Atlantis Jellyfishes

This blog entry will be short since I already posted a couple of entries on this project previously. This is just to give a brief description on how I did the background since I've received queries about that already.

The first photo shows how I laid down the base color on the spread. I used very, very light and even strokes from one end to the other using Light Cobalt Turquoise 9201-154. After being done with that I introduced the darkest shade Prussian Blue 9201-246 from the edges where the light would fail to reach. I used the cross hatching technique when I introduced the middle tone which was Bluish Turquoise 9201-149.

When I do cross hatching I color to blend two or more hues by shading in squares of varying directions, one on top of the other. While also varying pressure this creates dimension and depth.

What I discovered again (the first time I saw this was when I colored the blue bear from Animorphia) was that when I introduced the darker blue the lighter blue seemed to lift from the page and come forward. Blue is after all a cool color, which recedes naturally when used with other colors. What was interesting to my eyes was how the lighter blue began to embody the character of a warm hue and, instead of receding, when observed next to a darker blue. Observe closely once more the above picture and notice how the lighter shade seems to float above the darker blue, like a curtain of smoke, or better yet bubbles rushing to the water's surface after being disturbed by the jellyfishes' movements. I immediately used this magical contrast to create more bubbles. In the end, what initially was a static rendition of the underwater world became a dynamic depiction of life in the deep.

I experimented with bubbles. I erased round shapes on the base, and only colored the insides after I have finished with all the layers. In that way the inside colors also reflect the same shades outside.

Here is a short clip of how I colored the big bubbles. I introduced varied shades of the blue inside it while leaving the outlines free of color. By the way, someone mentioned that another way to keep the outlines of bubbles white is to use a burnisher before laying the base color on the page. The burnisher will retain the shape of the image drawn even when colored over.

After leaving it for several days I thought I'd go back to coloring it again, excited to start with the foreground image below. Someone who saw my WIP posted on my Facebook account noticed the dots I drew on the yellow orange surface. I told her that the image looked boring up close without some kind of texture. After all that's what we delight to see when we peer into microscopes, how the actual surfaces look like. Well, there it is. Dotted :)

And here is my finished work. Have a great journey, coelenterates, I'm going to miss working on you guys. Wonder what they call a bunch of them, a school?

Mother and Child

The gray cheeks are so overpowering

When I started with this project I thought I was going to have to tweak my brains for it is in grayscale. This is a printed image from a painting done by Claudia Tremblay. Mind you I've never done anything not entirely white before, save for the outlines of the image. This one was going to need a different approach and I wasn't sure I was quite equipped to tackle it.

Indeed after doing the mother's serene face for a few hours using Faber-Castell polychromos flesh and pink tones I found the cheek's gray shade most challenging. Pencils just were not powerful enough to cover the gray areas. I left it at that, stumped with what to use next. I wasn't going to budge and resort to use pastels, those just weren't my thing, although I knew that a lot of grayscale artists use soft pastel and even oil pastel quite efficiently.

Anyhow, after two weeks or so I went back to this project one afternoon and decided to finish it just for the heck of it. I actually felt it was a lost cause.

After being done with the infant's pink skin coloring I was almost satisfied with how I was doing save again for the gray cheeks. (See image above) I was about to throw in the towel when I saw on top of my work area my new set of Gelatos which I've been experimenting with for no reason at all. I grabbed the light pink lipstick-like container and dubbed a bit on the baby's cheeks before spreading it around with the tip of a finger.

Description at the back of the package: These luscious Gelatos crayons glide on creamy vibrant color and blend beautifully with or without water. Tehy work great on surfaces like paper, canvas, wood or textile. Whether used for painting, stamping or as a spray - they are giving your creativity limitless possibilities.

It worked! The cheeks somehow lightened to rosy pink which overall makes the image appear more serene.

In my delight I took another Gelato, a deep yellow this time, and worked it on the entire background. I was done in an instant. After coloring the flowers and leaves with touches of pink, red and green with colored pencils I posted the work on my coloring pages, and personal page in Facebook. I attributed it to its artist, Claudia Tremblay, who posted this work among her other works in Pinterest.

Actually I saved the best part of this story for last. Towards the evening, a couple of hours after I uploaded this on Facebook, an old friend offered to buy it to add to her Madonna and Child art collection. No one has ever offered to buy any of my works before, this is my first time. I also thought it's a good thing I used Polychromos on this project, this image will remain this vibrant for a hundred years because of its high light fast quality.

