Most of my life I have been fascinated with colour. Not a particular colour simply colour. No doubt there is something to be said for black and white sure, all of these drawings originally are black and white done by a Scottish artist- Johanna Basford- a self-proclaimed 'ink evangelist', she is an illustrator whose work I have been quite taken with.
I first began colouring about two years ago as a therapeutic release from the daily grind, I needed something to keep my mind occupied other than that of my past nemesis. Adult colouring books were suggested by a friend, I received the first book from this same friend and enjoyed it so I explored the options.
Having had a past partner that is an artist in many a 'medium', I was more than aware there was a much larger 'spectrum' out there. For both the artwork to be coloured and the methods or 'mediums' of doing such. That first book came with its own set of pens, very cheap, crappy sort of brush pens...they were fun but I knew there were so many better options as I had used some in the past.
Off to the local Opus art store I went.
I first began colouring about two years ago as a therapeutic release from the daily grind, I needed something to keep my mind occupied other than that of my past nemesis. Adult colouring books were suggested by a friend, I received the first book from this same friend and enjoyed it so I explored the options.
Having had a past partner that is an artist in many a 'medium', I was more than aware there was a much larger 'spectrum' out there. For both the artwork to be coloured and the methods or 'mediums' of doing such. That first book came with its own set of pens, very cheap, crappy sort of brush pens...they were fun but I knew there were so many better options as I had used some in the past.
Off to the local Opus art store I went.
|
|
This of course was not the first time I had been in an art store, far from it. Being a Red seal chef by trade, I am an artist in my own right, so I would have been the proverbial 'kid in a candy store' in a place that sold professional knives and kitchen equipment sure, but an art store does run a close second for me. I enjoy creating things with my hands.
Whether that 'thing' is a canape, a terrine, a stuffed loin of pork, or one of these colourings. All take time, all take great patience, and all can be- when finished; quite astonishing to behold.
It is very unfortunate that the scope of the colour in these representations cannot be fully appreciated here, simply because of this program I am using. The depth of the colours in some of these up close is amazing due to the quality of the pens I was using- not just me and my abilities...sometimes my sense of colour is a tad askew, I admit.
That artist I mentioned, she has on many occasions made this point clear. In my own defense though, I could kick her ass when it comes to creating a smoked salmon pinwheel. That's my realm, hers is traditional artwork. As wonderful a cook as she is we each have our own specialties when it comes to 'art' per se.
The pens used in these pieces are referred to as 'pitt pens' from Faber-Castell, and let me tell you they are not cheap, but it is most certainly reflected in the quality and the array of hues available....
Whether that 'thing' is a canape, a terrine, a stuffed loin of pork, or one of these colourings. All take time, all take great patience, and all can be- when finished; quite astonishing to behold.
It is very unfortunate that the scope of the colour in these representations cannot be fully appreciated here, simply because of this program I am using. The depth of the colours in some of these up close is amazing due to the quality of the pens I was using- not just me and my abilities...sometimes my sense of colour is a tad askew, I admit.
That artist I mentioned, she has on many occasions made this point clear. In my own defense though, I could kick her ass when it comes to creating a smoked salmon pinwheel. That's my realm, hers is traditional artwork. As wonderful a cook as she is we each have our own specialties when it comes to 'art' per se.
The pens used in these pieces are referred to as 'pitt pens' from Faber-Castell, and let me tell you they are not cheap, but it is most certainly reflected in the quality and the array of hues available....
|
|
|
|
|
|
As you can see in these images, two different depictions of the same drawing, one with a background and one without. The artist herself is well known around the world and I have seen some of her work that has truly amazed me simply from the choice of the 'medium' used. Thing is all she has done is supplied the drawing and each individual then adds their own personal touch to have a final product they can call their own.
Sure Ms. Basford is still the 'artist' of the drawing, yet these can give such a feeling of accomplishment once finished, it can be almost overwhelming. |
|
|
|
The image above is by far my favorite to this point. I of course had to name this one as it took me the better part of three months to complete. Seriously-three months. This one is different from the rest as it is an actual canvas and not just a print on paper. 10 by 10 on a canvas board, the detail on this print was ridiculous, and so small in many places I was not sure the pens would work. For a couple of reasons- they do have a large 'nib' (not sure if that's the proper term) but this was so tiny in some spots, and really as with painting, one can't take things back. At least with pencil you can erase things, not so with pen. Again I consulted this artist friend about using these pens on canvas as I was a bit leery of doing such, and she told me that it would work, sure but it would definitely destroy the pens....it did. But the final product and the way it turned out, I didn't much care. You really need to see this one up close to appreciate the intricacy involved and achieved here. I was very pleased the way it turned out. This was a set of three prints included above with this print was the 'Seahorses' and the 'Marine Palace' aptly named I thought, by the artist. The one above I used my own name, whom I will credit John Cleese and the Monty Python gang for their 'Fishy, fishy, fishy fish' skit. To me it just seemed so fitting. Below are a couple of these framed, they do make quite the conversation pieces I must admit. The one on the right I gave to a friend as a birthday present and it hangs in her home.
|
|
'The Red Door' right next door here, is another one of my favorites, again these photos are not doing the prints justice, if you have an inkling to see them in their full glory, they are all on instagram (josephpwillson) also where the true colours do really shine through. Surprisingly this one I did in a matter of days as it is not quite so delicate as some of the others. I started with the door itself and then just built up the colours around it, let's just say I was on a mission to finish with this one- no real reason other than I wanted to see what it looked like completed.
