Category: Coloured Pencil Article

Latest articles & art workshops by Karen M Berisford

26/2/2023

Greetings and welcome to my website for art tutoring, www.stepbystepart.co.uk. Here, you can explore a variety of articles that feature product reviews, recommendations, helpful hints, tips, and even art tutorials. Simply click on any image that catches your eye to access the corresponding article. Each link will open in a new tab, allowing you to easily return to this website at any time.

As an artist, you'll discover a plethora of information regarding art products and mediums on this website. It doesn't matter what level of artistic skill you possess, there's bound to be something beneficial for you.

I offer art workshops in Chesterfield, UK, for anyone interested in learning pencil art. These workshops are held over two weekends in June and August, in addition to my website. To find out more about the workshops, simply click on the image below.

Pink flamingo in oil pastels on Clairfontaine Pastelmat

The Sennelier oil pastel is creamy, with an extraordinarily high pigment content, providing vivid colour and lightfastness. In this article, we delve into the possibilities of this pastel, its history and much more. Even if you have never used oil pastels before, this article may inspire you to give them a go. Read the article by clicking the image above.

Poppy fields soft pastel tutorial advert

Whether you're a beginner or just seeking to expand your knowledge, our guide can help you create a stunning landscape filled with vibrant poppies. Our step-by-step instructions make it easy to build the foundation and use practical techniques to achieve the desired result. Simply click on the image to access the tutorial.

The Chromaflow pencil was released in June of 2021 by Derwent, who has produced quality products for over a century and a half. In this article, we analyse the quality and application of the pencils and see how they compare to other brands, in particular the highly popular Prismacolor Premier pencil. Read the article by clicking the image.

Barn Owl, Sumatran Tiger and Black Rhino - subjects for art workshops in the UK by artist Karen M BerisfordPicture

This year, Karen's workshops will run in June & August. There are two 1-day workshops in June, with the Saturday covering coloured pencils and the Sunday, graphite pencils. If you wish to attend both, you will receive a discount if you book them together. There is also a 2-day coloured pencil workshop in August. Click the image to find out more.

All 2023 workshops have now commenced

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A customer testimonial - Red Fox Labrador called Dougal

29/5/2022

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It is always lovely to receive feedback from clients. Every single one of my commissions are created with care and you do get attached to the pet. You know you're unlikely to ever meet them in the flesh, but could pick them out in a crowd, having spent so many hours staring at and creating, their beautiful faces with all their tiny markings and (im)perfections.

Framed drawing of a Red Fox Labrador called Dougal. Completed as a commission by Northumberland artist Karen M Berisford

A thank you from a happy customer is a celebratory one. The fact that someone takes the time to send an email and to tell me how well the portrait was received, always brings a great sigh of relief knowing that they appreciated the time spent on the portrait. I thought I would share it here.
Here is the framed portrait of Dougal, a Red Fox Labrador completed in coloured pencils. What a beautiful dog he is.

If you want to see more of my coloured pencil art (including Rua, Dougal's sister), click here.

If you are thinking of booking your own bespoke commission, find out more here.

A BIG THANK YOU to Karen for her fantastic piece of work to complete
the portrait of Dougal.

This was a gift for my cousin and he loved it! It's got pride of place on his wall!

Karen has managed to capture Dougal exactly with the exquisite colour and
detail and professional finish.

I couldn't recommend Karen's service enough, she has been proactive in communication and I felt part of the commission throughout the process.

Thank you again, Mike

A coloured pencil drawing of a Red Fox Labrador bespoke pet commission

Tweaking the final detail.

VIEW DOUGAL'S PROGRESS PAGE

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, or share this post with friends and family.

Karen
www.karenmberisford.co.uk

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Christmas Commissions 2018

26/12/2018

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Last year I had four portraits that were booked for Christmas, as well as three that weren't, but that needed to be delivered before Christmas to avoid the postal build up, so last year was pretty hectic. All, bar one (the Chow Chow dog), were small portraits, but I also had three larger portraits booked too, which allowed a much steadier pace. One was delayed until the New Year to avoid any damage from the international post, going to the USA, and so here are the two commissions that I hope were received well by their recipients on christmas day.

Jetson - The 9 month old Newfoundland Dog
in Coloured pencils

Images of Jetson was Emailed to me by the Commissionee, having been taken by the husband of the recipient. Black dogs are very difficult to photograph as it requires the correct amount of lighting to capture good photos that differentiate between highlights & shadow, and so I worked from a few photos to create a portrait of balanced tones. The importance of working with high quality Coloured pencils allowed me to apply the highlights over the darker base tones and achieve the correct perspectives which can easily get lost in a portrait like this. Click the image to see Jetsons progress page.

George Darling
1940's Black Watch soldier
in Coloured pencils

I was contacted in November with a challenging request. A gent sent me an old sepia photograph depicting his girlfriends Grandad when he was in the Black Watch regiment back in the 1940's and asked if I could create a coloured portrait of it within a suitable background to give as a Christmas gift to his girlfriend after recently losing him. Having been provided with as much information as possible regarding the correct colours of the uniform and an extensive search online, I was quite excited to get started.

