Why we need so many brands of pencils?

Have you had new pencils for Christmas? Maybe you treated yourself for a new brand of pencils because others spoke of their quality or colours. In any case, you may wonder why we have so many types and brands of pencils.

Pencils, all varieties of pencils, have characteristics peculiar to them. It all depends on the 'recipe' of the manufacturer and the purpose it aims to achieve in the type of pencil produced.

I have a wide range of pencils in my 'collection', but I don't see the seem that a collection, but rather a range of tools in my workshop. There is no one spanner which will fit all nuts and bolts. Same goes for pencils. I get to know my pencils well, by 'playing' with them and pushing them to their limits to see what they are capable of achieving.

So what is the deal then with the different pencils? I try to discover the characteristics and identify the possibilities of the different pencil brands. Of course, the personal preference comes into it, but don't be put off from exploring the brands you are not familiar with.

I have listed below so characteristics to help you discover the potential in your collection of pencils:

- Pigment permanence
- Wax or Oil based
- Soft and crumbly
- Soft and creamy
- Hard and crumbly
- Hard and scratchy
- Waxy and creamy
- Do they sharpen well without breaking
- Do they hold their point well
- Do they lose their point quickly
- How do they behave on different paper surfaces
- Are they water soluble
- Do they retain their colour after applying water
- Does the pigment dissolve well


I'm sure more can be added to the above list, but you can see from the above there are different but very useful characteristics. For example, if the pigment does not fully dissolve is not necessarily a bad thing; think of texture, sand on a beach etc.

Happy New Year! :)

Mo

FC Polychromos sale!

It seems that a number of online art shops are selling sets of 120 Faber Castell 'Polychromos' pencils at half price, i.e 120 for just under £100.   A bargain by any reckoning!

Two links have been received from UKCPS members:  (but there may be others out there!)

Studio Art Shop, Lancaster
http://www.studioartshop.com/acatalog/info%5f3222%2ehtml

Pullingers Art Shop, Farnham

http://www.pullingers.com/index.php?page_id=500188

Pencils for sale!

The following has been received by our Hon Sec. !!  :-

From: pencilwizard <pencilwizard@gmail.com>
To: secretary@ukcps.co.uk
Cc:
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:56:09 +0000
Subject: Coloured Pencils for Sale

Hi there,

I am not a member of the UKCPS but I am an artist who up till now has worked in CPs for over 10 years. I am not sure if you are the right person I should be contacting or even if you can help me, however I thought it was worth asking, so apologies if I have got this wrong. Due to a number of reasons I am having to part company with my CPs and have quite a bit stock left over which I am hoping to sell on. Obviously I want them to go to other CP artists if possible. The pencils I have are a mix of Karisma, Prisma, Verithin, Polychromos, and a few others. They have been used and some have not, but the used ones still have plenty of usage in them, and I have put together some bundles of 40 pencils each, and am asking £15.00 per bundle plus £3.00 p+p which will be second class. Payment does have to be paypal. They are not boxed so will be well wrapped to protect them on the journey. Perhaps you have some members who are on a budget or just starting out ? I have also made a post on the iart learning forum run by Melanie Phillips which has a CP board, and I have included a link below....perhaps some of your members belong to the forum or could be directed there to view the topic ? If anyone is interested they can contact me at this email, or through the forum if a member. Oh yes before I forget I am open to negotiations !

http://iart-learning.com/artforum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=12005

I hope I have not offended you by asking, and if it is not possible then no worries and thank you for reading my email.

Vic

Read my Blog for all the latest news and updates
Art With A Pencil

Pencils for sale!

This from Karen Coulson:

Hi Everyone

I have been sorting out and have a few bundles of coloured pencils I no longer want.
My son is going to Kenya in July to refurbish ( build) a school and each pupil has to raise £1650. as part of his fundraising effort we are clearing out and "car booting".
These pencils are far too good to car boot, and probably wouldnt be appreciated anyway.
So, i have...
33 assorted colours prismacolor pencils
48 assorted colours Karisma pencils
40 assorted colours Karisma aquarelle pencils
59 assorted colours Stabilo aquatico pencils
88 assorted colours Lyra Rembrandt pencils
97 assorted colours Lyra Rembrandt aquarell pencils.
these are all sets or part of sets I have bought to try over the years before settling on my favourites that I use now. Most are virtually full length, although afew are 3/4 size.

Any reasonable donation considered, i was thinking about 25p + per pencil?? plus cost of postage, would rather send by special delivery, so they are trackable.
So please get in touch via email if you are interested in any of them.
Thanks
Karen
art@karencoulson.co.uk

Pencils for sale!

UKCPS member, Diana Lowe, has 43 slightly used Inktense pencils for sale at .50p each.

