A coloured pencil students wonderful piece of artwork to cheer us up and remind us all of happy sunny summer days! This students is studying on the coloured pencil course with Julie Douglas and has produced a fabulous piece here in his chosen medium.

We have received an email from the Association of Illustrators, our children’s illustrators might be interested.

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Illustration and the Children’s Book Industry: Secrets to Success

Saturday 23 June, 10.00-17.30
Toynbee Studios Theatre,
Arts Admin Lecture Theatre,
28 Commercial Street,
London, E1 6AB

This one-day event aims to provide artists with all the essential information needed for working in the field of children’s book illustration. Presentations and talks are given by a wide range of experts with specialist knowledge including prolific illustrator Tony Ross of Horrid Henry fame, Alex T Smith who was shortlisted for this year’s Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Booktrust Best New Illustrators 2011 Chris Haughton and Claudia Boldt.

Topics under discussion include what publishers look for in a potential illustrator, what agents want to see from submissions, the portfolio of the children’s book illustrator and the inspiration behind some of the UK’s bestselling picture books.

This event, organised by the Association of Illustrators (AOI), is open to illustration students and working illustrators at different stages of their professional career as well as anyone with a lively curiosity about the industry.

Non Members £45
Students, AOI & SCWBI Members £35

Advanced booking recommended, securely online using the link below, or call 020 7324 7224 to pay by credit or debit card

http://www.theaoi.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254

I have been given a lovely piece of artwork by Maggy Roberts, to add to the college blog. It has been created by one of her students on the Illustrating Children’s Book Diploma. It is from the Firey Fred exercise and this students use of watercolour and bright colours tells the story beautifully! Well done to this student!

I recently asked one of my students if it would be ok to post her colour wheel drawing on our college blog. I felt that it was not only fantastically drawn but it fits the colour wheel concept so well.  Carols rendering of the piece is perfect and she gets full marks for this! I hope you enjoy viewing it and reading what Carol has to say below.

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This is Elaine on her posh dressage horse at a local competition.  I decided to draw them for the colour wheel exercise as I can’t seem to work up a head of steam for inanimate objects – it’s warm fur & bright eyes that push my buttons.  Joining the colours up to create some sort of form was challenging enough, but I’m happy with the outcome for a first attempt.  The background shapes & colours just grew and grew on their own and were a great learning thing for me, which is what I’m here for after all!
Carol – Pet Portraits Diploma (D5)

We have recived an email with the following information about the Oldie british Artist Award…if any of you enter and win, let us know!

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The Oldie British Artists Award - to recognise the achievements of British Artists over the age of 60

Read more at our website - http://theoldie.co.uk/OBAs

Richard Ingrams says: ‘We are all familiar with rooms full of formaldehyde and rotting meat and sump oil and exploding sheds. So we thought it was high time that the art world was encouraged to produce a spot of painting. Let’s hope the OBA Award does just that.’

THE OBA, which has a prize of £5,000, is being launched as a counterblast to the unmade beds of the YBAs (Young British Artists). We want to celebrate figurative art: pictures which are recognisably derived from the real world.

We are delighted to announce that Maggi Hambling has agreed to chair the judging panel. Other judges are Richard Ingrams, Huon Mallalieu, Philip Athillof the Abbott and Holder Gallery, and Clare Pardy of Ecclesiastical Insurance.

Anyone over 60 who is a UK resident can enter. Entries should be on paper or canvas (no larger than 36″ x 30″) and using any materials (oil, watercolour or acrylics). Strictly no formaldehyde and no prints. Works must have been executed since 1 January 2011.

The shortlist of ten works of art will be announced on 17 August 2012. The shortlisted artists will then be asked to provide a portfolio of their work which will form part of the final judging process by 14 September.

The winner will be announced and presented with the OBA at a ceremony on 16 October at the English Speaking Union, 37 Charles St, London W1. Additionally, Abbott and Holder in Museum Street will host an exhibition of the winning artist’s work.

