I get treated very well on my birthday and on Christmas. (And really, most of the rest of the year, too.) But this past birthday was extra special: I received such a glorious gift that I think the angels sang when I opened the box. Inside was a set of 72 Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils. <swoon>
Now, few months later, and I’m in colored pencil heaven. I’ve used these babies to create several lovely pieces of art on drafting film. But recently, the longing set in. I knew that Derwent had added 28 additional colors, and I HAD to get the rest of the set.
As of this writing, the full boxed sets of Derwent Lightfast pencils are not available in the U.S. market. But thanks to the folks at Cult Pens in the UK, those of us who live across the pond can top-off our 72-pencil Lightfast sets with “The missing 28,” too. (And those 28 are even sold in a bundle.) My pencils arrived lightning-fast yesterday and I’ll be starting soon on a new project with 100 pencils to choose from.
But the very first thing I do with any new set of pencils is to create a color chart that I keep on file and use to help me select colors when working on a project. And with 28 new colors, I had to create a new chart.
I did that for myself yesterday, and thought, hey, maybe some other folks would like a copy, too.
So I’m happy to share. Download the Derwent Lightfast 100 Chart.
Whether you have 36, 72, or the full 100 pencils, this chart should work great for you.
Enjoy! Have fun, and let me know what YOU think of the Derwent Lightfast line!
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Right now, between keystrokes, I am sipping some perfect coffee and nibbling on a cinnamon roll. Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S.A. It’s a rare day off for me, a perfect day to reflect on all of life’s goodness (and to share a post.)
One of the cool things I have noticed is that the more gratitude you feel, the more life gives you to be grateful about.
Don’t believe me? Try it yourself.
Whenever it occurs to you throughout the day, take a second and silently give thanks for everything: not only the obvious things like food on the table or the good people in your life, but also the often overlooked stuff, like your five senses, or how your body knows how to breathe. You can say thanks to God, or to the universe, or to Mother Nature or to nobody in particular. Just let being grateful wash over you.
You’ll find that when you are in a state of gratitude, your heart softens and you feel more peaceful. Life warms up a little. And over time, you might be surprised how the universe rushes in to give you more of what you are grateful for.
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Speaking of time, it’s been a long time since I checked in, so I’d like to share a few big things I am grateful for in 2019:
• Being Editor-in-Chief of Ann Kullberg’s COLOR Magazine.
• Publication of Find Your Voice, a beautiful with advice and inspiration by and for creative people – August, 2019.
• Earning a CPSA designation with the Colored Pencil Society of America – August 2019
• Winning an Award for Exceptional Merit at the CPSA International Exhibition – August, 2019.
• Taking second place at the Edmonds Arts Festival – June 2019.
• Teaching workshops to some amazing students around the U.S.
• Serving my local CPSA chapter as newsletter editor and board member.
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Do you enjoy creating with colored pencils on drafting film? Me, too. And I recently found a wonderful new eraser that works beautifully on film.
My go-to erasers have been a Tombow Mono Eraser for really precise and small areas, and a Mr. Klean Magic Eraser for larger areas. But now there’s a new eraser in town. It’s the Faber-Castell PVC-Free eraser.
White erasers have generally been bad news when used on film, but this PVC-eraser is a game-changer. When used with a light touch, this eraser can be used at least two or three times in the same area while minimally affecting the delicate tooth of the film. (Meaning that you can erase, reapply colored pencil in the same spot and still get great coverage.)
Thanks for everything you do for art, for making art and/or supporting artists. Creativity is the wings for the soul.
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Since I started working with colored pencil on drafting film, I’ve heard many opinions about which pencils brands work best on film. I’ve heard that certain brands create lots of crumbs, other brands can’t be layered, even that some pencils “don’t work at all.”
Recently gifted with a couple of new sets of pencils and on the hunt for consensus, I posting this question in a Facebook group for colored pencil artists who work on drafting film:
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Some amazing things happened this past spring/summer. It’s like suddenly my art life went on overdrive. And I get windblown just writing it all down (I’ve listed everything at the bottom, if you are just curious).
But I know; I can hear you. You are saying “stop already with all the accomplishments!” Okay, no problem. I know there is a fine line between sharing and bragging. (Believe me, I am not bragging… I think I am just incredibly surprised.) But there is really one BIG thing I have to tell you about. Because this is my dream come true. The wishes granted from the genie.
And you know, those don’t come along every day.
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Recently, a colored pencil artist asked me for help. She wanted to create a large finished piece, had a good quality photo, and figured the best way to get her image transferred to paper would be to enlarge the photo and then trace it. The problem? The largest image her home printer can print is shy of 8-1/2” x 11”.
So how do you create a large photo for tracing?
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Every colored pencil artist seems to have their favorite blender. I’ve never been very consistent in my choice of which blender to use for any given project, so today I created a set of charts to compare how each performs. I thought you might like to see the results.
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I have a secret and I’m just not gonna hide it anymore. I’ll just feel better when I admit this.
I am not really an artist.
Wait! What? Not an artist?
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Normally, you can’t wait to get the chores done so you can grab the colored pencils and dive-in. It’s bliss.
But every once in awhile, for few days or a few weeks, you hit the wall. It’s like some dark ick seeps into your bloodstream and you feel kinda bored with your art. You feel dry. Creativity has fled. The thrill is gone.
What do you do then?
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When I was a kid, the original Vans store was a bike ride away. and it was where we all got our shoes. Heck, some friends of mine even worked there. Plus, for a few extra dollars you could bring in a hunk of your favorite canvas fabric and Vans would turn it into a spiffy new pair of their comfy slip-ons.
Though I’ve been away a long time, the California surfer culture is soaked into my bones and it’s no surprise that the other day, while wasting a few minutes online, I got to thinking about those custom Vans and found myself exploring their website.
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Do you work with your hands? While you are creating eye candy, here are some treats for your ears.
Sure, the act of creating is a meditation, and that quiet time can be the best part of your week. But sometimes you just want to be entertained while you work.
My perfect solution? Podcasts! And below are some great ones!
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