Last year (2017), I started receiving Christmas orders as early as September, which kept me busy throughout the season. From mid-October onwards, I worked 10-12 hours a day, creating a schedule list for each day to ensure that all the portraits were completed on time. Some orders were from overseas, and I had to make sure that any frames ordered were received well in advance as framers tend to be very busy during the festive season. My goal was to finish all the orders a week before I travelled to my hometown of Chesterfield, but I worked late into the night before my journey. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and the person who commissioned it met me at the train station in Chesterfield to collect the portrait of Star the Chow Chow. The painting had travelled with me for six hours on a bus, coach, and train inside my suitcase. The lady who commissioned the painting gave me a lovely bunch of flowers. I was delighted to see the recipients' positive comments on Christmas day after receiving their beloved pets' portrait. Click on any of the images to visit the progress pages. I've completed all the Christmas commissions and took a well-deserved break to recharge. Now, I'm back in the studio, creating new articles and planning exciting art workshops for 2018 on my Step by Step Art website. There are numerous tasks to accomplish behind the scenes. If you're interested in booking a personalized commission or are an artist searching for helpful articles, mini-tutorials, and a chance to attend a 1-day art workshop with me, click on the links below to visit my website. Here's hoping 2018 is a wonderful year for you! Karen
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Help and advice is at hand if so....For those who are not aware, I also have an official 'Step by Step Art' website that allows you to book an art workshop, or read one of my articles, that cover a plethora of art related subjects including coloured pencils, paper reviews and pastel reviews too. The article section is still in the early stages but I will continue to add more articles as often as possible. My latest article focus's on coloured pencil brands, as I trial a selection of coloured pencil brands, which I currently have in my personal collection. This article shows the 5 most important factors that I look for when selecting my professional pencil range:
The 5 'tests' shown in this article includes:
This article also gives information on the importance of paper weight (gsm), information on each pencil including costs (GBP) and lightfast ratings as well as my own thoughts on 'adapting to coloured pencils' . I hope that this will be of help to all coloured pencil artists out there from those starting out looking to buy their first range to those interested in how each brand compares to the others.
The very popular Prismacolor Premier & Verithin ranges will also be added to this article very soon and an adaptation of this article (with even more information in) will be available to view and purchase (download or hard copy) from the USA's Colored pencil Magazine 'Student' version in the next few months. Find out more about this magazine here: Colored pencil magazine - Student Edition I have been creating pet portraits since the 1990s. Initially, I relied on physical photographs, which posed a challenge viewing any fine detail. The evolution in camera technology, which continues to improve year on year, provides me with high-resolution digital photos that I can zoom into, and allows me create the intricate detail you see in my work today. Nevertheless, my portraiture focuses less on mere photographic replication and more on delivering an outcome that achieves a harmonious balance of contrast and colour. By refining any imperfections, I aim to present a more natural and aesthetically pleasing portrait that will enhance your walls for many years to come. The article discusses a portrait that demanded much more than merely replicating the photo reference. It features Ern, a chocolate Labrador Retriever. The commission, intended as a birthday surprise for a husband, necessitated that the final artwork be a true representation of his beloved dog. Introducing Ern the Chocolate Labrador... The photograph presented is a breathtaking capture, initially appearing to be the perfect reference image. However, it became evident that the mouth was not in a naturally relaxed state, presenting a distended appearance rather than a typical, relaxed posture. Furthermore, the intense sunlight resulted in both overexposed and underexposed areas of his face, and the intricate details in the neck region were obscured by dark shadows. Observe the change in his colour when he steps out of the sunlight in the images below. It's as if he's an entirely different dog! First, correspond with and confirm important details.Discussing these details with the customer prior to beginning the portrait is crucial. After numerous email exchanges, the decisions were finalised. It was also requested to "give him a "normal mouth" I'd really appreciate it!" " Hi Kat, thank you for the lovely photos of Ernest. I've noticed that he has coppery brown fur in some images, but in others, his fur appears much darker. Which is his natural colour? " " His fur appears dark in the photos, typically when he is wet. However, he actually has a gingery tan colour around his ears and muzzle. One of the photos I sent was captured with a professional camera, which I believe showcases his natural colour more effectively. " " I like that photo, but I was unsure whether his colour might be too vivid, knowing the sun could have caused oversaturation. However, it's excellent that you've clarified this. " Thorough research is crucial before commencing the portrait.To create a pet portrait from a photo needing significant alterations, I begin by searching online for pictures of the same breed in a similar pose and I will refer to them throughout the drawing process. In creating this portrait, I utilised approximately 15 different images, including some of Ern from provided photos and others found online. The search for 'matching' images can span a few hours, and often, I also need to edit the reference image. This is all done before I even begin the actual drawing process. Ensuring the accuracy of Ern's colour was a challenging task; however, the most complex aspect of the illustration was ensuring that the anatomical structure of his mouth was correct. Given that this gift is intended to be a surprise, I had to get this right. I even bribed our lovely black Labrador Haze, by encouraging him to pose in the garden. This allowed me to capture a series of images that provided valuable reference for ensuring that the detail was accurate. The time dedicated to the completion of this portrait was around 25 hours. Thank you so much for all the hard work and effort put in to make the numerous photos I bombarded you with come to life! The portrait is just amazing, beautiful and captures Ern perfectly! If you are interested in a personalised pet portrait or any other subject matter, consider browsing my gallery to explore my work and the various mediums available. Feel free to visit the commissions page to request a quote, make a booking, or for direct inquiries, email me at [email protected].
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