Find out about commissioning your own bespoke portrait

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas day and received some thoughtful gifts too.

Wishing you the very best for the New Year 2019!

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Latest articles at my Step by Step Art website

8/3/2018

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Latest Articles at my Step by Step Art website

For those who do not know, I have a dedicated website for artists with free articles covering different mediums and art products. I have just completed 8 new articles for my Step by Step Art website which can be viewed by clicking on any of the image links below. These cover coloured pencils, acrylic paints, graphite pencils & pastels as well as art accessories, papers and mini tutorials plus guest posts by other artists such as Welsh oil painter Chris Chalk. In his article, he offers advice on which 3 products you will need to start out with oils.

Each article will open a new tab to the Step by Step Art website.

Pencil sharpeners - Derwent, Lyra and metal options

Coloured pencil brands - Caran d'Ache, Derwent, Lyra, Karismacolor, Prismacolor, Van Gogh

St Cuthbert's Mill Bockingford hot pressed watercolour paper pads

Faber Castell PITT pastel pencils tin of 36

Mini Tutorial Graphite Pencils - Blending & Erasing for Beginners

Drawing of a tonal ball using derwent graphic pencils

If you're new to using graphite pencils and need help figuring out where to begin or how to make the most of them, check out this article. Discover the art of applying, blending, and erasing gracefully through this simple yet practical guide. Following these steps, you can begin a fulfilling artistic journey towards creating lifelike graphite portraits.

Find out more about our Art Workshops

Please feel free to share this article or any of the articles and Workshops over at the Step by Step Art website by clicking on any of the 'social' buttons.

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New Art Articles & 1 Day Art Workshops at Step by Step Art

17/4/2017

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The latest articles available at www.stepbystepart.co.uk

I have some great news: I've created an art-focused website catering to beginners and experienced artists. You can visit www.stepbystepart.co.uk to read the latest articles and explore my art workshops and tutoring. Recently, I uploaded four new articles that might interest you - especially if you enjoy working with coloured pencils. However, if you prefer graphite or watercolours, there's something for you too! You can learn about tonal paper and how it can enhance your work, try the tonal layering exercise with your pencils, and even explore the benefits of HP watercolour papers. These resources will be helpful in your artistic pursuits.

Ursus Paper
Article

Derwent Coloursoft
Coloured Pencils

Hot Pressed Watercolor Papers

Mixture of watercolour papers - Clairfontaine, Arches, Fabriano, Waterford, Bockingford, Moulin du Roy

Tonal Layering in Coloured Pencils

Watermelon in coloured pencils using Derwent Coloursoft

New articles coming soon to Step by Step Art

Unfortunately, I could not send out the Winter Newsletter due to being occupied with commission work in December. However, I am thrilled to announce that I will release four new articles at the start of May. These articles will provide valuable insights on soft pastels, specifically Unison pastels, and a step-by-step guide for those new to pastel art on creating a tonal sky. Additionally, there will be two "Starting Out" articles. The first, written by Welsh Artist Chris Chalk, will focus on the three essential items necessary to begin your oil painting journey. The second, written by myself, will offer guidance on starting with coloured pencils. If you want to receive the Step by Step Art newsletter, you can find more information about it here. Keep yourself informed by subscribing today to get the latest updates.

Starting out with
Oils

About Unison
Soft Pastels

Starting out with
Coloured Pencils

Pastel Skies Step by Step Tutorial

1 Day Art Workshops in Chesterfield, Derbyshire

I will be hosting unique 1-day workshops beginning in May that will teach participants how to create complex artwork using coloured pencils, graphite pencils, or acrylic paints. There are still a few spots left for those who want to attend one of the four workshops. As always; I will provide frequent demonstrations and personal assistance throughout the day. Attendees will also receive a comprehensive booklet with step-by-step instructions and images to guide them. It's important to note that each workshop only allows a maximum of 10 participants to ensure individual attention and support.

DETAILS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AS THE WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED
Why not check out our current art workshops

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY ART WORKSHOPS

If someone might enjoy reading this article, please share it on Twitter or click the 'Like' button on Facebook. If you have any questions about any part of this post or would like to leave a comment, please get in touch, and I will respond as soon as possible.

Karen M Berisford

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Exciting new articles at Step by Step Art including the first coloured pencil tutorial!

22/9/2016

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After 10 days away from the art studio, visiting family in my old home town of Chesterfield, as well as fitting in a well needed holiday down south in Dover, I am now back and catching up on work. Before I went away, I finalised 5 new articles that have been created within the webpages of my official art tutoring website 'Step by Step Art'. Here's what you can find within it's pages - take a look at our ARTICLES page to find even more.

Click to visit the web page

Step by Step Coloured Pencil Tutorial
Snow Leopard Eye

Here is the very first step by step tutorial of a Snow Leopard eye created in coloured pencils. You can use any coloured pencil range, and is aimed at those who are looking to take their pencil art to the next level, or even those who have never picked up a pencil before and is looking for a challenge. This tutorial shows you how to create a highly detailed coloured pencil drawing of a Snow Leopard eye.
The paper is Art Spectrum Black Colourfix and the coloured pencils used were the Caran d'Ache Luminance range. You can use any black paper and any pencil range to trial this out - why not give it a go and E-mail me your work to add to the page, I would love to see them.