The next thing I did was contact Claudia Tremblay through email to ask her permission. I also offered to pay royalty as well to this one work of hers which I had printed and colored and will be selling soon. She replied the following day and I was thrilled to know that she liked the way I colored her image and gave the nod to sell this one image. She also encouraged me to try drawing images on my own to color. I replied and told her that I was grateful for her approval and that I might actually do that in the near future. Actually I did it the following day, I doodled my own mother and child image since I already was missing this one which was to leave me in a few weeks. 

If you're still willing to read one more paragraph on this experience I'd just like to mention that while I was coloring the baby's features with slow and purposeful flicks suddenly the memories of all four of my babies came rushing back to me. At a certain point I even felt myself choking up. The delicate hands, the small feet, the chubby cheeks, they are all memories that are never taken from the mother. They will always be in my brain's tiny memory box where all the beautiful things in life that give me hope are kept. Sealed but never forgotten.

Flower Flicking

Hello! Today I 'll be sharing with you a technique I use in coloring flowers, I call it the flick technique. Yes folks we are going to flick flowers :) !

I have five video clips in this blog, and if you are patient enough you might actually finish all the way up to the 5th clip and learn something from my feeble attempt to do a video tutorial. I say that for the simple reason that my camera phone, or more accurately my phone, kept bailing out of me in the middle of my demonstrations. It keeps heating up and conking out. So I had to start from where I left off every time in the following clip. Also, towards the end of each clip you will notice that the audio dies out and you will only be left with the video, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with your audio device, it's just the phone's camera getting ready to conk out again.

Anyhow, on the technique part, you should read these before you start:

1. In the video I forgot to mention an essential part for this technique to work its magic, and that is to keep your pencil tips pointy. Sharpen them well. I prefer them sharpened long and slender with a really deadly tip, as you would see in the video. In that way the lines you create with your flicks are distinct and not dull.

2. After finishing with the second petal I realized that I SHOULD NOT HAVE created the troughs and crests sideways but instead I SHOULD HAVE oriented them towards the center of the flower. Boink! Anyway, do you get what I mean? (If not, it's ok, just reread this after watching all five clips and hopefully you'll get what I mean) The folds or wrinkles in the petals should be generating from the flower's ovary or ovule. My bad, sorry. Anyway in my work that can be easily remedied by an eraser. But just so you wouldn't make that simple mistake I thought of calling your attention to that boo boo this early.

3. It would help if you use earphones when listening to the video. The noise outside our window sometimes drowns out my voice. Buying a microphone for my next video tutorial is already in my to-do list, for now though my phone's built-in mic should do.

So, hope you enjoy the videos and learn something for your next coloring project.

Oh, and please do tag me (coloristaph.blogspot.com or celeste lecaroz in Coloring Book for Adults Facebook page) when you post your completed works should you decide to apply what you learned here. I'd be one happy puppy :)

First clip: http://youtu.be/41Pq6jb4mpk

Second clip: http://youtu.be/_NK4DvM-a7E

Third clip: http://youtu.be/EzTiGUXOwCQ

Fourth clip: http://youtu.be/26tQwvnqBNg

Fifth clip: http://youtu.be/JxJoUZoQvt0

How to draw bubbles with colored pencils

From the coloring book Atlantis by White Star Publishers

Someone asked me how I did the bubbles and I said I erased the outline with a Koh-I-Noor pencil eraser after I've laid down the base color on the page. Someone made a comment and said one could also use a burnisher to do that prior to coloring on the page. The burnisher prevents the colored pigments from being absorbed by that part of the paper. I knew about that before and was glad I was reminded of that technique.

Anyhow, after doing the second and third layer the background now becomes darker. It's the right time to shade the inside of the bubbles since the color inside should match its surroundings.

The way to color is to move your strokes around following the spherical shape of the object. Also introduce darker shades of blue to add dimension. 

I didn't draw the ones with the black outline, that came with the image. I did the white bubble though.

The interior of the bubble should show the other side.

Finally I erased some lines to show the highlights. Did I already mention that I traced all the white outlines (including the highlights) with a white pencil (Luminance)? Yes I did, to create some opacity.

Here's a time lapse video of me doing three bubbles. Notice I left the outlines white. http://youtu.be/5yS-QC7j7X4

A Unique Pencil / Pen / Marker Organizer from Le Organize

I'm not part of Le Organize so I was thrilled to have been shown the prototype of this pencil organizer and consulted together with my friend Effie about the functionality of its design during its creative stages.

Now that it's available I can't wait to get one for me and several others for giving away this Christmas.

It's a very chic kit after all. It's versatile, it can be used for any coloring tool you want to lug around, including water brush pens, or hey, maybe even make-up brushes! It's also fun to use, just SLIP, FLIP, and FOLD. First you SLIP the colored pens or pencils in the strap, FLIP the cover to secure them, and FOLD to transform it into a handy kit for carrying around.

