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sidneyeileen — Sacred Kitten
Published: 2008-06-12 17:01:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 14560; Favourites: 395; Downloads: 0
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Description
Colored pencil on white paper9"x12"
8 hours of work
Model: A sacred birman kitten, courtesy of ~claudiabirmans :[link]
This drawing was another attempt to achieve the same impact on white paper that I can achieve on black paper. I'm still not quite there, but I do like this drawing very much. Any thoughts, comments, and critiques are welcome. Yes, I know that the left eye is slightly larger than the right. My bad.
To create the whiskers, I used workable fixative on the otherwise finished piece, and then added them in white watercolor pencil.
Edit: Apparently, I need a new monitor. The "cutout" effect and over blue-ing were both a result of poor digital editing of my scan. After seeing a couple of the comments, I checked the image on a friend's computer and could see both, neither of which were visible on my own monitor. In fact, the image looked a bit yellow on my monitor. Hopefully the problems are fixed now. Thanks for letting me know.
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Comments: 164
I'm sitting here at work at lunch and I clicked on this and REALLY exclaimed "oh my god!". This is absolutely stunning. I love the use of the stark white paper and all the detailed feathering of the fur with the gray color. And of course those brilliant eyes. This is a fantastic piece of artwork!
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Your image is are featured here 
Please let me know if you want it removed from the feature
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You have inspired me to draw again! I haven't in wuite awhile........thank you
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Beautiful composition! I love the intensity of the blue eyes. Also like how you kept it really detailed in the face and softened the outer areas. Good luck at the fair!
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Wow, beautiful work!
I thought it was a photograph. o_o
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those eyes are sooo awesome!! man color pencil???
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hey again!
I have a question - what pencils did you used? watercolour or normal?
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Prismacolor Premiers. 
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well my friend sayd that it's better to use usual pencils for fur etc
but i still thik that watercolour pencils are more soft
but i remember you wrote that use derwent chinese white - thats the only pencil i've already found (i was in a artist shop yesterday - and there was no watercolour derwents - they say all was sold!!! lucky me XD )
i thought that i can buy some hard pencils for fur also like white and black and maybe you will give an adwice what colours also
i hope i am not too anoying )
btw the watercolour pencils i want to buy is 72 derwent set - [link]
and there is some faber castells selling per one )
i think it's better to start if you have a lot colours
because it's hard to asderstand how to mix or jusy choose colours. It's simple in watercolour painting but un pencils... sounds hard
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The watercolor pencils are softer than regular colored pencils. The Derwent colorsoft pencils are softer than the Prismacolors.
For colored grounds, the softness of the pencils has advantages and disadvantages. The softer pencils tend to show up better, but the harder pencils hold a point better. The binder also affects how strongly the pencil shows, which is why I use the Derwent white. Derwent's pencils are oil-based, and Prisma's are wax-based. The oil-based whites (Derwent and Lyra Rembrandt) are far more opaque than the Prisma white.
For white grounds, opacity is also a concern, but it affects the style of your drawing more than whether or not the drawing is possible. Familiarity with your pencils will help in this area.
I would suggest buying just a handful of pencils in each brand you are considering (a small tin or selection from single-purchase) and trying them out. Figure out which brand (or brands) you like before investing in a large set of pencils. There is a lot of personal preference involved, and the large sets are expensive.
Yes, the large sets are worth buying. You can achieve a measure of color mixing through layering, but it is impossible to mix colored pencils like you can with paints to achieve varied colors. Even the watercolor pencils are more difficult to color mix than traditional paints, and if you want to use them dry you are just as or more restricted than with conventional colored pencils.
Something you might consider (since you already paint?) is mixed media with traditional watercolors and conventional colored pencils. Use the watercolors to create the dominant color and shading, and add colored pencil for the details. I have also seen ink used this way to great success. Again, you'll want to buy just a couple colors of each brand and make sure they will apply over each other. I tried this with Prismacolor watercolor pencils, but the waxy binder made it impossible to draw over with the Premier pencils.
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Oh Sidney! You comment was so usefull. I've learn some more things. Thats so great that there is such persons like you - who are a professional artist and can use all materisls very weel plus know a lot about them. And at the same time you still reply on questions (I believe you recieved them hundreds per day)
Thsnk you very much again. 
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You can also ask the people who work in the art supply stores near you, because they often are artists and may know a lot about the mediums they specifically sell in their store. If the particular person you ask doesn't know about your particular mediums, ask them who works there that does, and when will that person be in? A lot of the information I have about binders and whatnot, I learned from the owner of an independent art store I buy some of my supplies from.
Art forum web sites (the kind where you find serious art discussion, and not teen angst drama like what lives in dA's forums) can also be a huge source of information. The good forums will have sticky topics or specific areas where common questions about art mediums and techniques have been thoroughly discussed and may be read by anyone. If you don't find your answers in the sticky topics, post your question. You will receive more than just one person's perspective on the question, and links to other relevant discussions and web sites. The forum I like and where am periodically active is WetCanvas! [link]
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i love the effect of the blue eyes on the white canvas!
one question: what type of pencils (or other tools) did you use to draw this?
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Thanks!
It's Prismacolor Premiers on smooth white paper, finished with fixative to prevent wax bloom. I start by sketching the major lines, which get erased as I color each area. It's the same procedure as my tutorial for drawing on black paper.
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thank you very much for replying!
and sorry for all the questions, im just very curious (as u may have noticed) X)))
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It's no problem. I enjoy conversing with people.
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that's good because i talk a lot too x)
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This is just sooooo cute
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Gorgeous piece of work, sidneyeileen =] Beautiful, beautiful eyes O_O
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I featured you in my journal, hope you don't mind!
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I don't mind at all. Thank you very much.
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