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.

From My Studio...

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous summer and I hope you are having a wonderful autumn. Things have been quite busy in my life which is why I haven't published a newsletter sooner. I had a wonderful time at the Coloured Pencil Society of America's convention and exhibition in July. If you would like to read about my trip and see pictures, click here.

New course dates for Coloured Pencil Basics have been set for this fall. We start October 24th so if you are able to join us, don't delay in registering. Please see the classes section below for details.

Also, don't miss my announcement regarding classes in 2010.

Remember the on-line art show I had planned? As I didn't get details for submitting entries out this summer as I had intended, I think this idea had better be put on hold for now.

Finally, if you know of someone who is interested in the coloured pencil medium, please tell them about this newsletter.

Off we go...

So...Newsletter Group Members, is anyone interested in being featured in the next issue? I need a volunteer. Pease drop me a line if you are interested. You do not have to be a professional artist to be featured. Hobby artists and newbies are welcome. My email address is teresa@teresamallenstudio.com . I can't wait to hear from you.

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."(From the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald.)

ANNOUNCEMENT: Please be advised that I will not be offering any classes in 2010.

If you would like to know why I have made this decision, you can read more on my blog by clicking here.

I have one more session of Coloured Pencil Basics being offered in my studio this year. We begin on October 24th and there is still room should you wish to join us.

Coloured Pencil Basics shall be held over three Saturday mornings starting October 24th, continuing on October 31st and November 7th, 2009. This is a great introduction course as it provides everything you need to know in order to 'paint' with coloured pencils. Students learn how to correct mistakes, how to create colours on the paper as well as experiencing the difference it makes when working on a variety of papers and surfaces. Also covered are stroke techniques, how to burnish cp pigment so it looks like paint and much more. To read all of the details about this course please see the classes section of my website. You can also register from that page. Secure on-line payment options are available.

Fellow art blogger (she works in watercolour), Laure Ferlita posted a fantastic tip on her blog. Do you ever struggle when setting up your still lifes to get things to stay where you put them? Laure suggests using double-sides tape! What a great idea. To read about her wandering cherries, click here.

This month's question comes from Newsletter Group Member Sandra Wong who asks: "I have some watercolour paper. Is it okay to use coloured pencils on this?"

Great question Sandra. There are no right or wrong papers when it comes to coloured pencil. Coloured pencil artists use all sorts of surfaces such as printmaking paper, watercolour paper, sanded pastel paper and other supports. It really comes down to whether or not the paper gives you the look you like. Some papers can be quite smooth while other papers might be textured. This will affect the look of your work. You will also find that some papers allow you to lay down a lot of pigment while others won't have enough texture or tooth to make this possible. So by all means, try the watercolour paper. Why not compare it to the other papers you have worked on? It really just comes down to personal preference.

Thanks for you question Sandra. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please email me at teresa@teresamallenstudio.com.

Keeping Laure Ferlita in the spotlight (she was mentioned in the tip section), do check out her newest site for Imaginary Trips (click here). Perhaps you are wondering what exactly an imaginary trip is or more specifically what this has to do with art. Laure has come up with a fabulous concept of offering classes in exotic locations without having to actually go there!!! As Laure says on her site, "Just imagine the fun and excitement of exploring wonderful new locations - without the hassles of luggage, or the expense of airline tickets and hotel rooms." If you are curious to know more, check out her site or contact Laure if you would like additional information. Just to be clear, Laure is a watercolorist, not a cp artist but hey, I know some of you work in other media so do check out this innovative approach to painting trips.

I find installation art rather facinating and when the installation is out in a field, well that is even better. Fieldwork (according to their press material) is an open air gallery promoting thought provoking, site specific work in a rural setting for viewers to discover. You can check out the website by clicking here. You will see that the most recent installation features very large bunny cutouts and squares entitled "hares and squares". What a neat thing to see if you were driving down a country road and just happened upon this sight. The installation is in a field near Perth Ontario.Like all installation art, there is a concept here and you can read the posts to get the meaning. Did you know that the Jackrabbit or European Hare, Lepus europaeus, is non-native to the countryside of Ontario? It is believed that Jackrabbits are decendents of captive hares imported from Germany that became feral in the early 20th century when they escaped from a farm near Cambridge, Ontario. Ah, but do you believe everything you read on the internet? :-)

"I have a question regarding using photos for reference. I took the attached photo of a baby woodpecker who visited one of my birdfeeders. I have to laugh every time I look at it because he's just hanging off the feeder! I would love to make this into a good drawing. If I could just get rid of the staff that's in the way. Some could probably do that in photoshop but I'm not that good at it. Is there enough to make it an interesting drawing or is this just a photo that's interesting to me personally? He has the cutest bug eyes!!!"