I think it being made of nylon is a plus especially since pencil markings can be easily washed off.

In its initial design stages my friend Effie and I, being fans of Colleen dual tip pencils, suggested to Eli, owner of Le Organize, to not use pockets for holding the pencils in place. Instead to have a design that shows both tips of the pencils for accessibility and functionality. 
The velcro snaps help secure the flaps in place which keep the pencils snugly intact when traveling.

Below are other details from its manufacturer Le Organize:

Dimensions:
When flaps are closed
Length 25.5 inches
Width 7.5 inches
When flaps are open
Length 25.5 inches
Width 10.5 inches
When Folded:
Height 7.5”
Width 5.25”
Thickness when empty 1 inch
Thickness with pencils 2.5”

Colors available:
1. Black / Green / Khaki Combination
2. Baby Blue / Purple / Khaki Combination
3. Purple / Pink / Khaki Combination
4. Red / Baby Blue / Khaki Combination

For Orders and Shipping Details check this link: Le Organize

Jellyfish in Atlantis: Experimented with Paint Thinner for Blending

Today I chose to color a spread from the book Atlantis by White Sar Publishers. I was attracted to the foreground-background digital layout of the jellyfish illustration and thought I could play around with the larger details up close while leaving the more distant images blurred.

I chose to use Polychromos pencils of Faber-Castell so I could go easy and soft, especially with the background. None of the wax bloom from wax pencils for now.

I bought Atlantis in Fully Booked for PhP 519.00

I started as usual with a faint background color as base, Light Cobalt Turquoise 9201-154**. For the parts of the jellyfish that I wished to leave white for highlights I shaded them with Luminance white colored pencil. The Koh-I-Noor eraser always came in handy from the start not only whenever I'd go beyond the lines but also when I decided to incorporate bubbles in my work. I didn't want them pencil drawn so I waited until I was able to color the entire background with the light blue to erase the outlines and create bubble shapes.

Koh-I-Noor pencil eraser, Polychromos Light Cobalt Turquoise, Luminance white

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Towards the afternoon I already was putting in the second, darker layer of the background. For the first time ever I tried using as a blender a paintbrush cleaner fluid (that's what it says on the bottle, Cleaner), it's actually a paint thinner which is a solvent. Its odor is quite strong so I kept it away when I wasn't using it. Interestingly the wet parts also on the reverse side of the page dried out fast and more importantly without any trace. The parts where I brushed over the thinner seemed to come together ok but not as dramatically as I had expected. I now realize why, in the past tutorial videos I'd seen, the artists would layer almost 20 times on an image with pencils and thinner, it's because the quality of the blended image cannot yet be achieved with just one coating of thinner.

I bought this from National Bookstore Megamall, the only stock left. It cost PhP100.00

Php 100.00 for this 75 ml bottle

Tomorrow I'll be picking up from here.

For the bubble shapes I erased the outline using Koh-I-Noor pencil eraser and colored it with Caran d'Ache Luminance white.

One of my photo references is this image from www.deviantart.com.

Lost Ocean Cave

This cave from Johanna Basford's Lost Ocean is among my more recent works. It was featured in Faber-Castell Philippines' Instagram and Facebook pages, also since I used Polychromos in coloring the entire spread. I'm the type who sticks to only one brand of pencil as much as possible when coloring a project.

With this project I wanted to try a different water image, something that shows a different perspective, from the bottom of the ocean looking up. For this I first picked three shades of blue (light, medium, and dark but not too dark), and white for the base of the water's surface.

On top of the white base I drew small waves with the lightest pressure I could apply. I didn't blend anything with a blender. I just left the lines raw. If you can see the white base on this first picture you should be able to distinguish faint lines that should appear as waves.

The second shade of blue I applied on the middle part, as usual using very light strokes.

For the lower part I used the darkest (but not too dark) blue, but also drew the ripples using some shades of phthalo greens this time. From beneath the ocean the ripples should appear to have shadows from under hence the darker shades. The outlines of the ripples were supposed to reflect the bright light so I erased those parts using Koh-I-Noor pencil eraser, really handy to have.

For the inside of the cave I had determined that the light source I wanted was the tiny Atlantis dome. I also wanted its light effect to fill the entire cave with an orange-y hue so I really didn't hold back on that color if you noticed.

Faber-Castell Philippines featured the work in their Instagram account, and I was just thrilled

Thought I'd show a close up of a part of cave from the left side

To date this has earned 490 Likes in the international page of 'coloring books for adults'.
I'm one happy puppy.