Winner of Manga Competition 2009

Congratulations to the winner of the Manga Drawing Competition 2009 for children, sponsored by Derwent, and held at the UKCPS stand at the Art Materials Live Fair at the NEC.

The prize  goes to Peter Stockbridge of Wellesbourne Warwick for his beautiful rendering of the "Vampire boy " chibi.

The judges were particularly impressed with his use of perspective and felt that his colour choices were in keeping with the subject.

A very atmospheric picture. Spookily well done Peter and a hearty thanks for " scaring" our Chibi designer into extra practice.

Peter wins a  " Mater Chibi Manga " set,  created for Derwent by professional Manga Artist Hayden "Dock" Scott-Baron" 

At first glance Manga can seem like a relatively new art form but in fact its roots go back as far as the nineteenth century in the form of Ukiyo-E; a form of Japanese print made from carved blocks of wood. Under the influence of western comic styles the Ukiyo-E art form evolved to become what we now regard as modern Manga. 
Derwent website

Link:  Manga Colouring Competition - Announcement of Winners (2008)

Derwent - Artists Pencils Competition #2

Derwent have now loaded a reference image onto Flickr for their Artists Pencils Competition.  It's available here.

You can download it in different sizes - just click the 'all sizes' icon just above the top left hand corner of the image to see the options.

This image is in landscape format.  I'm advised by the people at Derwent that:

• People creating an entry for the competition are not required to use this image.  This has only been supplied as people have been asking about copyright issues.
• Derwent are not looking for an exact duplicate of an image but rather are looking for the artist's own interpretation.
• You can find lots of images of Ashness Bridge on the Internet which you can use for guidance in developing your drawing.  
• Derwent are not expecting artists to create a direct copy of any one image.  Developing an image from several different images avoids infringement of copyright and enables you to create your own artistic interpretation of Ashness Bridge
• There's no requirement to include the Derwent logo!

Remember the drawing needs to be completed using Derwent Artists Pencils.

Derwent - Artists Pencils Competition

Derwent Artists pencils were the first colour pencil ever to be developed by Derwent and they are still one of the most popular in the market. In 2010 Derwent intends to unveil a new tin design for Artists Pencils, and have launched a national competition in search of an image to appear on the new tins.

The traditional subject for Artists Pencils that has appeared on the front of the packs since their launch in 1938 has always been Ashness Bridge, near Keswick in the Lake District.

Keeping with tradition, the challenge for this competition is to draw Ashness Bridge with Derwent Artists Pencils.  Derwent want the image to be very eye-catching, dynamic and to really show off the Artists pencils range.

Entries must be 

• in portrait format, 
• drawn with Derwent Artists Pencils 
• at least A4 in size. 
• received by the closing date of January 31st 2010.
  

Rules:
1. All work must be executed in Derwent Artists Pencils
2. Minimum size for entries: A4 (210mm x 297mm)
3. Entries must be submitted unframed and protected in a stiffened envelope
4. The completed entry form must be affixed securely to the back of your work.
5. If you want your drawing returned, you must enclose the correct postage and a reply label. Entries not complying with this rule will not be returned.
6. Every care will be taken of entries, but the organisers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage during transit, incoming or outgoing, while on the  organiser’s premises or while being judged or exhibited.
7. The winning prize is your image appearing on the iconic tin, and a finished tin of Artist Pencils with your image on the front. No financial alternative will be offered.
8. Derwent reserve the right to commission an artist if a suitable image is not found from the competition.
9. In entering your work you are agreeing to the use of your image by Derwent, in any format and publication.

Full details are set out in the information article (Pdf file) about the competition which can be downloaded from the website (link reproduced below)

Download Article


Derwent are accepting entries online and there are FOUR different ways you can enter the competition

EITHER Add your drawing to the dedicated Flickr group: www.flickr.com/groups/derwentartists (you need to be a member to be able to upload an image))

OR  Upload your entry to the dedicated Facebook Group (http://bit.ly/4rOF1u)  (you need to be a member to be able to upload an image)

OR Email your entry to derwentcompetitions@acco.com (maximum file size 5MB)

OR Post your entry, with your name, address, telephone number and email
address clearly labelled on the back of your envelope to:  Drawing to Artists Competition, Cumberland Pencil Company, Derwent House, Jubilee Road, Lillyhall Business Park, Workington, Cumbria CA14 4HS

You can also follow the competition at twitter.com/derwentpencils

Links:  Derwent Pencils http://www.pencils.co.uk/

Susan Goodall promotes coloured pencil art in Whitby

Susan Goodall demonstrating
at the Whitby Tourist Information Centre
with Whitby in the background

The UKCPS Blog is always pleased to highlight the initiatives of individual members in promoting the coloured pencil cause!

Susan Goodall, a UKCPS member living in Whitby in North Yorkshire, displayed her work and spent 10 days demonstrating how to draw using coloured pencils at her local tourist centre in December. Susan's particular interest is in finding new ways to work a medium and consequently she chose to demonstrate colour pencil work on velour paper.

As Susan explains, as well as providing her with some personal benefits, her marketing project has helped to generate interest in membership of the UKCPS.

I have publicised the event in my local newspaper, and have had lots of interest, and given out lots of UKCPS forms. So far I have two people interested in commissioning me for work, a request from the a writer on the local newspaper to do a days art tuition for her and she will do a full page spread with pictures on her days experience, an invite to demonstrate my cp work at the local art society meeting, and an invite to have a stand at a local Rotary Club Fair day.

What a result!

A display of Susan's work in the Tourist Information Centre
It includes a drawing of the ruins of Whitby Abbey

If you want any membership details or forms to use when promoting your work please contact Will Johnson, the UKCPS Membership Secretary (see side column for details of how to contact him)

Do you blog about your coloured pencil art?

