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Our latest Newsletter - Graphite pencils, Hare Tutorial, Pastels, Blenders & Pastelmat

14/3/2022

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There are five articles covered in our latest newsletter, which are:
Graphite pencils for beginners
Having overhauled the original article, it's worth checking out (again) if you are new to graphite.
Unison pastels
What makes these pastels so special? We share our findings in this article.
Clairfontaine Pastelmat
Are you an artist, looking for suitable paper? Find out more. Ideal for pastel artists and can be used for other mediums too.
Blending with coloured pencils
If you are a coloured pencil artist and want to learn how to create smooth blends, this article offers lots of hints and tips.
New tutorial for coloured pencil artists
Our latest tutorial shows you how to draw a Hare.
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You can click any of the image below to visit each article. 
If you are not currently a subscriber to our quarterly newsletter, you can sign up here.
Derwent graphite pencil set and pencil accessories




​Starting out with graphite pencils

​Are you thinking of trying graphite pencils but unsure what you need or where to begin? Which brands should you buy? We have put together a comprehensive article for artists like you who are looking for some guidance. It can be overwhelming when there’s so many products available but we have broken it down into sections to provide you with lots of useful information.


​


Learn how to draw a Hare in coloured pencils

​Are you new to coloured pencils or new to animal art? Maybe you just love Hares? In this tutorial we show you how to draw a Hare in coloured pencils. By providing you with images and written descriptions, we endeavour to make it as easy as possible for you to follow.
Click the image to try this tutorial
coloured pencil drawing of a running Haare and Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils

Tools for blending coloured pencils - pencil blenders, pen blenders, powder blender, burnisher, zest-it solvent


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Blending products for coloured pencil artists

​In this article we show you how to achieve smooth, mixes  of colour using blenders and solvents. We explore each product and show you how effective they can be in your own pencil work. We cover pencil blenders, burnishers, blender pens, powder blenders and solvents. Click the image to read the article.


​


Unison soft pastels

​Unison pastels are one of the finest, soft pastel ranges available. There is very little binder, so the pastels are more vibrant, due to the pure pigments found in the ingredients. They are easy to apply as a result of their softness and they blend extremely well. Find out more about the background of this family run business based in Northumberland in the UK.
Unison soft pastels Botanical set of 18

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Clairfontaine Pastelmat

​This paper is held in high esteem, especially among pastel artists. In this article we analyse the performance features of this paper in depth, and explore its capabilities when used with other mediums like; coloured pencils, watercolours, oil pastels, charcoal and acrylics.
Click the image to read the article.

Have you tried any of the products we mention in this post? If so, what are your thoughts? Any preferences? Maybe you have a favourite art product? Share it with us in the comments, and tell us what you like about it and why. Let's share our knowledge among other artists.

Our current favourite product is the Sennelier oil pastel. Creamy, highly vibrant and great fun to work with. Perfect for use on the pastelmat paper too!
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Derwent Onyx pencils - An artists review

5/3/2022

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​Feeling moody? Look no further, Derwent Onyx is our blackest graphite pencil, even darker than a 9B!
Great on its own for drawing really moody pictures or use it with other graphite media like Graphic or Sketching pencils to add dense shade and tone.
We have created two tones, medium and dark, but it is easy to build up darker shades if you need them by increasing the pressure. The wide strip can be easily sharpened and will hold a fine point, perfect for capturing the detail in drawings!


​Taken from the Derwent website - www.pencils.co.uk
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​These Onyx pencils were created by Derwent to add darker shades to their graphite pencil ranges. 
You don't need the full range of graphite pencils to create effective art, and this set, comprising only of a Medium & Dark grade would be ideal for those on the go, who like to sketch out in the field or those who prefer the minimal amount of art supplies (I'm sure there's some artist out there like that!?) 
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In this article, we explore the possibilities of these pencils and their characteristics.

Derwent Graphic v's Derwent Onyx tonal chart

​We decided to research this product online and see what other artists are saying about these pencils, but found mixed reviews. Some noted the Dark grade was as black as Derwent suggests, but others said it was not. There is little information about these pencils on the Derwent site, but they do state that they are lightfast (rated 8 on the Blue Wool scale) and that both pencils contain animal fat in the wax blend. 

