Call for Entries: 9th UKCPS Annual Open International Exhibition 2010

Any coloured pencil artist, anywhere in the world,
is invited to enter
the 9th Open International Exhibition 2010
of the United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society (UKCPS)
sponsored by Caran d'Ache

The UKCPS has issued its Call for Entries for the Ninth Annual United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society Open International Exhibition 2010. Artists working in coloured pencil and living anywhere in the world are eligible to enter.

The exhibition will be held at the Stamford Arts Centre, 27 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2DL between 13th September 2010 and 1st October 2010.

If you are thinking about entering and are wondering about the type and standard of work submitted to and selected for this exhibition, you can see images of exhibited and award-winning work in the blog posts below relating to last year's exhibition and also on the exhibition page on the UKCPS website

• UKCPS Annual exhibition 2009 - Award Winners
• UKCPS Annual Exhibition 2009 - Highly Commended
  
• UKCPS Annual Exhibition 2009 - now online

Winner of the Derwent Award for Best in Show (£400) and the People’s Choice Award (£50)
UKCPS Annual Open International Exhibition 2009
Old -Timers, One, Two, Free! by Kate Clarke
3x(39x26) cm, coloured pencils (£845)

Call for entries – what you need to know

The combined Call For Entries and Entry Form document was despatched with the March edition of Talking Point to UKCPS members last week and should now have been received by all members living in the UK.

Members, associate members and on members can also now download the formal Call for Entries (pdf downloadable form) and Entry Form from the calendar/events page of the UKCPS website. The form contains details about the topics identified above plus insurance, shipping, post, collection, sales and commission.

The key aspects of what you need to know when deciding whether to submit work have been set out below as a check list. However please ensure you read all of the call for entries form carefully before submitting your entry.

Eligible work

• Submission is open to all living artists. You do not need to be a member of UKCPS or live in the UK.
• Entries must not have been shown in a previous UKCPS exhibition.

Originality, reference material and copyright:

• The work must demonstrate compositional and drawing skills and an ability to use colour from a pencil source
• The work must be original (concept, design and execution by the artist)
• Any photographic reference used for the entire or as the primary source must be taken by the artist
• Subject to UK and International copyright laws, reference images may used to contribute and build up a final composition provided the final work does not resemble any reference source in a recognisable way.

Eligible Media

• The work must be 100% coloured pencil
• Coloured Pencils and crayons that are wax-based, oil-based or water-soluble (e.g. Caran d’Ache Neocolor II or Derwent Aquatone)
• Graphite pencil used in moderation under or between layers of coloured pencil
• Solvents or water used to dissolve the pencil
• Manufactured coloured support (paper, board etc.)
  
• Artist prepared uniform white background (eg gesso)

Ineligible Media/Work

• Pastel pencils; acrylic, oil, ink and watercolour
• Collage, montage, three-dimensional work
• An image produced by drawing over a digital reproduction
• Only one work can be marked 'not for sale'; any second and subsequent submission marked 'not for sale' would be ineligible
• The Society and the Stamford Art Centre may refuse to exhibit selected work presented for display if it is not up to the entry submission standard or pictures are not suitably framed.
• The Society has the right to refuse to accept works not meeting all specifications and conditions set in this prospectus. It is the artist’s responsibility to provide evidence that the work is in compliance if there is a challenge.

Selection

• The 2010 judges will include: Ann Swan (an RHS gold medal winning botanical artist), a representative of Caran d’Ache and a representative of Stamford Art Centre.
• Judges review images which are anonymous. Only details of the title and size are provided.
• Judges will be asked to select works to produce a varied exhibition showing the full range of capabilities of the coloured pencil medium.
• Every effort will be made to maintain true quality to the submitted image, recognizing that the print or electronic medium may affect the viewed image.

Awards

• Cash prizes include: The Caran D’Ache Award for Best in Show (£400), the UKCPS Award for Reserve Best in Show (£300), the President’s Award (£100), the Peter Weatherill Landscape Award (£75), the People’s Choice Award (£50).
  
• In addition, each of the exhibition's commercial sponsors (various manufacturers and suppliers of coloured pencils - see side column of this blog) will provide awards involving art media and materials. There will also be other smaller prizes of art materials for highly commended works.
• The judges present on 12 September will select the works for the Awards (except those specifically given). The decision of the judges is final.

