@Sumarra
Sumarra Pethran

Sea Dragon
Sea Dragon by @Sumarra (Sumarra Pethran)

(03.03) This one popped into my head as I was trying to fall asleep and was so playful that I had to draw it. I feel like it's a mix between eastern and western style with a splash of otter thrown in for good measure. I was chatting with some other artists and found some tricks to using Pencil Crayons, so I decided to try them out. I don't think I will ever do a full page with only that medium again since it took close to 12 hours to color, blend, and shade. Done on 9"x12" Bristol.

Category:
Rating:
Everyone
Class:
Finished Work
Submitted:
19y9d ago
Tags:
None
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Comments & Critiques (4)

Preferred comment/critique type for this content: Any Kind

Posted: Saturday, 19 November, 2005 @ 12:09 PM

Awesome. Methinks one of your best on here. It's said you have some of your best ideas right before bed. Or something. Absolutely adore this one. Great Creativity that you have. Kudos. All your shtuff is beautiful; but you knew that already ^_~ Cha.

Posted: Saturday, 19 November, 2005 @ 03:04 PM

Thanks for the wonderfull compliments. It really perks me up to hear that my work has been so enjoyed.

It's true, and it's cruel at the same time. I've had the muse attack my consciousness many times before bed and deprive me of sleep. Only they don't always turn out this good. :P

Posted: Saturday, 19 November, 2005 @ 01:02 PM

well you used the colored pencils wonderfully. i a glad you took the time to finish this. do you have any tips for using colored pencils?

Posted: Saturday, 19 November, 2005 @ 03:21 PM

Thank you for the compliment! :)

Tips? heh, yes. I would highly recommend, however, that you experiment with markers or watercolors as base coats and basic shading for any art. Then use the color pencils for detail, depth, and more shading.

But it is always good to start by using nothing but color pencils to get a really good feel for the medium and learn it's limitations.

I have a very old set from Berol Canadiana which I'm told was the predecessor to Prisma Colors. Try different brands and find the one that you like best. Art stores will usually have indivual pencils that you can buy so you wont have to get a whole pack just to test. Or borrow a friend's set.

Using different pressures on the pencil will vary the shade of the color you're using too but if you press too light you will get a lot of texturing or white space, and if you press too hard I find it's a waste of the pencil, using it up too quickly. This is where I bring in the colorless blender. It's just like any pencil but it has no pigmet, it's simply a waxey solid tip. This will make the colors uniform on the page. Sometimes it lightens the shade a bit but it's worth it for the professional outcome. Experiment on a scrap before applying it to your work though.

I also employed an eraser after blending everything. This lightened up the musculature for more shading effects. I really love how pencils do that... markers and water colors aren't that easy and precise.

I used a lot of colorless blender on this image and found it created a wax coating that protects the art... it also made it difficult to scan because it was a little reflective. It also prevents you from adding any marker or ink to the image too because it seals the paper.

There are other blenders made with paper out there so experiment with them as well. Let me know if you discover any new tricks too. I'd love to learn more.

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