All Things Strathmore Paper

Show Notes:

Season 2

336 - All Things Strathmore Paper

This week John and Barb are inviting back artist Sara Prentice to talk about Strathmore Paper.

Sara discusses some of the company history, differences in paper types, and how Strathmore was the first to bring the toned paper to market.

You’re bound to learn something new about paper and this company as you listen to the conversation today!

Strathmore Website: strathmoreartist.com

Strathmore on Instagram: @strathmoreart

Sara’s Instagram: @saraprenticeart

Questions for Strathmore, go to: https://www.strathmoreartist.com/contact.html

Links and references from the show:

If you ready to learn more about Strathmore, then sign up for their quarterly newletter:

https://www.strathmoreartist.com/artist-newsletter.html

Sara Prentice Podcast Interview

Sarah Becktel Podcast Interview

As always, you can reach out to the show if you’d like to offer any suggestions: podcast@sharpenedartist.com

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For rough-cut, early-release, and ad-free video versions of the podcast, join the Member’s Circle.

The podcast is also supported by Amazon Music Unlimited. If you're looking for a new music streaming service, Amazon Music Unlimited will be perfect. It features 70 million songs and thousands of expert-programmed playlists and stations - all available ad-free! 

So check it out today by going to getamazonmusic.com/sharp We thank Amazon Music Unlimited for their support of the podcast. 

Artists Signature Chart (16-Page PDF E-book) - John’s List of 65 curated colors:

https://payhip.com/b/eP4cI/af60da3dce31c55

The special listener coupon code is “sharpart20” to get 20% off a single chart.

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Other Resources for Artists

Ready for personal, tailored art mentoring? Check out the new Art Mentoring program and how you can get started for free!

>>>Join the Monthly Sharpener: a NEW online community for colored pencil artists!<<<

Stay sharp!

Interview with Sara Prentice

Show Notes:

Season 2

335 - Interview with Sara Prentice

This week John and Barb are speaking with artist Sara Prentice.

Sara, an artist and marketing manager at the Strathmore Paper Company, is a Wisconsin native.

With a young child underfoot, Sara discusses her strategies for balancing art, a career, and family life.

She also offers advice for the complete beginner and how to get started acquiring the supplies you need without breaking the bank.

Listen in as she discusses some of her various roles at Strathmore. She shares how you can determine which paper might be best for your art, depending on the medium and your unique approach.

She discusses some of her favorite pencils and materials, and why she typically opts to work on a small scale. She expounds on why choosing not to work large can be more approachable, and how incorporating other mediums into your work can keep your work alive and fresh!

Sara’s Instagram: @saraprenticeart

Strathmore Instgram: @strathmoreart

Strathmore Website: strathmoreartist.com

As always, you can reach out to the show if you’d like to offer any suggestions: podcast@sharpenedartist.com

---

For rough-cut, early-release, and ad-free video versions of the podcast, join the Member’s Circle.

The podcast is also supported by Amazon Music Unlimited. If you're looking for a new music streaming service, Amazon Music Unlimited will be perfect. It features 70 million songs and thousands of expert-programmed playlists and stations - all available ad-free! 

So check it out today by going to getamazonmusic.com/sharp We thank Amazon Music Unlimited for their support of the podcast. 

Artists Signature Chart (16-Page PDF E-book) - John’s List of 65 curated colors:

https://payhip.com/b/eP4cI/af60da3dce31c55

The special listener coupon code is “sharpart20” to get 20% off a single chart.

---

Other Resources for Artists

Ready for personal, tailored art mentoring? Check out the new Art Mentoring program and how you can get started for free!

>>>Join the Monthly Sharpener: a NEW online community for colored pencil artists!<<<

Stay sharp!

014 Portraits That AREN'T Creepy

Topic:  How to render portraits in colored pencil

Intro:  Lisa and John discuss colored pencil portraits AND the new Colored Pencil Paper by Strathmore

Every single part of drawing a portrait is laying the foundation for the final product.  

Before beginning, it is good to know what I want the outcome to look like.

So for me, there are 4 areas that I am most concerned with:

1. The layout - Am I going to trace an outline of the face or am I going to freehand?  Where is the subject going to be placed on the paper or canvas?  

2. The focus in the face - If the focus is not going to be the eyes then that particular feature needs to be something that I think about and make sure that I keep that the focus.  As I’m progressing through my rendering of the portrait I am still thinking about that focus area.  In other words, just because I may be working on a cheek, I don’t want to become unbalanced in that.  In my effort to render a cheek I still want the eyes to draw the viewer in.

3. Values and three-dimensional rendering in the face - For example, if I am drawing a nose.  Then I want to keep in my mind that at least I know in my mind that this is a nose and it has an apex at the very tip of the nose.  The tip of the nose will probably be lighter than any other part of the face because the 3D rules dictate that I do that.

4. Building my values slowly - I do not want to speed things up and start quickly laying down pigment with pencils, just because I know there’s a large area that needs this one color.  I want to take my time and very slowly build up the values so that everything is in balance.  At any time I could stop drawing and call the piece a complete rendering- IF, I’ve kept the right balance.

For me, the face or subject matter is something that should have continuity.  It is sort of like water flowing down a river in one direction or a musical piece.  There is a balance with music.  We don’t all of a sudden in the middle of a piece, typically, change all the instruments and change the time signature.   But rather, there is some confluence in the piece.  There is some flowing from one musical portion to the next.  

Drawing is no different.  

There must always be a balance.