Caution:Artist at Play-Artwork by Shana Rowe Jackson

Please Note: This post is not sponsored by Spectrum Noir in any way. This is just my personal experience with this product.  PROS: Affordable  120 Colors available Easy to blend Pre-sharpened  Little breakage Comfortable to hold Wood casing is lightweight yet durable Color coded ends Each Pencil is labeled with color name (unlike previous lines from this company) CONS:  Very waxy White is not very opaque Colors on color coded end not very accurate Can be difficult to get a fine tip Not available open stock Some colors feel a bit scratchy  Thick leads make it harder to get fine detail GENERAL NOTES: The company says these pencils are lightfast but does not provide specifics on each color. I have not been able to find definitive lightfast ratings for these pencils. These pencils are very transparent which can be a pro or a con depending on favored techniques. Because these are wax based pencils, layers can build up quick which can help make the drawing

I just ordered my first few copies of my calendars for 2015, and can start taking orders at anytime. Calendars will be $15.00 ea (additional shipping charges may apply). Here are the previews for each calendar!! Email me at shanaroweart@gmail.com or shanarowejackson05@aol.com for more information or to order a calendar.   In other exciting news, one of my colored pencil drawings, "Being a Girl" made it into the gallery section of the September 2014 issue of colored pencil magazine!!! "Being a Girl" 11"x14" © Shana L Rowe Jackson 2014 To get prints of this drawing click on the picture of it above!! For more information about Colored Pencil Magazine, and the September 2014 issue or to get copies of it , click the link below. Colored Pencil Magazine

   Sometimes, when you work a lot, or have a limited income it can be hard to travel very far to get inspiration and reference photos. This can force one to look closer at the things around them, and find compositions that they wouldn't ordinarily think of. This has been what I have been up to lately, partly because I don't travel much, but also because I think there is something wonderful about taking something simple and using it to make a beautiful painting. Growing up I learned at a really young age that you work with what you have, (hence the fact that some of my first paintings were done entirely using q-tips because I didn't own any brushes at the time.) Spring is the perfect season for this, and the macro setting on my camera has been my best friend. I have been scouring my own backyard looking for small flowers, plants and animals that call to me, waiting to be painted. I have also taken reference photos of clothing and random things around the house, when you find

   I have to say one of my favorite things about being an artist is learning new techniques. The possibilities are endless, and there is always something new to learn, no matter how seasoned of an artist you are. I love the feeling I get when I read something or see something that I didn't know before, especially when it comes to a classic medium. Artists as a whole are innovative, we love to push the limits, experiment and see where things go. Because of this, on the internet and in books, you will find so much information just waiting to be learned, put there by generous artists who want to share their hard learned treasures with the rest of the world. No man is an island. This is especially true for fine artists, and a surprising reality for the self taught. Being self taught does not mean you do not learn from others, it's that you go and seek the information out for yourself instead of having it thrown at you in a classroom setting.    Recently I have been playing around

"The Big Countdown" First Painting of 2014!! "Free as a New Years Resolution"  Well, another year has passed! 2013 was an interesting year for me with a lot of ups and downs personally and financially but overall I had a lot to be grateful for, especially with my art. I participated in my first gallery show in 2013, and was a part of three in all. I have my work displayed at the Maine State Capital building in their Senate Republican office and at a local restaurant, also firsts for me. I believe I reached new heights as far as technique goes, I was able to explore more in oils, which has been a wonderful experience, and have grown in realism technique. I started two new series', My "Summer Flight" series and my "Revival" project. I added multiple paintings to my "Life in the 'Dale" series making it my largest ever series, and my Freedom Fairies Collection, making it a close second. Recently I have been getting b