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

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. 
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​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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!