As you can purchase these pencils for under £2.00 each, we decided to buy them and try them out ourselves.
​We created a chart below, comparing the grades of the Derwent graphic range and the Derwent Onyx pencils. We include it here so you can see the difference for yourself. We applied the pencils as heavily as possible to ensure the darkest tones were replicated.
Colour chart showing the Derwent graphic range versus Derwent Onyx pencil grades

Our findings

We have created a tutorial using the Onyx pencils, so people can examine for themselves what they can accomplish. It gives you a chance to learn how to draw facial features whilst trying the pencils too. Using other tools to blend and erase, will help you create highly effective drawings, without the constant need to change grades. For this reason, these pencils are ideal for sketches on the go and take up very little space in your bag. The medium pencil can create the finer lines and the Dark grade allows you to create shade, either heavy or light.​

Personally, we do not feel that the Dark grade is darker than the Graphic 9B, but what do you think?
Facial features created using Derwent Onyx pencils
Click the link below and try our graphite pencil tutorial. The Derwent Onyx pencils are used in this tutorial, but we do recommend two standard grades of graphite pencils in the place of the Onyx ones, should you wish to use those instead.
Try this tutorial out

​What are your personal experiences with these pencils?
​Do you use them exclusively or in conjunction with other brands?
Do you find them useful?

Let us know in the comments section below.
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2020 1 & 2 Day Art Workshops plus latest articles & mini tutorials

3/1/2020

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2020 Art Workshops

Workshop booklets from Karen M Berisford's 1 and 2 day Coloured pencil and Graphite pencil Art Workshops in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK
I am currently in the process of organising this years art workshops and will be included in the winter newsletter which will be Emailed out to subscribers hopefully by the end of this month. All details will be posted on the step by step art CHESTERFIELD WORKSHOP page once available and added to social media pages for this site & my KMB social media pages too,  ensuring a larger audience reach.

Every year I choose 3 or 4 subjects for the Coloured pencil & Graphite pencil workshops which include varying techniques and surfaces to previous years, ensuring each workshop is different to another. Coloured pencil workshops using textured paper are somewhat easier for a complete beginner than the workshops working on smooth paper, however every workshop available  can be attended by any artist regardless of their calibre, even if they have NEVER drawn anything since their time at school!

​To find out more about our workshops, click any one of the following links to visit the page of interest:
about our workshops
coloured pencil workshops
graphite pencil workshops

Reviews & Tutorials

Here are the latest articles and mini tutorials that can be found on the Step by step art website. Included are a selection of independent reviews on multiple mediums and art products as well as the very latest tutorials - click on any of the images below to visit the page of interest. You can also find lots more reviews on art products on our 'ARTICLES' page with new ones added  every 3 - 4 months. 

Latest product reviews

Derwent Lightfast coloured pencils
The newest member of the Derwent Coloured pencil range - The Lightfast range
Stabilo CarbOthello Pastel pencils
Stabilo CarbOthello pastel pencils article
Zest-it pencil blend
Trialling the Zest-it 'pencil blend'
Ampersand Pastelbord surface
About the Pastelbord by Ampersand
Derwent released their first 100% lightfast Coloured pencil range this year and I decided to try them out on both smooth and textured surfaces, see how I got on. ​
​The CarbOthello pastel pencils offer 60 vibrant colours and would make a great addition to the colour palette of any Pastellist. Find out more about this range.
In this article, I mixed pencil blend and Derwent Lightfast pencils on both the Pastelbord surface and the Strathmore bristol plate surface, check out the review. ​
This canvas is an ideal surface for many different mediums, not just pastels and in this article I show what is achievable using Acrylics & Coloured pencils.

New Mini Tutorials

Waves drawn in Derwent Lightfast coloured pencils - mini tutorial
Waves in Coloured pencils mini tutorial
Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils and a blueberry drawn in coloured pencils
Blueberries in Coloured pencils mini tutorial
Dogs eye drawn in graphite pencils mini tutorial
Dogs' eye in Graphite pencils mini tutorial
Requested by a 'SBS Art' subscriber, this tutorial shows you how to create depth and movement in water using Coloured pencils. ​For all art abilities.
​Originally published in the USA Colored pencil magazine in 2018, this tutorial explains the process of how to create Blueberries in Coloured pencil. For all art levels.
​An in depth guide explaining how to create a dogs eye using Graphite pencils and other accessories that will help you achieve a highly detailed, 3D drawing.

You can always request a specific article or mini tutorial and if I am able to provide that information, it could be included in a future article. Please get in touch with your idea at: karenmberisfordart@gmail.com

Finally, you can always SUBSCRIBE to our quarterly newsletter, ensuring you receive the very latest articles, delivered straight to your E-mail.​
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New article! Starting out with graphite pencils

8/3/2016

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Graphite pencils image
If you are looking to take up a new art medium and are thinking of choosing graphite pencils but need some help and advice, I have written a little article about starting out with graphite pencils, what basic product requirements you will need to an explanation about those pencil grades. This article is a simple starting point for those totally new to graphite.

Click the image to visit the page.
Feel free to 'like', 'share' or leave a comment should you wish.
​I hope this article is very helpful to newbies to graphite pencils.
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