The idea when I was doing the canvases of paint came up, and my artist friend did eventually send me some paint to try along with brushes and the pertinent information about gouache and all that...I am still somewhat horrified at the idea of me painting-so that has not happened yet. One day, as I have finished all of the canvas I had and still have not found any new ones- but when I do that will be the next foray for me.
Having said that I have recently purchased a new set of 'Staedtler' pencil crayons just to switch things up a bit. Truthfully I am finding them harder to use than the pens. To say I was surprised by this would be an understatement. Think about it, who didn't use colour pencils in school right, were they hard to use? NO-of course not. I guess colouring maps and the like in grade six geography class is a little different than what I was attempting here. Perhaps the fact that I hadn't picked up a pencil crayon since grade six may have something to do with it also, who knows. The closet I came to this was colouring with my daughter when she was little but those were crayons...a bit different, and it was okay if I coloured outside the lines, although it upset her immensely when I did!
The idea when I was doing the canvases of paint came up, and my artist friend did eventually send me some paint to try along with brushes and the pertinent information about gouache and all that...I am still somewhat horrified at the idea of me painting-so that has not happened yet. One day, as I have finished all of the canvas I had and still have not found any new ones- but when I do that will be the next foray for me.
Having said that I have recently purchased a new set of 'Staedtler' pencil crayons just to switch things up a bit. Truthfully I am finding them harder to use than the pens. To say I was surprised by this would be an understatement. Think about it, who didn't use colour pencils in school right, were they hard to use? NO-of course not. I guess colouring maps and the like in grade six geography class is a little different than what I was attempting here. Perhaps the fact that I hadn't picked up a pencil crayon since grade six may have something to do with it also, who knows. The closet I came to this was colouring with my daughter when she was little but those were crayons...a bit different, and it was okay if I coloured outside the lines, although it upset her immensely when I did!
|
|
|
That's my daughter in the middle in case you were wondering, she not that little anymore, but she is still the by far the prettiest picture on this entire page. Anyway, as for the pencils, at first it was hard to accept that the colours were not as brilliant as the pens but I am getting used to the softer shades, the less bold the statement with the subdues colours. Again a work in progress, and who knows, I have used watercolour pencils in the past so I may give them a go in the future. I better get used to the paints first though, me thinks...
|
|
|
When I was in the addictions treatment program what seems like so very long ago, one of the things I needed to do more than anything else was to keep my mind busy. Idle minds as the saying goes....so because I had never actually graduated from high school even though I had already graduated from college on a couple of occasions, so really for all intents and purposes I did not need the diploma for any practical purpose. Regardless I did decide to complete my grade twelve. One of the courses was an advanced English class where on of the final projects was to either design a website,(no clue how to do this) or to write a children's book, and of course illustrate the book at the same time.
So I go back to earlier point of when it comes to being an 'artist' well- this form of art, drawing- I personally do not believe it is something I have ever excelled at. Leave me the food to design as that really is my forte... So below are some of the works that went along with that soon to be published children's book...enjoy my simplicity.
So I go back to earlier point of when it comes to being an 'artist' well- this form of art, drawing- I personally do not believe it is something I have ever excelled at. Leave me the food to design as that really is my forte... So below are some of the works that went along with that soon to be published children's book...enjoy my simplicity.
|
|
|
As you can see these are not that of a professional artist by any means. This of course is what give them there charm. This is only a few of the drawings but it gives you a bit of a slice of what the book will hopefully become once I convince a said someone to redo these from the perspective of an actual artist's renderings instead of my own musings as to the fact that I am an artist in this medium. I'm not. I know it. I mean geez, most of these were done with a sharpie for Christ's sake! I'll keep you updated as to my powers of persuasion for the artist's collaboration.
|
Back to the pencils, I guess now that I have been using them a while I am really starting to see the subtle or perhaps not so subtle in some instances- differences between them and the brush pens. Although I still can appreciate the vivid colours of the pens and quite honestly do prefer them, the subtlety of the pencils has also come to be something I can appreciate now that I have a better knowledge of their nuances. To the left is a much better representation of their actual colours should you see it in person compared to the same print above and its lack of any real presence. The one above really has no 'pop' to it yet it is simply a different camera shot of the same thing. Interesting no?
The one below although not quite as bright simply because of the colours used- the pressure on the pencils while colouring was much lighter also, so it does not stand out as dramatically. The same is to be said for the print to the left of the flowers, one of the first I attempted with the new pencils. I have to say they are growing on me. But I do miss the pens, I think shopping at DeSerres is in order...a local Vancouver art store if you are not a citizen of this of so rainy city I call home. 
|