Ryans thread

ok all this is my thread that I will post any questions and pics on so if you see this at the top pf the messege board then take a look, well my question is should I get some prismacolor corored pencils, there expensive but are they worth it and what makes them different from any othere colored pencil. 51

Basically they aren't cheap because they're good. They have a more pastel texture and lend themselves to blending better. I wouldn't do my entire portfolio in them however, no matter how good they are. I imagine some people would accept a portfolio like that, but professionals want a grasp of all of your skills, just not how you do with colored pencils. I would use them for flash, some other projects, but I would also plan to include charcoal, oil and acrylic, photography, and any and everything else you have some mastery over. The reason why you only see prismacolor illustrations here is because they're great for quick (relatively, as opposed to a large painting for instance) brilliantly colored projects. But don't be fooled into thinking that because that's all you see on an interenet forum, that's the only thing that's involved in making a good portfolio. If you want to be impressive (which I imagine you do) you should not only buy prismacolors, but charcoals, and acrylics, and oils, and film......

Yeah, they are expensive, yeah they are worth it. Good supplies are always worth it. They are the bomb. Buy em. They are nice and creamy...

Prismacolors are very nice. I've always used Laurentien myself, though. Because of the creamyness, prismacolors can be a bit crumbly but Laurentiens are more likely to have their leads broken *inside* the pencil. Nothing's ever perfect. And please do take the very good advise of using all sorts of mediums. How's the sketch/notebook coming?

Is a 120 pack of premium prismacolor colored pencils for $103.00 a good deal or would I be getting ripped off. 51

Hobby lobby has them on sale...120 for one third off every 3 months...just to save ya some money and you do not need that many anyway a good basic set of 24-36 is adequate...buy other stuff ( charcoal pencils, workable fixative decent pens etc with the rest!

yea ive mainly just been using prismacolors, charcoal and just plain old pencil. but ive really been getting into oil pastels after seeing some of the stuff Sean Herman has been doing with them, you should check out his artist page. its been alot of fun trying new stuff with them. i think you should definitely try them out for something new to add to your portfolio

You know what i really love, water soluble oil pastels! I know it doesn't make any sense but they are really creamy, brightly colored, and a lot of fun to use. I can't remember the name, and I can't reference MY pack because the freakin airport took them because I stupidly thought that because they were solid they could be taken as a carry-on. They also threw away my watercolors, but that I can understand, I guess, even though they were solid at the time. Oh well, guess I'll be buying some more of those oil pastels! They come in a green pack, when I find out the name I"ll let you know if you're interested! Dana

Aquarelles?

Blood from chickens....*WHACK!*...sorry....

Aquarelles?

.....but their eyes make good blending stumps...*CRACK!* ...JUST KIDDING!

Another medium to consider trying is permanent marker (yup). I grabbed a set ( the fine tip ones) of 24 colors for under 20 bucks. I wasn't able to get a complete color scheme as far as shading is concerned, but god damn does it every jump off the page. After a little while of playing with em, I've been able to make some interesting lookin stuff. The fairy and the rose that I posted were both done with the pens...The only problem with em is the "no doubling over" rule...can't hit the same spot twice or you darken the shade. Jeremy

Another medium to consider trying is permanent marker (yup). I grabbed a set ( the fine tip ones) of 24 colors for under 20 bucks. I wasn't able to get a complete color scheme as far as shading is concerned, but god damn does it every jump off the page. After a little while of playing with em, I've been able to make some interesting lookin stuff. The fairy and the rose that I posted were both done with the pens...The only problem with em is the "no doubling over" rule...can't hit the same spot twice or you darken the shade. Jeremy

ok guys tell me if I should just shut up and get back to work, or if this is kinda normal, I have this piece I drew today at school and it looks really nice, but I dont really feel like coloring it, it feels like I'm being lazy but idk, I dont want to color it without wanting to and fuck it up, but I do want to get it done, any thoughts 51

got a light box anywhere? see if you can trace it, color one, leave the other how you want it...I've had pictures I didn't want to color, but I've also had others that I felt needed to be colored in order to do justice to the picture...either way, color it, if it doesn't turn out the way you wanted, do it again :), lol. Jeremy

no but I got tracing paper, but I dont think you got the picture, I was saying that I want to color it but dont feel like doing it right now, the question is are my being lazy or is this just normal 51

ooh, gotcha...yeah, you're just being lazy, which is normal? lol :P now I'm off to work, and sadly I dont' mean on my art. Jeremy

If you aren't feeling it right now then step away from it for a minutes or two or day(s), whatever.... But at the same time look at it this way.... say you do an outline on someone but you don't feel like coloring it in... Are you just going to have the person come back when you are in the mood?

The best piece of artistic advise I've ever gotten was at a seminar with Robert Bateman. He said to never be afraid of wreking your own work. You made it, it came from you, so you really shouldn't be too intimidated by it because you could make it again if it came down to it. If you're really nervous, photocopy it a few times and work on the copies. Actually, that's another good thing for you to do. Make some copies of a line drawing of your own and practice using different colors, shading, and texturing effects. I think that would be a really impressive portfolio piece if you put your heart into it. Fuck...I think I'll do that myself when I get some free time later in the week.

ok guys I need some advice, what is the best book that you would recomend for me to buy that would help me greatly on shading, preportioning and all that good stuff 51

you could buy a book or you could buy eight.... but I'd reccomend a drawing class. You'll learn a lot more and you can ask questions. The instuctor can actually help you. Any college or family rec center around you should either provide classes or at least be able to point you in the right direction. I have a million drawing books that my family bought me as I was growing up. I find them useless. Now ART books on the other hand will inspire you. Those are the ones you will actually look back to and use forever. Find some nice printed collections of artists you like and invest. Now if you're dead set on getting a how to book, don't be a fool about it. I'm sure that there is a library where you are from. Just get a library card and then you can find all the reference books you want. You'll save a lot of money and you wont be at a loss if the book you choose doesn't give you what you need.

Robert Bateman is simply amazing, your lucky to have learned from him! Lillian, can we some of yer art? Art you a tattoo artist?

I'll see what I can throw together today. Most of my work is gone from the first shop I worked at. I'm not a tattoo artist...just someone who got half-trained under the guise of apprenticeship...long story. Anyway, new art thread coming soon. (let's bump down some of these web-politic dramas)