Skip to content

Wondering About Colored Pencil

A year or so ago I bought some new colored pencils. Blackwing manufactures something called “Blackwing Colors”, and I am a sucker for new pencils. With the box of 12, I did this 5×7″ drawing.

Melon, Gourd or Squash? 5×7″, colored pencil on paper.

I posted it on Instagram (if you like Instagram and want to follow my very occasional posts, I am JanaBotkinArt) and also emailed it to Pencils.com (where I bought the pencils). Someone from there emailed and asked if they could use it on their blog. I said okay, and then nothing happened.

Last week I got an email from someone at a magazine called “Colored Pencil Magazine” (How’s that for over-the-top creativity? I think they were going for easy-to-find-on-Google rather than cleverness, which is probably smarter than being cute and calling yourself something like “Cabinart” which no one can remember.)


I am writing to let you know that we are interested in using your Pumpkin piece as an example of Blackwing Colors in the June 2019 issue of COLORED PENCIL Magazine in the Spotlight section. 

Being a sensible person (in spite of making a mistake in naming my art business something that no one can remember), I said yes. Then I looked at their site and see it is both online and in print. I’ve never heard of this magazine before.

I wonder if it will be wise to show colored pencil work when I am now primarily an oil painter? I wonder if it will be wise to show colored pencil work when using colored pencils hurts my wrist? I wonder if it will be wise to show colored pencil work when it rarely sells? I wonder if it will be wise to show colored pencil work when I prefer graphite (ArtSpeak for regular pencil)?

Life is full of unanswered questions. I think this falls in the categories of It Never Hurts To Try, and We Regret More of What We Don’t Try Than What We Do Try.

As usual, more will be revealed in the fullness of time.

7 Comments

  1. Your 3-dimensional pumpkin colored pencil drawing is so life-like it looks like it could roll off the page! Congratulations on being published in the magazine. Obscure or not, I think it’s a good move to get your name out there, share your gift, and expand your fan base. Perhaps something new and exciting will come of it?

    • Melinda, the only way I keep going sometimes is that never-ending hope that something new and exciting will come of my efforts. Thank you for liking my pumpkin!

  2. First of all, “Cabinart” IS memorable. Cabin + Art. You own a CABIN, and you’re an ARTist. How hard is that?

    Second, that’s a beautiful pencil drawing, even if it did cost you a sore wrist.

    Third, remember A PIG!

    • Sharon, thank you, as always for your witty and welcome words.
      1. Not everyone knows about the cabin or makes the association, which I assumed they would when I picked the name.
      2. The little pumpkin was small and quick enough that my wrist was spared.
      3. “A PIG”? Enlighten me, please!

        • Always teaching me new things – thank you!

          • Actually, it’s not one of those official acronyms. I just made it up this morning!

Comments are closed for this article!