HOW TO ENTER

The closing date is 31 July 2012.
THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE

★ Applicants must have reached the age of 60 by 1 September 2012
★ Applicants may only enter one work
★ The maximum dimensions must be no greater than 36″ x 30″
★ Download a full application form here or request a form from Charlotte Fairbairn on 020 7436 8801
★ Click here for a full set of terms and conditions
★ Please email your application form and a jpeg of your picture
to oba@theoldie.co.uk OR post your form and a photograph of
your picture to The OBAs, 65 Newman Street, London WIT 3EG
to arrive no later than 5pm on 31st July 2012

I asked Olga, one of our students who has just completed the Children’s Illustration course if she would write something about her ‘Singer of Starlight’ artwork for our college news blog and she agreed! I hope you enjoy reading Olga’s experiences and enjoy viewing her artwork too. We wish Olga the best of luck with her future artwork.

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I am very pleased to reveal “The Singer of Starlight” drawing. I couldn’t find this book and I had no idea about it, but the task in the course was very clear and I looked for something similar in my memories.

It has always seemed to me that doing arts and crafts are full of magic, especially for the kids. So a Grandma in my picture is busy with knitting and she creates (with the help of her granddaughter) something interesting – different animals. And with the help of Starlight – who knows – they all come to life.

In this picture I wanted to create a cosy, warm atmosphere. I decided to use sepia to tone the picture and then coloured pencils, to add colours, work on different textures and patterns. I am very happy with the result and I am also happy to share this picture with other students.

I would like to thank the London Art College for this great opportunity of distance learning, and my course tutor, Jan Nesbitt for her wise and encouraging critique. This was a great way of learning for me.

As for now, I’ve got several ideas of glass painting, which is a big hobby of mine and I will surely start my search as an Children’s Book Illustrator job.

The Association of British Correspondence Courses (ABCC) have a course of the week and this week its our Botanical Painting Diploma Course (D9) Tutored by Sandrine Maugy (pictured below).

The London Art College is a long standing member of the Association of British Correspondence Colleges, and you can visit their course of the week page to view the Botanical Painting Diploma Course details and take a look around their website too. http://www.homestudy.org.uk/course-of-the-week/

We look forward to hearing from any budding botanical artists and helping them to enrol very soon!

For further information please visit:
http://competitions.mixism.co.uk/uk_national_art_contest_41.html

Marilyn Comparetto

Article by Julie Douglas - Coloured Pencil Drawing Certificate Course (C12)

Recently I was asked to contribute an image to a new book highlighting what is happening in the world of Colour Pencil, globally,  today. I was honoured to be invited. All artists were asked to answer two questions, one about the specific image selected and the other was to explain our personal approaches to our work, as if we only had two minutes to sum it up! This was a great way of focusing the mind, and the different answers given throughout the book make it unique, valuable and varied.

Often, with both exhibitions and publications, there are artworks which don’t quite make the grade but this book is rather astonishing in that everything is amazing. A variety of subject matter and amazingly skilled artwork, to include all subjects and themes.

And while there is a wealth of artwork to be found on the internet, it is so lovely to have a good book in your hand, to really peer at some great work. I am really grateful to Ann Kullberg who co-ordinated it all, in a space of about 3 weeks, and would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in good imagery, no matter what medium you enjoy using.

You can purchase the CP Treasures book, share it on facebook and preview all of the pages here - http://www.annkullberg.com/cptreasures_2.php

Our Coloured Pencil Certificate course tutor Julie Douglas emailed me two wonderful images for the website completed by one of her students. Julie has also written about them below so we hope you enjoy reading and viewing her students work.

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These wonderful drawings are from Jennifer’s third set of exercises on the CP course. Students take longer and longer to complete their work on this course, because their colour awareness grows and their observation skills get so good they can’t help noticing more and more things to be included!

Jennifer is great for trying different surfaces to work on, though sometimes this is because she travels all around the world and has to make do with whatever supplies she can get. Another inspirational student, who chose distance learning because she moves around so much. She also asks lots of questions when she sends artwork for crit – this is really useful in getting the information you really want from your tutor!