Contemporary Realism

Contemporary Realism
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1/14/10

How I work


I was recently asked by Ann Kullberg to write an article about my art for her online magazine. I had to step back and analyze my methods. Here is a small excerpt from my submission.

I keep a small digital camera in my purse in case I see a scene that would make a great colored pencil drawing. I work from life and from digital photos. I will often shoot digital pictures and combine elements from several photos to form a composition (like a collage) for my reference photo. I draw my composition on tracing paper either freehand, or utilizing a grid. Then I transfer that drawing to my support using transfer paper or backlighting it from a sunlit window. I choose my colors intuitively. Occasionally I use a grisaille technique (value drawing under local color) but most often I will combine colors and values from within the “local color” family . I like to work with bright colors. I vary techniques depending on the piece. If I use a solvent, I choose odorless mineral spirits and use a Q-tip to liquefy the pigment of colored pencils. I will do this to provide a base for a large area of color. I will burnish with a colorless blender pencil when the texture needs to look shiny. Most often I will layer many colors with a very sharp pencil. I love the process of creating a detailed piece of art.

4 comments:

Delilah said...

Very nice article

Barb Goodsitt said...

Thanks Delilah. The entire article will be published in a month or two in Ann Kullberg's online magazine.

Dianna Wallace Soisson said...

You've come a long way! Congratulations on it! I like the way you incorporated everything together.

Barb Goodsitt said...

Thanks Dianna,
You are so sweet!
You, Dee, Patti, Lynda and Kathy (our old WCPA group) inspire me to keep working at improving my techniques.