Jesse Lane creates the richness and feel of a photographic oil painting with colored pencils.
When most people think of colored pencil, they recall something they did as children with scribbles of color. Traditional painting is seen as much more refined. It is richer in color, value and subject matter. However, more and more over the last few decades, fine artists are turning to colored pencil, and thus colored pencil is gaining recognition in the fine art world.
Colored pencil and paint are more alike than you may realize. Both are made with a combination of pigment and binder. At their cores, these two media are essentially the same. So what separates a colored pencil drawing or doodle from a colored pencil painting? One is the type of pencil, but more importantly, it’s the artist’s approach. In colored pencil painting, there’s a level of richness similar to oil paint.
I create my images to have the richness of oil paint and the reality of a photograph. This helps me communicate emotion through my work. When an image is rich in color and contrast, it has more punch and a stronger presence. The image is recognizable at a distance, drawing viewers even from across a room.
I achieve the richness of oil paint in a variety of ways. The first way is layering. I prefer paper with a bit of tooth, or texture. A rough paper handles more layers of pencil, which allow more pigment and richness. I begin each portrait by building large, light layers of color, usually tans or browns. At this point, I am establishing values more than colors. Like many painters, I work from general to specific. Next, I introduce a broader range of color. I lightly apply layers of pink, yellow, purple, orange and sometimes gray or green to the tan base layers. This creates variation, making the skin tone more natural.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Fresh Eyes
Anna Rose Bain discusses the passions of being an artist and helping students transform their own work
The Next Level
Jacob Dhein uses a wet-into-wet technique to create painterly depictions of a variety of subjects
Wild Spirit
Alternating between broad glazes and fine details, Claire Milligan captures the intricacies of the animal kingdom
The Bridge Between
Watercolorist Thomas Wells Schaller delves into the nuances of observation and imagination
The Color Continuum
Catherine Hearding demonstrates how she utilizes color to enhance the mood of her landscapes
Points of Precision
A strong focal point and attention to detail make Nicola Jane's artwork jump off the page
BE YOURSELF
Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you
JEFFREY T. LARSON
Expertly Putting the Pieces Together
Hot-Blooded
Blending elements of realism and surrealism, figurative artist Anna Wypych’'s paintings are dominated by vivid reds
Adam Clague Incandescence
Adam Clague’s masterful understanding of contrast allows him to paint subjects that seem to glow from within