Sixteen members of UKCPS now have their art blogs featured in the members' blogroll (see side column) of UKCPS News.

If you have a blog which features your coloured pencil artwork and you would like to see it in the UKCPS News blogroll - and gain a link back to your blog - this is what you need to do:

• contact the UKCPS Blogmaster - see Contact Me
• provide the name and URL of your blog and ask for it to be included in the blogroll

If you've just started blogging, it's a good idea to wait awhile before submitting your blog for inclusion so that you can see whether blogging is for you or not. Not everybody wants to continue after the first few posts.

What happens next

• A link to your blog will be included in the members' section of the UKCPS blogroll
• Your blog will also be 'followed' (using the 'follow' function on Blgger Dashboard) by UKCPS News.
  

You can also have a link to your blog included in your members gallery page. You need to contact the UKCPS websmaster to get your page changed - or you can indicate this in your email to me and I will forward your email to the UKCPS webmaster

Any queries - please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'll provide an update here of any frequently asked questions that I get.

UKCPS at Art Materials Live

The UKCPS information stand at the Art Materials Live

Earlier this month, UKCPS was at the Art Materials Live at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. This post reports on what happened and provides photographs of the stand and three of the demonstrators

Peter Weatherill demonstrating

UKCPS activities at the NEC helped us to:

• promote coloured pencils as an art medium. The artwork on display and our demonstrators showed visitors the range of different ways that coloured pencils can be used to produce different types of artwork
  
• boost the profile of the Society amongst those visiting the exhibition
  
• increase UKCPS membership - a number of people visiting the stand enrolled for full membership
• identify that Coloured Step by Step Guides (prepared by UKCPS members) are hugely popular with both UKCPS members and other visitors to the stand. Indeed some sold out before the end of the exhibition! They have the potential to generate a lot of revenue and UKCPS is now planning to collect a basic range of these for use and sale by the society. Those still available for sale can now be found on the UKCPS website.
  
• generate a profit after expenses - although the aim of this event was to promote our medium rather than worry about maximizing profit.
• and last but not least, this event enables us to reinforce our relationship with the pencil manufacturers who so generously support and sponsor our exhibitions and events.

Peter Woof demonstrating

Rachel Stirling, the UKCPS Events Manager, comments on our activities this year.

UKCPS has had another successful year at the Art Materials Live show and we have again shown the art world the great variety in artwork which can be produced using coloured pencils.

A big vote of thanks to all who supported the UKCPS this year - demonstrators, workshoppers, sales people and all those members who just dropped by to say "Hi". A particular thank you to those demonstrators who were inexplicably left off the entry list of demonstrators by the ICHF organisers and yet still demonstrated.

We provided a formidable range of work in terms of art on display, demonstrations and activities. I for one am grateful for those demonstrators who put in the hours despite being in a large room full of cut price art supplies! Paper, canvas and prepared boards were all available as supports for work and generated a great deal of interest

We always listen to what people visiting the stand have to say and we received several very interesting ideas and suggestions from visiting Society members.

Members indicated that they would like to have better information at a much earlier stage about which day Demonstrators will be demonstrating so that they can better plan their visits according to their interests. As a result, we'll be working on how we can improve our communication in this respect for next year.

Finally, I'd like to offer my own personal thanks to everyone involved and to all the members who make the UKCPS what it is. Here's looking forward to next year.

Brian Casey demonstrating

Marion Brown exhibits with EAC Over 60s Art Awards

Peaches by Marion Brown
10.5 x 42 x 10.5", prismacolors on white Stonehenge
copyright Marion Brown

Marion Brown's coloured pencil work Peaches has been selected for the 2009 EAC Over 60s Art Awards. The Awards celebrate the talent and creativity of amateur artists who are between the ages of 60 and over 100, and who work in any genre.

Over 2,150 entries were received for the 2009 entry giving this national art competition one of the largest competitive entries in the UK! Only 101 works were chosen giving artists who entered less than 5% chance of being selected - but that's very much on a par with some of national competitions offering major awards!

However the emphasis of the awards is very much on the creativity of older people.

The EAC Over 60s Art Awards were founded by volunteers almost 15 years ago, with the aim of celebrating the creativity of older amateur artists. They are not about winning and losing. Though artists like to have their work exhibited in a London gallery, or receive a prize, all the feedback suggests that that really doesn’t matter. The real joy of the Awards is the unique opportunity they create for older people to demonstrate their continuing capacity to be purposeful and involved, and to enjoy the collaborative venture of entering a national competition.

The first round of judging was based on the submitted reproduced images of artists' work, either jpeg digital files or colour photographs (max A4 size).

If you're interested in entering next year, you can find out more about the 2009 competition here.

Exhibition

Work selected for the exhibition was announced this month. 101 finalists’ works are included in the EAC Over 60s Art Awards exhibition at the Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, London, SE1 9JH, from 2nd - 6th December 2009.

Prizes will be announced and awarded at the Private View on 1st December.

Entrance to the exhibition is free, and hours of opening can be found by visiting the Bankside Gallery website at http://www.banksidegallery.com

See all the Art and Vote online

For the first time since the annual competition began in 1995, images of the finalists’ work have now been uploaded to the Art Awards website. This means that those unable to visit the exhibition can still participate, by viewing a ‘virtual exhibition’. They can also participate in the voting and commenting on their favourite entries.

The winning artist, calculated by overall number of points awarded by over the next three weeks, will receive a new prize, ‘The EAC People’s Choice Award’ at the prize-giving ceremony at the Bankside Gallery, on 1st December.

Click here to visit the 2009 Finalists’ Gallery This also provides details of how the site works and how to vote. You can vote for three works with your first, second and third choices adding three, two and one votes to the score for the works concerned