Diana can be contacted via: dianaglowe@gmail.com

Try Coloured Pencils - on the Wirral

I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH ALL OUR READERS ALL THE HAPPINESS FOR THE NEW YEAR.
Alan

Beginners and experienced CP users alike will be welcome to join me at St Chad’s Church Hall, Roslin Road, Irby, Wirral, CH62 3UH from 9.30 am to 4 pm on SATURDAY 25 February 2012, for a friendly day of coloured pencil demonstration, and ‘Have-a-Go’ workshop.

Our guest for the morning will be Brenda Chappell, a
well-known Manchester artist, who will be demonstrating
techniques using the famous Caran D’Ache range of pencils.
Brenda is a regular demonstrator at art societies throughout
north of England, at Art Materials Live in the NEC, and at
the Patchings Festival. A former textile designer, Brenda
now specialises in flower paintings, but also produces landscapes
and portraits.

Brenda will demonstrate the use of the Caran D’Ache excellent
‘Luminance’ pencils, their water-soluable pencils
and Neocolor II range, and other products from the Caran D’Ache range.

AFTERNOON WORKSHOP
Dig out those old pencils you last used in school (or bring along last year’s birthday present), and
‘have a go’ with other pencil artists. Paper will be provided. Bring your own subject matter or use some of the photographs available.

and all this for £6 (MORNING ONLY) or £8 for FULL day!!!


Entry forms and further details available from me at:
Alan McMahon
32 Noctorum Dell
Prenton
Wirral
CH43 9UL

Tele: 0151 670 1680   Email: alanmacann@btinternet.com

Waterstones - book illustrator wanted!

Waterstones are looking for an unpublished illustrator to provide the illustrations for a fairy tale book by Michael Morpurgo, one of Britain's best loved (and best selling!) children's authors. To find out how to enter, plus full terms and conditions, go to www.waterstones.com/picturethis

Gayle Mason - Patchings Stand

Those of you planning to attend the Patchings Art Festival over the next few days may wish to meet UKCPS member, Gayle Mason, on her 'Gayle Mason Fine Art' stand. (Those who are not attending can visit her website at www.gaylemasonfineart.com or view her blog at www.pencilsbrushesdogsandcats.blogspot.co ). Amongst other things, Gayle has a selection of coloured pencil technique booklets for sale on the stand.

Pencil Museum - New website!

In line with it's 30th birthday celebrations, the Pencil Museum in Keswick has launched a new website (http://www.pencilmuseum.co.uk/) .

The new site is more user friendly, and features details of all the forthcoming fun days, events, and drawing demonstrations at the museum, plus a range of downloadable projects and drawing templates with a special emphasis on children's activities.

One of the new additions to the list of well-known artists demonstrating at the museum will be UKCPS member, Ann Swan, one of the country's leading botanical artists.

The birthday celebrations are a two day event over the 29th/ 30th May, and UKCPS will feature in the celebrations with the 'World of Coloured Pencils' exhibition which will be on display at the museum from 28 May to 25 June 2011. You will also have a chance to meet fellow members who will be present during the celebration weekend.

Graham Brace - in the news

Graham Brace, UKCPS member and a well-known CP artist, is chuffed to bits at the moment, and all because he is appearing as one of ten coloured pencil artists featured in the latest edition of one of France's premier art magazines, 'Practiques des Arts'.

The March edition of the magazine is promoting coloured pencil as an art medium, and features 10 international CP artists, of which Graham is the only UK representative, within its monthly 'Portfolio' section.

One of the other UKCPS artists featured is Ann Kulberg, the well-known American artist, and authoress of some excellant books on colour pencil art.

Call for Entries - 'World of Coloured Pencil'

UKCPS members will wish to note that the entry form, plus conditions of entry, for this year's 'World of Coloured Pencil' Exhibition at the Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick, are available online via the "Upcoming Events" link on the UKCPS website, or use the address: www.ukcps.co.uk/keswick_2011/ . Entry forms will be circulated to members in the next edition of Talking Point which is due out by the end of March.The deadline for entries, originally set for 9th April, has now been put back until 23rd April 2011.

The Exhibition runs from Saturday 28 May to Saturday 25 June 2011, and the start coincides with the Pencil Museum's own 30 year anniversary event. A special prize is on offer from the Museum for a best picture with a 1980's theme. Derwent Pencils will be awarding 'Best in Show' and 'People's Award', Leisure Painter Magazine are awarding for the 'Best Newcomer to Coloured Pencils', and UKCPS will be awarding for Reserve Best, Runner Up, and for the 'Best Local Group Member'.

The Pencil Museum's own celebratory event is being held over Sunday and Monday 29th/30th May, and will include free artists demonstrations and workshops, competitions, raffles, and childrens activities, with limited edition Derwent products available.

