Bateleur Eagle Surveys the Savanna
COLOUR PENCIL
Paper: Fabriano Artistico extra white hot press, 280 x 380mm, 140lb
Pencils: Derwent Lightfast
Reference: my own photos and material
Woohoo! I only managed to get a piece into an exhibition without smuggling my work in at the dead of night!
After three years of shrewd and considered investment in an extensive colour pencil portfolio, I decided in Spring this year that it was high time that I joined the very nice people at the UKCPS. The UK Colour Pencil Society that is, and not the UK Car Parking Service, a parking enforcement company with the same initials but not such nice people, and rather shockingly no knowledge of colour pencils either!
I figured they probably had a good addiction support programme, or I could at least make some good contacts in the art equipment supply chain, so very much a win win.
They posted several notices about their annual Open exhibition and due to Covid, the exhibition was moved online and the deadline extended.
I have had a busy period treating patients and thought I wouldn't be able to make it, but predictably, with just three days left before the deadline, I decided I ought to make a first attempt to get into an exhibition. Nothing like a bit of pressure!
Your own reference photo materials were needed, so a quick caffeinated scan through my Phillips Archives unearthed some hideous pics, some fair to middling ones and even the occasional ooh la la that's nice ones. With time a ticking, one was selected, edited, primped and prepped in record time. Let battle commence!
I opted to go for my delicious Lightfast, on account of their all round swoony loveliness and how well their colour range suited this handsome fellow.
Double coffee rations, smoking pencils, a clock ticking and the theme tune for Countdown repeating constantly in my head helped me along to a swift conclusion and I actually managed to submit the piece for consideration!
And here you have it... my Bateleur Eagle, plumage intact, albeit slightly ruffled. I had a lot of fun and little sleep drawing him over a couple of much needed rare days off and am absolutely thrilled to have been juried in to the 2020 UKCPS Nature in Art annual open exhibition! So many fabulous artists submitted work, no idea why they chose me too, but I am delighted all the same!
A huge congratulation to all who were accepted. All the fabulous entries will be available to view when the online exhibition goes live on September 15th I believe, so very much worth a look. 😊
