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November 05, 2007
Fiddling with fine pens and coloured crayons
The use of crayons* has been dealt an unfortunate blow by geography lessons. Crayons are now synonymous with colouring-in – a mind numbing occupation suitable only as a distraction from the main reasons why the USA is or is not a major exporter of wheat. [I can’t remember which as I was too busy giving the wiggly coast well deserved attention with the blue crayon.]
But crayons, good crayons [Caran d’Ache Prismalo II are the crayons of choice here at the studio], are an excellent way of applying colour in a lively fashion to a drawing.
So when a company wants some illustrations for their newsletter out come the fine pens and the drawer of crayons.
But first things must need to be blocked out and prepared with line. And I go from the 16th century straight into the 21st century. From pencil to Photoshop. I’m drawing a newspaper advertising stand, and need the lettering in perspective. I could do it without Photoshop, but it takes a lot less time if I take full advantage of the tools available to me, and the skew tool in particular.
write it straight:
skew it:
then trace it into the drawing:
*For anyone reading this over the seas and far away to the west, by crayon I mean coloured pencil, not wax crayon.
Posted by john at November 5, 2007 04:04 PM
Comments
Aaah Caran D'Ache - the very name fills me with joy for I was given a huge box of them one Christmas many years ago and oh! the colours! We rather primly called them Pencil Crayons.
Posted by: Daphne at November 5, 2007 08:36 PM