Coloured Pencil Experience Days

UKCPS artist Pauline Longley has been in touch to report that her CPE (Coloured Pencil Experience) day on 12 March is now fully booked, but there are still places available for the Collerton St Mary event in Devon on 26 March, and for the Holt, Wimborne, event in Dorset on 16 April. All the CPE events run from 10.am til 4pm.

A further event is planned for Saturday 4th September, to be held at the Mark Village Hall, Vale Road, Mark, Somerset, TA9 4NY. This event will also act as a collection point for UKCPS artists paintings which have been accepted into the UKCPS International Exhibition opening in Westminster Hall, London shortly after.

These one day events are good value for money (£10 UKCPS members, £15 non-members), especially if you've never tried coloured pencils as an art medium. All levels of experience are welcome, - just bring your own pencils, paper, and any reference photographs you wish to use.

NOTE FOR UKCPS MEMBERS: Contact Pauline if you would like assistance in running similar events in your area.

Application forms and further information can be obtained from Pauline Longley:

Telephone: 07813 332914 or Email: pauline@paulinelongley.co.uk

For information about Pauline herself - visit her Members Blog on this page, or view her Gallery on the Members Gallery page of the UKCPS website - http://www.ukcps.co.uk/

Derwent 'Inktense Blocks'

The new Inktense Blocks (see the Blog entry for 12 February) are under discussion by the UKCPS Executive as they try to decide whether they should be defined as a 'coloured pencil' - given that they consist of the same Inktence pigment, but shaped in a pastel-like block without any wooden surround.

What do readers think?

Derwent News

Derwent Pencils are a valued sponsor to UKCPS, so I make no apologies for recommending a visit to their website: www.pencils.co.uk. In particular, it's well worth a look at their own blog : http://www.lovepencils.co.uk , where there is a good review of their new Inktense Blocks - solid blocks of water-soluable Inktense pigment in similar size to a pastel, and there is also a colouring Logo competition for you to enter!

If you are new to Derwent products, then click on the 'Hints & Tips' tag on the homepage for downloadable PDF files on various uses of their pencils, or similarly, click on the 'Contact Us' tag, and then click on the link to Youtube for videos of their products in use.

Alan

The Coloured Pencil Experience!

Because of the success of previous 'Coloured Pencil Experience' workshops in Somerset, Pauline Longley is now taking bookings for three more workshops in the South West (She's a glutton for punishment!).

1) Somerset: 12 March at Mark, near Burnham-on-Sea, with Bev Lewis & Pauline. Only 4 places left.

2) Devon: 26 March at Collerton St Mary, Paignton, with Juliet Eden, Ann Roberts, & Pauline. 9 places left.

3) Dorset: 16 April at Holt, Wimborne, with Karen Coulson & Pauline. 12 places left.

These workshops are an ideal chance to indulge in a day with 'coloured pencils', especially if you've never tried them before (you don't have to be a member of UKCPS to take part!). The worshop includes demos, slide shows, helpful critiques, step-by-step drawing, and much more.

UKCPS members: £10, non-members: £15

Email Pauline at: pauline@paulinelongley.co.uk for more information and application forms.

Would you be interested in attending a similar workshop in your area? Contact Pauline for further information.

UKCPS Open International Exhibition 2011

2011 marks the tenth anniversary of the UKCPS and we want to make the 2011 exhibition a bigger and better celebration of both coloured pencils and our Society than ever before. Generous sponsorship by Faber Castell’s UK distributors, West Design, means that we have the opportunity to have a much larger event in a prime location, opposite Westminster Abbey in London. The venue is the Methodist Central Hall which some of you may know from the Botanical Society’s exhibitions. As well as being conveniently placed and easy to reach at the heart of London, the venue has sufficient space for the Society to do much more alongside the Annual Exhibition to celebrate coloured pencils and our Society’s tenth birthday. The event is a three-cornered one;

• Faber Castell, themselves celebrating their 250th anniversary, will be displaying their full size pencil sculptures and a range of products for sale
• Speight of the Art Foundation will be running workshops for children
• UKCPS Annual exhibition.

There is a full programme of workshops, details of which can be seen on the website, and we also want as many demonstrators as possible and people who could help out, supervise the “have-a-go” facilities and act as stewards. Helpers may sell their goods, with commission to the Society.

Members, please apply to Pat Heffer (exhibitions@ukcps.co.uk) if you are able to offer help in any way - the more helpers we have the less the load for individuals.

Everyone start thinking now and preparing your innovative coloured pencil masterpieces and note there will also be a separate mixed media class (predominantly coloured pencil work). Full details and entry forms are now available on the website.

Workshop at the Workhouse

A short while ago, Lesley Sharman held a successful coloured pencil workshop at the Ripon Workhouse Museum. This was her first try at teaching and it obviously worked as she has been asked to do it again and full details of future events can be seen on the website.

Here's Lesley's report of the event in October.