Method of Submission

• NO ORIGINAL WORKS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED. NO SLIDES.
• Fees are payable with each submission and vary depending on the status of the entrant. Members are able to submit the first work free. Payment should be by cheque or via online payment only (see form)
• Initial submissions should comprise entry form, fee and image only by post. Good prints or photos (no larger than A4/8.25” x 11.7”) or high resolution scans on a CD. Both prints and file names need to indicate the name of the artist clearly.
  
• Both sides of the entry form must be completed and submitted with the image. Framed & Unframed sizes need to be supplied in centimetre. All prices must include commission.
• Include a short CV (resume) and for each entry, give brief details including type of pencils and support used and reasons for choosing the subject. The CV and descriptions will not be part of the judging process, only for the interest of the public during the exhibition.
• All entries should be submitted to the Elizabeth Frearson, Chair of UKCPS (details on the Call for Entries form)
• Artists whose work is selected will be notified of detailed arrangements for submission of the artwork proper. It's been possible to arrange regional collection points in the past and UKCPS will endeavour to make this service available to entrants again this year if possible.
  

Artists intending to submit entries should note that, with submission, they grant permission for the UKCPS use of the accepted images for publicity and promotion for purposes wholly related to UKCPS.

All queries should be directed to Pat Heffer (details on the Call for Entries form)

Important Dates

The Exhibition will run from Monday 13th September to Friday, 1st October 2010. Normal gallery opening hours are 10.30am - 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, 10.30am - 5.00pm on Saturdays and 1.00pm - 5.00pm on Sundays.

Key dates include the following

Key Date/Deadline	Action/Event
12th June 2010	Deadline for receipt of all submissions
w/c 9th August 2010	Notification of judges selection sent to artists
10th September 2010	Last date for receiving works by post or courier
11-13th September 2010	Handing in of artworks (Pat Heffer will advise re arrangements)
13th September 2010	Judging, Opening and Private View 6pm to 9pm
13 September – 1 October 2010	Exhibition open
1 October 2010	4:00 – 5:00 removal of works 5:00pm Annual Meeting (AGM)

Call for entries: 8th Annual "World of Coloured Pencil" Exhibition 2010

The Annual "World of Coloured Pencil" Exhibition will be held at the Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick, Cumbria between 30th May and 26th June 2010

This is the 8th consecutive year of exhibiting at the Pencil Museum and UKCPS would like to acknowledge and thank Derwent yet again for both their generous sponsorship and hosting the Exhibition.

The Derwent Gallery at the Cumberland Pencil Museum
- where the exhibition takes place
(photograph courtesy Pencil Museum)

The World of Coloured Pencil Exhibition

Both the aims and rules for this exhibition are very different from the Open Exhibition.

This is a members only exhibition which:

• aims to reflect work produced by all abilities within the membership, ranging from beginners to professional artists
• caters for those artists who combine coloured pencils with other media.

It is NOT a juried exhibition. All entries submitted by members have the potential to be exhibited. Beginners are encouraged to enter and there is an award specifically for this group.

Changes for 2010

This year there are some changes from last year:

• The pictures to be hung at the exhibition will be decided by ballot.
• There is a new award for the Best Work by a member of one the society’s Local Groups
• Artists eligible for The Leisure Painter Award for the Best Newcomer are defined as those with up to 24 months experience
  

ENTRY: What you need to know

• Who can enter? Submission is only open to UKCPS members. (See the membership page if you want to find out more about how to become a member of UKCPS)
  
• How many works can I enter? One entry per member.
  
• What media can I use? Work can be in mixed media so long as coloured pencil is the main medium.
• What type of work can be entered? The work must two dimensional and original. That means the concept, design and execution must by the artist. Any photographic reference used for the entire of the majority of the drawing must have been taken by the artist. The accepted work should demonstrate compositional and drawing skills, as well as ability to use colour from a pencil
• What's ineligible for entry? See the call for entries form for more details. For example, work which is ineligible includes pictures which have been accepted into another UKCPS exhibition; collage, montage or three dimensional work and work done in a workshop under instruction. Pictures which exceed 80 cm (longest side) cannot be hung and are also ineligible.
  
