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22" x 28" - Wax-based Media (Colored Pencil and Artist Crayon)
Created with the Icarus Drawing Board.

I finished this piece just in time to enter it into the 19th Annual CPSA Juried Exhibition. There's something about this group of pebbles, linked together by water, that reminded me how we are all connected, socially and otherwise.

This year the Colored Pencil Society Convention will be in Dallas, Texas. I will be demonstrating the Icarus board at the CPSA trade show Saturday, July 16, from 9:00 to 2:00.

I have a short demonstration coming up on Saturday, April 30th, in conjunction with the Los Angeles CPSA district chapter meeting. Click this link for directions.

Icarus Art is now on YouTube. The first series of video clips is a short introduction to the Icarus Technique and the Icarus Drawing Board. You can see how I organize my workstation and how I use some of my favorite tools.

I have also posted a video on how to create a monotype with the Icarus Board.

This is just the beginning. I will upload more videos soon.

I'm working on a very detailed pebble piece. I'm combining Prismacolor colored pencil, Neopastel oil pastels & Neocolor artist crayons on Colourfix paper. I'm eager to show you a small (2"x2"), abstract close-up of my painting (18"x18") and explain the shortcuts I've taken to get around all the details.

1. Photo Cropping

2. Line Drawing

1. This is a cropping of  the original photo. Even though it's very blurry you can still see all the intricate details.

2. On my line drawing I focus on the essential lines and not the confusing details.

3. Blocking-in Colors

4. Melting

3. On the cool zone I block-in the colors with a combination of oil pastels and artist crayons.

4. I move my artwork to the warm zone of the Icarus board (high temperature) and melt all the colors with a color shaper. The waxy pigments settle into the hills and valleys of the paper, leaving plenty of texture for further layering.

5. Preparing Eraser

6. Lifting Color

5. I'm preparing my Sakura battery-operated eraser by cleaning and flattening the tip on sand paper.

6. Here you can see how easily the pigment is lifted from the surface. By using the flat edge of the eraser point, I can achieve a very fine line.

7. Lifting Color

8. Finishing

7. I lift all the waxy pigments until the white of the paper shows through.

8. I can now develop the colors and values and finish the details with colored pencils. During this phase I lower the Icarus Board temperature to a medium setting.

This shortcut allowed me to work from "large" to "small" without getting bogged down in details too early in the process.

On step #1 I layer on the cool zone process red, pink and white colored pencils over light blue artist crayon (see more on "layering" on previous post). I use the side of the pencil, not the point.

After moving the paper to the warm zone I start blending with a paper stump. Here, again, I’m using the side, not the point, and make small circles as I blend. Step #2 shows you the blending in progress.

On step #3 you can see the end result: a very smooth and flawless color gradation. This technique will allow you to blend a large area in a very short time.

#1 - Color Gradation

#2 - Color Gradation

#3 - Color Gradation

As you can see on step #1, it’s impossible to layer a hard medium over a softer one. The pink colored pencil can only make indentations and scratches over the light blue artist crayon. Here is where the Icarus Drawing Board can help you.

On step #2 the thick layer of crayon is thinned out on the warm zone with a gray paper stump. I use the side, not the point of the paper stump and make small circles until I'm left with a thin, saturated layer of color.

After moving the paper to the cool zone, I’m now able to easily layer colored pencil over artist crayon (see step #3).

#1 - Layering Colored Pencil Over Artist Crayon or Oil Pastel

#2 - Layering Colored Pencil Over Artist Crayon or Oil Pastel

#3 - Layering Colored Pencil Over Artist Crayon or Oil Pastel

The Icarus Drawing Board is featured on Alyona Nickelsen's new book "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" in the "Helpful Tools" section.

Colored Pencil Painting Bible

Icarus Drawing Board on P. 9

Read an Icarus Drawing Board review on Heather Mewis' blog "Feathered Friends Mementos".

A new smaller Icarus Drawing Board measuring 14"x20" is now available for sale.

Read about the Icarus Drawing Board on Teresa Mallen's November 2008 Newsletter. You might also enjoy her blog: Teresa Mallen Studio.

The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California was this year's host of the 14th Annual Conference of the American Society of Botanical Artists. Icarus Art was one of the exhibitors and I demonstrated my new Icarus Technique to the numerous attendees.

ASBA Conference 2008 (1)

ASBA Conference 2008 (2)