Pencil Drawings of People, Pets, & Homes
    Workshops, Techniques, Tools, & History of Pencil Artist; S. Belle-Isle

Price List      972-783-9067

Tools for Pencil Drawings  -   Back to top

Q. What are your favorite tools for pencil drawings?

A. Because of the versatility, portability, odorless and colorful aspects of pencil I have always been, and always will be a pencil artist.

Some of my pencils of choice are: Col-Erase, Prismacolor, Verithin, graphite, charcoal, pastel, sepia tone &  watercolor.  The surfaces I use most often are:: Denril vellum, Strathmore Bristol Vellum, Strathmore Artagain, hardware store sandpaper (600 grit), cold press watercolor paper (300 lb), hot press watercolor paper,  illustration board (cold press), pastel papers, and a few others but these are the main ones of choice.

My basic tools for custom pencil drawings are: a soft cloth, tortillions, a kneaded & ejector eraser (the type that ejects out like a mechanical pencil), electric eraser, the right surface for the job, low tack masking tape, foam core board, a pencil sharpener, and, of course, my beloved pencils.

The Creative Process  -  Back to top     Value Study

Q: Can you explain your creative process for pencil drawings?

A: It all starts with an idea. Then comes a list of all the items to be incorporated into the artistic vision. Often, at this point, I need help pulling it all together so I employ a meditation process. Then, a rough (8 x 10) line drawing is prepared using a fat eraser for lots of changes.

A value study helps me know what to emphasize or de-emphasize. It's often an invaluable step in my creative process for colored pencil drawings.

Now, it’s decision time; what size, media, surface, colors, etc.? After I determine the size, the line drawing is expanded and transferred to the surface of choice... and with my trusted pencils, I bring the vision to life.

While this is a short capsulation of the process, it often takes weeks to complete one piece.   See  colored pencil drawings. 

Colored Pencil Drawings

Pencil Drawing Techniques  -  Back to top

Q. What are some of your techniques for pencil drawings?

A. I use a number of techniques to bring a graphite drawing to life. Here are the primary ones I use for graphite pencil drawings:

Upon the completion of an accurate line drawing, the first thing I do is add graphite to large areas by using what I call the "borrow" method. Here, I scribble some graphite on a piece of toothy paper and wipe it with a soft cloth covering the cloth with an ample amount of graphite. I then rub the loaded cloth on the area of the drawing where I need it, creating light and medium tones. This adds the graphite softly with continuous, smooth tonal gradations.  I use tortillions (blending stumps - the rolled type) to add medium to medium dark shadows or smooth transitions. Last, I use the pencil directly for the medium dark and dark areas of the drawing varying strokes and pressure until I get the look I'm after.

My graphite pencil drawings are always sprayed with a fixative to preserve it and further intensify color depth.  (My techniques are similar for white charcoal drawings.)

White Charcoal Drawings

Learning to draw -   Back to top

Q. How did you learn to draw?

A: Actually, I'm totally self taught.  I'm blessed (or cursed; depending on your point of view) with a definite level of passion that drives me to learn what I want to know.  I'll dig and dig until I reach a level of satisfaction in the knowledge I pursue, often not even sleeping well until my mission is accomplished. I read books.  I studied other artists' work that I admired. And, as far as formal education is concerned in the area of the arts, it's great for some people, but for me, it tended to teach what it thought was valuable for me to know. I simply had a different opinion and became impatient and board with having to do things that didn't interest me. And, now with the internet, and an adequate amount of tenacity and passion, you can learn anything you want to learn.  It's all there.

Pencil Art Studio  -- Back to top   

Q: Do you have a studio to do your pencil drawings?

A: One thing is for sure, if producing colored pencil drawings depended on a fancy studio I’d be sunk, so all I need to visit a little slice of heaven is a comfortable recliner, a good magnifier with an attached light, a sketch pad & pencil, a fresh cup of coffee, a BIG SPACE OF TIME & voila! The Perfect Art Studio.   The drawing at right was created with pastel pencils.

Workshops for Pencil Drawings - Back to top   

Q: Will you do a workshop for pencil drawings?

A: Yes.  Presently, I teach a local adult group and have taught there for about 10 years.  Many of my students stay with me for years and I have developed many methods for teaching people to draw.  I have a background in sales as well as art and love to do shows, seminars, & workshops.  If your group has need of art lessons, or if your workshop organization needs an instructor, you can contact me for details.

Teaching art, for me, is almost as much fun as doing it and sharing the joy of art has truly been one of my life's deepest pleasures.

Artist History - Back to top    Graphite Drawing

Q. When did you start doing pencil drawings?

A: Yes. Even as a child I was interested in art and had many mentors to spur me on. But, around 1982 I was bitten by a pernicious bug to draw pencil portraits of famous people and particularly stars from the old black and white movies.  Then, somewhere along the way, I discovered there were other things to draw like landscapes, flowers, homes, & still life.

My entire art journey started with portraits and has always been expressed in pencil. There are so many reasons I love pencils, i.e.; non-toxic, easy to carry, inexpensive, and oh so versatile.

With pencils I can create the look of pastel, watercolor, and smooth oil as well as beautiful pencil textures. Graphite pencil portrait drawings, to this day, are still my favorite art expression.