Patricia Williams readily admits that she has had no formal background in art, although she loved to draw as a child many years ago. She did not study art at school – she has simply developed her creative skills by learning from books and observing t

• Colourfix paper.• Selected artists’ pastels. While driving down a bush lane one afternoon, I noticed an abandoned property. It seemed so sad to see the old telegraph pole still standing – even though it had not been in use for many, many years. The

• Strathmore Bristol paper 300 series, in this case A3 size.• Rotring Rapidograph pens; 13mm and .20mm. (Edding, Pitt and Aristo produce fine line pens which could easily be used as an alternative) Whether I am working from a sketch made at the scene

• Ampersand Claybord (smooth white).• Black waterproof acrylic or India ink.• Acrylic round brushes with sharp points (Numbers 2 and 6).• White cotton gloves (available at the grocery store).• A sheet of tracing paper.• Craft knife with several Numbe

For over 450 years, artists such as Delacroix, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse, Picasso, Maillol and Warhol have expressed themselves on Canson Papers. Degas preferred tracing paper for his pastels; Matisse had a fondness for C’ à Grain paper and many of Pi

Melbourne in Victoria was my birthplace. I have spent 34 years in Tasmania, however – where I did most of my painting. I moved to Ultima in Victoria (in the Mallee) one year ago, after my husband died. The town is located 30 kilometres from Swan Hill

• Half sheet of ‘pinkish’ pastel paper with a smooth surface.• Six shades of Caput Mortuum pastels.• Caput Mortuum pencil.• Pastels in Blue and Lamp Black.• Newspaper photograph. There are times when something hits me in the eye and I know I have to

The Queensland Wildlife Artists Society recently presented the Faber-Castell 250th Anniversary exhibition at the Richard Randall Studio Gallery, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in Toowong, Brisbane. Count Andreas and Countess Virginia von Faber-Castell a

I live and work in the eastern Adelaide suburb of Rostrevor, in South Australia. I was born in Gawler. My home is in the lower foothills with water catchments running past the front of the house. This attracts all kinds of wildlife from the hills – l

• Mellotex paper: 610 x 475 mm.• HB and 2B Staedtler clutch pencils.• 2B graphite stick.• Tuff Stuff eraser.• Paper Mate ‘E’ Racer.• Plastic eraser.• Blu-Tack.• Paper stumps.• Tissues. After lightly sketching the outline, I load a tissue with graphit

I was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (USA) in 1974. These days I live in the Brisbane suburb of Yeronga. I moved to Brisbane in December 2007 with my husband Eric, who is a marine biologist at the University of Queensland. I have a small studio belo

Now in her sixties, Jocelyn Girle is a latecomer to the fascinating world of art. Seven years ago she was asked to contribute to an art and craft exhibition at Goondiwindi. Life was challenging for Jocelyn at that time … her second husband (who has s

The need to illustrate his surroundings has long been a hallmark of the human. Some claims suggest that our ancestors were drawing on the walls of their caves 35,000 years ago – embellishing the rocks with pictures of the animals that they hunted for

• Paper.• Drawing pencil (6B, 7B, 8B or 9B) or charcoal pencil.• Kneadable eraser. Drawing is often lots of fun and a wonderful and satisfying experience for many people. However, over my years as an art teacher, I’ve encountered many who long ‘to be

• Arches hotpress 640gsm watercolour paper.• 2B pencils (good quality).• Staedtler Rasoplast rubbers.• Two sharp knives.• Spray can of workable fixative suitable for graphite. You can’t draw like this quickly. Choose your subject carefully as you wil

In Issue 45 of Artist’s Palette magazine, we featured some of the work of pastel artist Nola Clark. We also presented a demonstration of pet portraiture. Nola described seven steps for creating her picture of ‘TC’ – a handsome feline who happens to b

• Fabriano paper 250gsm.• Derwent graphite pencils in soft and hard ranges (4B, 2B, HB, H, 2H).• Staedtler mechanical pencils 0.3, 0.5 and 0.9 width; with HB and 2B leads.• Tortillon stumps.• Colour blender.• Blu Tack.• Masonite board.• Bulldog clips