Prismacolor Premier Coloured Pencils

Visit the Webpage

Prismacolor Premier pencils are probably America's most popular coloured pencils, after buying and trying them out, find out what my thoughts are on these pencils.

Clairfontaine Pastelmat review

Colour collection of Clairfontaine Pastelmat paper in 12 different colours

Visit the Webpage

Have you tried Pastelmat paper, or are you looking for a new paper for your art? This review covers the use of this paper with various mediums, see the results.

Derwent Graphitint Pencils Tutorial

Visit the Webpage

Just exactly what are those Derwent Graphitint pencils are all about? Are you looking to try them out but not sure how to use them? This article & tutorial may help.

Starting Out With Acrylic Paints

Are you thinking of trying out a new medium or looking to take up acrylic paints as a complete beginner to art? You can find lots of information on what product requirements you need as well as some helpful hints and tips to help you get the best out of your new medium. Most importantly when buying an acrylic paint range I explain what the differences are between cheap/student acrylics & professional/artists quality paints.

Acrylics are a great medium as they offer fast drying results with great colour vibrancy which can be applied to achieve an oil style painting or a watercolour, versatility for everyone!

Click to view the Webpage

There are more new articles being created, information of which will be included in our latest newsletter - Click the link below and sign up today, if you wish to receive the latest information direct to your E-mail*

Newsletters are sent out every quarter or whenever art workshops are available to view, subscribers will NEVER be spammed by us, and your E-mail address will only be used through the Step by Step Art website and NEVER sold on to third parties.

why not visit OUR WEBSITE AND read more of our articles

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Latest articles & art workshops by Karen M Berisford

All 2023 workshops have now commenced

A customer testimonial - Red Fox Labrador called Dougal

Christmas Commissions 2018

Jetson - The 9 month old Newfoundland Dog
in Coloured pencils

George Darling
1940's Black Watch soldier
in Coloured pencils

Latest articles at my Step by Step Art website

Latest Articles at my Step by Step Art website

Mini Tutorial Graphite Pencils - Blending & Erasing for Beginners

New Art Articles & 1 Day Art Workshops at Step by Step Art

The latest articles available at www.stepbystepart.co.uk

Ursus Paper
Article

Derwent Coloursoft
Coloured Pencils

Hot Pressed Watercolor Papers

Tonal Layering in Coloured Pencils

New articles coming soon to Step by Step Art

Starting out with
Oils

About Unison
Soft Pastels

Starting out with
Coloured Pencils

Pastel Skies Step by Step Tutorial

1 Day Art Workshops in Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Exciting new articles at Step by Step Art including the first coloured pencil tutorial!

Step by Step Coloured Pencil Tutorial
Snow Leopard Eye

Prismacolor Premier Coloured Pencils

Clairfontaine Pastelmat review

Derwent Graphitint Pencils Tutorial

Starting Out With Acrylic Paints

Author

Categories

Archives

SERVICES

COMMISSIONS

HELP & INFORMATION

Latest articles & art workshops by Karen M Berisford

All 2023 workshops have now commenced

A customer testimonial - Red Fox Labrador called Dougal

Christmas Commissions 2018

Jetson - The 9 month old Newfoundland Dogin Coloured pencils

George Darling​1940's Black Watch soldierin Coloured pencils

Latest articles at my Step by Step Art website

Latest Articles at my Step by Step Art website

Mini Tutorial Graphite Pencils - Blending & Erasing for Beginners

New Art Articles & 1 Day Art Workshops at Step by Step Art

The latest articles available at www.stepbystepart.co.uk

Ursus PaperArticle

Derwent Coloursoft​Coloured Pencils

Hot Pressed Watercolor Papers

Tonal Layering in Coloured Pencils

New articles coming soon to Step by Step Art

Starting out with ​Oils

About Unison ​Soft Pastels

Starting out with​Coloured Pencils

Pastel Skies Step by Step Tutorial

1 Day Art Workshops in Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Exciting new articles at Step by Step Art including the first coloured pencil tutorial!

Step by Step Coloured Pencil TutorialSnow Leopard Eye

Prismacolor Premier Coloured Pencils

Clairfontaine Pastelmat review

Derwent Graphitint Pencils Tutorial

Starting Out With Acrylic Paints

Author

Categories

Archives

​SERVICES

​COMMISSIONS

​HELP & INFORMATION

Jetson - The 9 month old Newfoundland Dog
in Coloured pencils

George Darling
1940's Black Watch soldier
in Coloured pencils

Ursus Paper
Article

Derwent Coloursoft
Coloured Pencils

Starting out with
Oils

About Unison
Soft Pastels

Starting out with
Coloured Pencils

Step by Step Coloured Pencil Tutorial
Snow Leopard Eye

SERVICES

COMMISSIONS

HELP & INFORMATION