• How do I submit work? Initial submissions should comprise entry form and image only by post. Good prints (no larger than A4) or high resolution scans on a CD. Both prints and file names need to indicate the name of the artist clearly. Both sides of the entry form must be completed and submitted with the image.
  
• How much does it cost to enter? Entry is free to all UKCPS members
• What's the deadline for entries? The closing date is 10 April 2010. Entries may be submitted at any time before this date.
  
• How will work be selected? All entries received the closing date by will be entered in the ballot and the first 24 drawn will be accepted.

The combined Call For Entries and Entry Form document was despatched with the March edition of Talking Point to UKCPS members last week and should now have been received by all members living in the UK.

Members can also now download the formal Call for Entries (pdf downloadable form) and Entry Form from the calendar/events page of the UKCPS website.

The form contains details about the topics identified above plus insurance, shipping, post, collection, sales and commission.

Please ensure you read all the call for entries and the form carefully before submitting your entry.

All entrants will be contacted and advised whether or not they have been successful by 30th April.

A list of the successful artists will be posted on this blog. If you are successful and want a link to your website to be identified on this blog next to your name, please ensure that you complete the part of the form which asks for your website address.

Awards

The "World of Coloured Pencil" Exhibition awards are as follows:

• Derwent Award for Best in Show (Prize donated by Derwent)
• UKCPS Award for Reserve Best in Show (£150.00)
  
• UKCPS Award for Runner Up (£50.00)
  
• Artists with up to 24 months coloured pencil experience are eligible for The Leisure Painter Magazine Award for ‘The Best Newcomer to Coloured Pencil. (two year magazine subscription)
  
• UKCPS Award for Best Local Group Member (£50.00)
• The People’s Prize (Prize donated by Derwent) voted for by those visiting the exhibition.

Prizes of art supplies are also awarded for Highly Commended work.

Members must indicate on their form if they wish their work to be considered for the awards for Best Newcomer or Best Local Group Member.

Demonstrations and workshops

As always the Pencil Museum has a comprehensive programme of demonstrations and workshops throughout 2010. These include demonstrations and workshops during the Exhibition by UKCPS member Malcolm Cudmore from 8 to 10 June.

8th June 2010 to 9th June 2010 - Aquatone Sticks with Malcolm Cudmore

FREE Event. A must see demonstration, Malcolm's technique is unique. This is a FREE event please collect... More

10th June - Tuition Workshop - Big and Bold, Wet and Dry in Aquatone Sticks with Malcolm Cudmore

This workshop is suitable for beginners and intermediate levels. Watercolour pencils are amazingly versatile... More

The museum is also worth a visit for those interested in pencils and has many discounted offers in the well stocked shop.

Links:

• UKCPS website - 8th World of Coloured Pencils Exhibition
• Cumberland Pencil Museum - how to get there
  
• Google Maps - location of Pencil Museum
• Derwent
• Leisure Painter Magazine
  

Results of Derwent Artists Pencils Competition

Ashness Bridge Winner of Derwent Artists Pencils Competition
A3, Derwent Artists Pencils on Canson Bristol board

copyright Malcolm Cudmore

Derwent have announced the results of the competition to find the new image of Ashness Bridge for the new tins of Derwent Artists Pencils - to be lauched later this year.

Artists is the first coloured pencil range that Derwent developed in the 1930’s and is still one of its best selling pencils today. Ever since its introduction the pencil has been associated with Ashness Bridge, just outside Keswick in the Lake District. This iconic landmark has featured on all Artists Pencil packaging since 1938.
Derwent

The brief was to produce an image which is:

• Completed using Derwent Artists Pencils
• At least A4 size (210mm x 297mm) in portrait format
• Very eye-catching, dynamic and really shows off the Artists pencils range.

Winner: Malcolm Cudmore - The drawing is unusual as this is a downstream perspective of the bridge which was achieved though Malcolm visiting Ashness Bridge to obtain his own reference photographs and find the best view to fulfil the contraints of the brief.

‘I preferred this view – I like high horizons and thought it offered a good dramatic composition. Derwent Artists Pencils lend themselves to my style of drawing, I like to build up form and tone by the application of many layers of separate colour, using as few describing marks as possible. Artists are a round traditional pencil with a wide core and a slightly waxy texture which is ideal for multiple layering and blending allowing me to build up an infinite spectrum of tones and hues’.

