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Please not that all the images, artwork, photos and text contained in this newsletter, are the copyright of Teresa Mallen and any artists that are featured. The images, artwork, photos and text may not be copied or reproduced in any way unless written permission has been obtained.

Hi everyone!

So summer is really here. What do the next eight weeks hold for you?

I hope you make time to explore the wonderful world of art. Why not take a sketchbook on vacation? It doesn't take much room to pack a small sketchbook and a pencil. If you are entertaining children this summer, try to include some artsy projects. How about a collage featuring some small shells from the beach? Don't forget Jan Brett's wonderful website as a helpful resource for projects for kids (mentioned in the May newsletter).

You can also treat yourself to some art magazines. Grab an iced tea, sit on a deck chair and enjoy!

If you are visiting new cities and towns, don't forget to look for galleries to visit.

Of course, I know you will be sharpening up your coloured pencils too! If you would like to dive in and get working on something, have a look at the kits section of the website. Order now and you can have your kit(s) to take with you to the cottage.

The possibilities are endless...so no excuses, make summer 2008 an art filled summer.

www.teresamallenstudio.com

Last month I reported that I had a painting, Jack Pine Kaleidoscope, accepted into the 16th Annual Coloured Pencil Society of America Exhibition, Seattle 2008. The painting has since been framed with acrylic (instead of glass - exhibition rules) and my husband crafted a wonderful shipping container. I received confirmation that the painting is safely in Seattle and is now installed in the exhibit. How groovy is that?! It will be on exhibit from July 2nd-Sept. 28 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. The exhibition is open seven days a week, until 10:00 p.m. They expect an attendance of 65,000 people for the month of August alone! This show is exclusively coloured pencil so if you are in Seattle this summer or early fall, do check it out!

If you are new to my newsletters here is how it works. It is really quite simple. If you are a Newsletter Group Member, you can obtain free, helpful advice right here! Do you feel you need help with something? Perhaps you have a piece that you would like me to review and to give feedback on. Perhaps you have just started something and you are unsure if you are heading in the right direction. Maybe you have a photo picked out and you are wondering if it would make a good painting. We learn from following another's process and this feedback is being offered as a way to learn from each other. If you have something you would like help with, email me a photo or a scanned image and we will go from there. You can always remain anonymous in the newsletter if desired. I look forward to hearing from you.

Not sure how to become a Newsletter Group Member? It's easy, just email me to become registered!

"Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement." Henry Ford

I am not teaching during the summer months but if you would like to know what classes are schedule for FALL 2008, just visit my website. You can find complete details on each course there.

A reminder: While my new studio is very spacious, space is still limited. So...in order to avoid disappointment, please register early to secure your spot. This also lets me know how much art supplies will be needed for a course. Post dated cheques are fine.

"Could you please describe the process you go through when doing a painting? I seem to flounder about. I thought if I could understand your approach, it might help me."

I decided to answer her in my blog. If you would like to read my answer, you can read the following blog posts - starting with Friday June 13th "the process of painting", then Thursday June 19th "my coloured pencil painting process" and Friday June 20th "my coloured pencil painting process continued".

Are you reading my blog and would like to share your thoughts? You can click on the comments section at the end of each post to read what others have written. If you have a google account or are willing to open one, you can also leave a message. If you would like to make a comment but you don't wish to leave a message on the blog, why not write me an email? I would love to read your comments, no matter how they reach me.

Our first Newsletter Group member with a question for this month is Sharon Case. Sharon asks "I can't seem to get the results I want from my pencils. Could the problem be my paper? I am using a large sketchbook for my coloured pencil drawings."

Yes Sharon the type of paper you use does affect your results. Sketchbooks come in a variety of styles. Some have thinner sheets of paper, some have thicker. Usually the front of the sketchbook indicates the weight of the paper by referring to it in X number of pounds. The higher the number, the heavier the paper. Paper can be in shades of white - from bright white to almost cream. Sketchbook paper can also vary with regards to the surface texture of the paper. If the paper is quite thin and very smooth, your coloured pencil work will look different than if your paper is thicker, with a more textured surface. The texture or tooth of the paper is what determines how many layers of pigment you can put down. Smooth papers take fewer layers as there is less for the pigment to grab on to.

If you are not happy with the results you are getting with your sketchbook, I would suggest you go to an art supply store to purchase some different papers. You can buy single sheets of paper. You don't have to buy pads of paper if you don't want to. Coloured pencil can be used on all printmaking paper surfaces, as well as watercolour paper or pastel paper. Why not do some experimenting on the different papers? I think you will quickly see how different coloured pencil work looks based on the surface you choose. Good luck and have fun!

The second question comes from Pat Berger. "I just bought a set of Prismacolor pencils. The pencils do not seem to be arranged in any order. Do you know if they are grouped in any specific way?"

Good question, I hear this a lot from my students. I think it seems logical to people that the manufacturer would package the pencils according to some sort of colour grouping but they don't seem to. You will probably find it easiest to work with your pencils by grouping them yourself according to colour. For example you could place all of the blues together, the greens, the yellows etc. You could use even go so far as to use a colour wheel as a guide. This would give you an idea as to how certain colour families flow from one to the other. If you are worried that you aren't grouping the pencils correctly, don't. There is no right or wrong way to store your pencils. Just place them in such a way that makes them easy for you to work with.

If you have a question you would like me to answer, just email me at teresa@teresamallenstudio.com.

First up is coloured pencil artist Laura Hardie. You may have seen her listing on my blog. Laura lives in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Her blog address is www.portraitartistsblog.blogspot.com.Here you can see her works in progress. Laura also has a wonderful website: www.petportraits-bylaura.com. You can see her gorgeous animals by clicking on the gallery section. While she does work in other media, I am especially fond of her coloured pencil work. For me her work is special in that each piece has such a quality of freshness about it.

My second artist is portrait painter Stephen Bennett. His website address is www:theportraitpainter.com. Stephen gets great joy in traveling the world to paint indigenous peoples. Do click on his 'world portraits' section. I love these portraits!! His use of color is stunning, innovative, captivating and beautiful. Stephen Bennett has also founded a non-profit organization called "Faces of the World". This organization has a mission of "increasing cultural pride and affirming the importance of indigenous cultures". The website is: www.facesoftheworld.net. What a headline statement, "uniting humanity, one face at a time". I love it when artists are able to combine their art with a desire to make the world a better place. Wonderful!

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this newsletter and that you were inspired. My goal in this newsletter is to encourage you and to provide with helpful ideas and resources that will aid you on your artistic journey. This newsletter is for you so please feel free to participate. If you have a question, please ask. If you need help, just shout. If you have a work that you would like to share (that is, you don't require 'feedback'), please send it along. We would all love to see it! If you have a helpful tip or suggestion, send it along. Don't be shy, why not get involved?

(If you would prefer to not receive a newsletter in future, please email me. Put 'remove' in the subject line and you will be deleted from my mailing list.)

Teresa Mallen Studio	Coloured Pencil Artist
	www.teresamallenstudio.com