So to get started, first you asked if this would make an interesting drawing. I think the photo has potential. From what you mentioned in the email, I gather that what you liked about the photo was how he was clinging to the feeder and you also liked his eyes. If you are able to capture these aspects in your art, I think you will have made it the image you had hoped for. The striking colour of his head would be fun to render!

I think you are right in that the picture would make better art if the pole and the decorative ‘vine’ were not in the way. It looks rather busy and it takes away from the woodpecker. I would just draw the woodpecker as though this metal wasn’t there. The challenge will be to render the missing bits of the bird and his feet. Getting the slant of his head/neck down to his shoulders will need some care but I think the missing wing bits, tail feathers etc shouldn’t be difficult to add in. If you have any bird identification books, they might have helpful pictures or perhaps you could find a photo on the internet that would help you fill in the missing bits should you get stuck.

As you can see, I cropped your photo (see pictures below) to see how it would look without all of the space on the left of the bird. I think this helps put the focus on the bird. You might want to crop it even more – getting rid of more of the feeder on the right and cropping the photo more at the bottom. This would really make the woodpecker the center of attention. I have included a second cropped photo which hopefully helps you see my suggestion.

I would probably draw seeds inside the feeder as I think it would help the viewer understand that the bird is hanging onto a feeder and I also think seeds would be prettier to look at than an empty feeder. You could draw in some sunflower seeds as well as the mixed seed that the feeder contained. I would also leave out the round cylinder shaped part of the feeder (located in the center of the feeder). This gets my attention visually and it isn’t necessary for telling the birdfeeder story. Without it, the viewer will still know that this is a birdfeeder.

Finally, you mentioned his bug eyed look. The key to conveying this will be making sure that you put the strong highlight into his eye as you see it in the photo.

As you can see Sandy had no trouble leaving out the metal bird feeder hanging post. She definitely captured his clinging to the feeder pose and his bug eyed expression so I am sure she is quite happy with the piece. I especially like the dark values Sandy used in his head , beak, eye, feet and feathers. Great job Sandy!

Sandy has been busy with her cps since working on the woodpecker. Do visit her blog to see more of her art. Her URL is: http://artjourney-sandy.blogspot.com.

If you are new to my newsletters and you would like some help, 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! 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 for members 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 also remain anonymous in the newsletter if desired. I look forward to hearing from you.

If you live within driving distance of Ottawa, mark Novemeber 28 and 29, 2009 on your calendars. It is time for the Red Trillium Studio Tour! This November marks the 21st tour featuring the area's leading artists and artisans. I was honoured to be juried onto this tour some years ago and I am delighted to have the opportunity to share my work with all who can come out that weekend. In the past, I was a guest artist but since moving to our current home, things have changed. My studio location is perfect for the tour so this year you will be able to visit me in my home and view my art in my studio. I shall have two guest artists displaying work in my living room. For all the details, please visit the tour website by clicking here. I look forward to seeing you!

I hope you are enjoying my latest peas in a pod piece as I post my works in progress. If you are a new Newsletter Group member, please know that I write an art journal blog. In my blog I post pictures of my works in progress. I talk about what inspires me and I share details of my process. There is lots of other info on my blog too. I have been blogging for over a year and a half now and I have written a lot of posts. I have a section on my blog, entitled Featured Writings that I hope you will find helpful. I have compiled some informative blog posts from the past year (topics include getting into galleries and marketing art). These featured writings can be found in the right hand side bar. Just look for the artsy buttons!

You can check out my art journal blog here: www.teresamallenstudio.blogspot.com. If you like what you see, why not sign up to subscribe via the RSS feed or via email? Just look for this info on the sidebar of the blog. You can also become a follower of my blog, just look for the 'follower' widget in the sidebar on the right.

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.

My Motivation Monday series of writings on my blog is finished for now but if you missed it just look for the Motivation Monday button in the righthand sidebar. I will post more motivating thoughts in future.

Well it was a good idea but...I apologize to any of you that might have been working on something for this show. I will resurrect this idea in 2010 when I have more time to do the work involved as images are submitted.

This newsletter is for you, so please feel free to participate. Send in images of your art for show and tell. If you have a question, please ask. If you need help, just shout. If you have a helpful tip or suggestion, send it along. Perhaps you have a business or website you would like to promote. Don't be shy, why not get involved?

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

(If you would prefer to not receive a newsletter notice 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