Malcolm is a member of UKCPS. He and lives in Lancashire close to the Fylde coast about 5 miles from both Lytham and Blackpool and has a studio in Preston. One of his works 'Reflections 1' was Highly Commended in last year's Annual Exhibition. You can read more about his entry on his blog Malcolm Cudmore Artist in Derwent Artists Pencils Competition and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ScribbleWizard

Runners Up: Tiffany Budd and Leslie Hawes

Ashness Bridge by (Left) Tiffany Budd and (right) Leslie Hawes

Tiffany Budd is a signature member of UKCPS and commented on her entry in the Flickr Artists Drawing Competition Poll

I like to work in a bold, strong way, blending the pencils on top of each other, and then blending them with either a white pencil or a blender pencil. I wanted to try to recreate the scene in a more contemporary way. I hope I've achieved this!! I have tried different bases to work on, but think a drawing board (like a mount card) works best for me, as you can work it really hard, and it still keeps it's smoothness. The surface does tend to get a bashing!!

You can see more of her work on her website and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tiffanyjbudd

Leslie Hawes commented on Flickr and her blog

This original drawing is done with Derwent Artists colored pencils on Alphamat, and measures approximately 10" x 12". I have been making art exclusively with Derwent Artists pencils for sixteen years. They were recommended to me by Real Musgrave of Pocket Dragons fame. Once I tried them, I never looked back! The color saturation of the pencils is amazing, making my layering technique very easy to achieve rich color. I love the creamy smooth "feel" of drawing with the Derwent Artists pencils.

You can see more entries to the competition in the Flickr Artists Pencils Competitions Image Pool page.

Below you can find links to the information about the competition and the artists highlighted above.

Links:

• Derwent
• Derwent Artists Pencils Competition - on Flickr
• Derwent News - annoucement of winner
• Malcolm Cudmore - Malcolm Cudmore – Artist
• Tiffany Budd - Wall-Power
• Leslie Hawes - Leslie's Drawing A Day

Ann Swan in Gold Standard exhibition

Well known coloured pencil tutor and RHS gold medal winning botanical artist Ann Swan currently has her coloured pencil work in an exhibition at Fulham Palace in London. Ann told UKCPS  

It's a huge honour for me and for coloured pencil work to be hung alongside some of the greatest botanical artists of our time.

The exhibition continues until just after Easter. 

Gold Standard: An exhibition of Botanical Art 
Friday 29 January – Monday 12th April

An exciting new collaboration between the Royal Horticultural Society and Fulham Palace presents stunning contemporary art works by six RHS Gold Medal winning artists:

• Brigitte Daniel
• Annie Farrer
• Regine Hagedorn
• Gillian Barlow
• Fiona Strickland
• Ann Swan

Admission to the exhibition is free.  The opening hours are:  6th Feb – 13th April Sat 11am-2pm, Sun 11.30am-3.30pm; Monday and Tuesday 12-4pm

The is the Fulham Palace website which provides details of how to get there.  The link in the adddress  Fulham Palace, Bishop's Avenue, London SW6 6EA is to Googlemaps.

Richard Klekociuk wins $1,000 First Prize

Symbolic Still-Life

40 x 80 cm, Prismacolor and Polychromos Pencils on Canson Pastel Board

copyright Richard Klekociuk

Last Friday Richard Klekociuk won the Launceston Art Society's Triple A Art Award, with a coloured pencil drawing. The prize is worth $1,000 AUD

The Launceston Art Society in Tasmania is one of the oldest art societies in Australia.  It has been operating and exhibiting since 1891. Many of Australia’s celebrated artists have exhibited with the society at various times since its foundation.

Links

• Richard Klekociuk website
• Richard Klekociuk - Glover Prize finalist

CPSA Explore This! 6 Online Exhibition

The online exhibition of the 6th CPSA Explore This! is now online.

Beginning in 2009, the CPSA Explore This! exhibition became a juried online show. This change was made with the hope of allowing artists to display their work to a broader audience. By encouraging the exploration of materials we hope all artists, colored pencil artists or not, will be inspired to enter their artwork in this exhibition.
CPSA - About the Exoplore This! exhibition

These are the links to:

• the award winners
• information about the juror Barbara Grazul Hubbard
• the exhibition 
• the list of participating artists and title of their artwork 

The exhibition continues until 31st January 2011