Eight people attended (the maximum number that I’d decided on), who came from far and wide. One lady travelled over 70 miles to attend after spotting the event on the Workshops page of the UKCPS website, another came from 60 miles away, and two were from about 20 miles away. They were all keen to try out something different from the usual watercolour painting classes and some specifically wanted instruction in using coloured pencils.

As everybody was new to CP I started with the basics, explaining about equipment and techniques and let them experiment with different types of pencils and papers. The afternoon was taken up with following step-by-step instructions for three different-coloured bell peppers which I had prepared.

Derwent very kindly sponsored the event, and I also explained about the Society and handed out flyers, so hopefully we may soon have some new members from up North.

To my relief, the day was a great success and everybody went home happy and proud of what they managed to achieve.

I had very positive feedback and I recently repeated the workshop. The lady from 60 miles away returned with five other people from her local art group, and they have asked for more. I now have a waiting list of people wanting to learn about coloured pencil, so I think this might well be the start of my running regular workshops in Yorkshire, building on the first one to cover different subjects and techniques. Watch this space!

Richard Klekociuk - Drawing Prize

Our international member, Richard Klekociuk, in Tasmania, Australia won the Drawing section of the 23rd Cradle Coast Rotary Art Exhibition at Ulverstone, on Tasmania’s Northwest Coast.

Natural Graffitiscape

60 x 40 cm. Prismacolor and Polychromos pencils on Canson pastel board

copyright Richard Klekociuk

As Richard said in his blog:

This year’s exhibition attracted 250 entries vying for 10 prizes featuring painting, drawing and mixed media.

I was fortunate to win the same section last year, and was thrilled to win it a second time.

In this drawing I ‘dragged’ the natural marks and colours of the rocks down, across the lower half of the composition. I like the balance of realism and abstraction.

You can see more of Richard's work on his recently updated gallery page at the UKCPS website and his own website.

Steve Ormerod visits W Yorkshire Local Group

As reported in an earlier post, Steve Ormerod gave a demo at the UKCPS West Yorkshire Local Group in Baildon.

Steve Ormerod prepares to start his demo

Group organiser, Roy Lorrain-Smith, reports:

Twenty members and friends of the West Yorkshire local group had a treat last night (10 November 2010). Coloured pencil artist Steve Ormerod came to Baildon to give a demonstration of his way of working. He brought with him a selection of his completed coloured pencil works and talked about them, explaining how he had achieved various effects -- or where he now feels he went wrong, and how he would tackle such problems now.

He talked about various ranges of coloured pencil, notably Derwent Drawing, Graphitint, Inktense and Coloursoft, showing how he worked with them to achieve many different features, from backgrounds through flesh tones to highlights, and working both dry and wet with all of them (water soluble or not). He did not hesitate to use other media such as pastels with pencils. "I use all sorts of things to get the effects I want," he said. And showed how, with erasers to improve texture, and the wrong end of a paint brush for whiskers -- animal or human. We could also see that one at least of his palettes had been promoted from making ice cubes in someone's freezer, and he revealed that as revenge one of his best watercolour brushes had been briefly commandeered by the pastry cook.

He was informative and witty, and the evening was a great success. We all had great fun.

Pencil Me In

Artwork by Karen Coulson UKCPS

Pencil Me In is an exhibition at the The Discovery Centre Gallery in Winchester which features work by UKCPS members Karen Coulson UKCPS, Elizabeth Diggins, Jess Knowles and James Brinsford.   Subjects range from the natural world to the world of fantasy with a common theme of wildlife and the countryside.

The exhibition is being held to coincide with Big Draw month, was opened by the Dean of Winchester at a private view earlier this month and remains open daily until the 6th November.

To coincide with Big Draw month this exhibition presents work by a group of artists who share an enthusiasm for drawing using graphite, coloured pencils, charcoal pencils and pastels. Subjects range from the natural world to the world of fantasy with a common theme of wildlife and the countryside.

Also on display will be a number of fascinating items highlighting the history of pencil making on loan from the Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick.

Drop in and Draw day - Wednesday 27 October

Drop in on Wednesday 27 October during half term and create your own colourful cut-out leaves, flowers, bugs, fruit, and birds to add to our Tree of Life.

Art materials for these ‘Drop in and Draw’ days have been kindly donated by Derwent.

The Discovery Centre Gallery is in Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB and the exhibition is open Monday - Friday 9am - 7pm, Saturdays 9am -5pm and Sundays 10am - 4pm. Admission is free.

There is a car park adjacent to the Discovery Centre which is a few minutes walk from Winchester rail station. Parking is free on a Sunday. Park and ride operates on weekdays.

Artwork by Jim Brinsford and Jess Knowles

South Hampshire Local Group

The South Hampshire Group of the UKCPS meets every 6-8 weeks at either Romsey or in Waterlooville near Portsmouth.  Contact Karen Coulson for further details.