaking, reading and listening weren't wasted...
I'm trying to get better at drawing (and Italian too :-))... I work like many of you out there and in the rare periods of free time (when I'm not working, blogging, chatting with students or other coeliacs etc. you know, you name it... :-)) I'm trying to draw...
I share the pictures with other on Facebook to get feedback and I'm really pleased to hear the drawings are good, but there is the 'but', mentioned above. I know that it will take ages till someone professional someday tells me that my works are good. But this is not what I need at the moment... Surprised? Well, I want to be criticised. By those I admire. I want to be told what I am doing wrong. I know I can be stubborn sometimes, but I want to be shown the way. You do not have to push me! I'm diligent enough. Only tell me, show me, teach me, guide me. Tell me what's wrong, but do not forget to tell me how to make it all right...
Or let me watch you how you do it .................

The Best Way To Learn

This is my first text on my new blog, so a few words about me should be mentioned. I'm a teacher of foreign languages who likes to draw pictures in his free-time. At the moment I'm learning a few new languages and my greatest love is Italian. Additionally, I attend an art class, to come back to drawing which used to be my love when I was a child and teenager... I teach and learn new things every day. Just like many other people, of course, but since I am a teacher too, many people keep asking me the same question: "What's the best way to learn a foreign language?''
Well, those of you who have ever tried to learn a foreign language seriously, OR better, have ever tried to learn ANYTHING seriously, I mean, not just: ''Show me how me how and I'll do it!'', those will surely agree, that the most important prerequisite is STRONG WILL.
This may sound like a phrase. But it's not. Besides, I think there is no difference between learning a foreign language, cooking or drawing riding a mountain bike. Really! Just think about it:
There have been, are and always will be people who have excellent talent for something. I know many talented people personally. Also, there are people like myself who have discovered a bit of talent for a few things deep inside too. I know that my friends would disagree. They love my work and my works too and are always so sweet to post a compliment or two... (Thank you, guys!) But...
Everyday I come across people who have perfect memory for new words and phrases, good pronunciation from the very first lesson of a foreign language, or just lay the pencil lines or brush strokes so neatly next to each other, that their works leave me breathless... They are great inspiration for me. I was born with some talents (thanks mum and dad.), but I really have to work hard just to be at least half as good as they are... I must compensate what I lack with diligence. That's true.
Don't take me wrong. I'm not complaining. I really am proud of what I have achieved so far. I know it's not much though. I'm proud, because I know how many times I had to say the sentence aloud to remember it. How many times I had to start that picture anew, use the rubber and correct it, so that it looks the way it does...
I do not envy those talented ones. It only leaves me sad, when I see they do not develop their talent. Sometimes I feel I getting closer to them, but I know I would never have the chance if they worked only half as hard as me...
Well, think about it, when you sometimes see my pictures somewhere, see me teach, talk to you or do some sports... Discover the will in you, follow your heart and don't be angry just because somebody is better than you. Let me tell you in my stories that nothing is impossible if you really want it.