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color pencil art of Richard
Klekociuk
When
you look at the color pencil art of Richard Klekociuk,
you can almost feel the texture of the landscape and inhale the Tasmanian
air. His coloured pencil art breathes with the commanding presence
of his unique style and original imagery. Stones, rivers and deserts
come alive in his colored pencil drawings with a startling realness.
Richard's coloured
pencil drawings are as richly-colored and luminous as paintings. His
colored pencil artwork mainly focuses on landscapes - both real and
symbolic.His strong compositions explore elements of realism, at times
combining Christian iconography with Aboriginal stylistic qualities.
Richard Klekociuk
is an artist from Tasmania, Australia. He has been an artist for over
33 years. A dedicated coloured pencil artist, he was kind enough to
grant Art is fun an insightful interview about his color pencil art
and his technique.
Is
drawing your preferred art form and if so, why?
I have always preferred
drawing since I was a child. I like its directness, ease of application
and the fact that it causes little mess!
In the past 10 years I
have taken a more serious approach and have tried to lift the profile
(and value) of coloured pencil drawing in Tasmania.
What do you like best about working in coloured
pencils?
I like the speed of working
with coloured pencils and their huge colour range.
Is there anything that you don't like about
working in coloured pencils?
There are times
when detailed drawings can be quite tedious and I hate it when they
break!
Do
you have a favourite brand of coloured pencils?
Prismacolors are my preferred
pencils, closely followed by Polychromos.
Do you have a favourite brand of drawing paper?
Canson Pastel Board is
the best surface for my type of drawing.
How
long (on average) does it take you to complete a drawing?
It depends on the size
and detail. I usually like to work on 2/3 drawings over a period of
a month.
Can you explain how you go about creating your
coloured pencil artworks, from start to finish?
I don’t
usually work topic-by-topic, preferring a thematic approach. I do
an extensive amount of research when I get an idea, which I record
in my visual diary and often mention on my
daily blog. Because a lot of my work relates to the Tasmanian
landscape, I “head out” and spend time photographing scenes
and collecting objects, which are then used in a “still-life
situation” in my backyard where they are photographed. I download
my images onto my IMac and select and manipulate the most appropriate
images, which I then print and display on a large noticeboard in my
studio. From there I select what I want, grid up the image/s and draw
them onto pastelboard.
I usually end
up with a series of 3 or more drawings that are related, but certainly
not looking the same.
You can see more
work in progress examples here.
Can you explain the symbolism of the bread
and sandwiches that appear in your art?
There is often
a strong Christian, symbolic element running through my work. In my
‘Bread’ series, I have looked at the relationship of bread
to the landscape (its origin, texture, shape) and bread as the ‘staff
of life’ in Christian worship. I have used humour as well as
a more serious approach in some of this work.
There
is still a lot for me to accomplish with this theme, but I am presently
taking a new direction with an enamel mug! How can you relate a mug
to the landscape I hear you say! Easy, I found a mug on a farm a few
months ago (check out my
blog) which was rusty, scratched, half-filled with dirt
and full of character that (to me) truly reflected farm life. I am
presently on my third, and most challenging drawing.
This has opened
the door to new ideas, which I intend to explore at a later date.
I love how some of your landscapes are realistically
rendered and how others are symbolist landscapes. What is it about
the land or landscapes that inspires you to create these works?
I
suppose for me, living on such a truly beautiful island that is under
threat from exploitation and development, our diverse landscape offers
so much subject material for me to express my love for God’s
creation and my personal reaction to what is going on.
I often use landscape objects
as symbols. Trees (particularly dead ones) often appear in my work
as do tree stumps. Patterns from rocks hold much fascination for me,
and feature strongly in my abstract work. Water, particularly moving,
is also a favourite of mine.
Do you have any tips or advice for people who want to learn more about
working in coloured pencil?
It is really important
to experiment with as many brands of pencils and as many surfaces
as you can. Find what suits your personal style and subject matter.
Not all coloured pencils are the same! If possible, join a coloured
pencil art class, read books, jump on the Internet and watch demonstrations.
Visit artists’ websites and blogs.
A giant Thank
You to Richard for such an insightful interview about his color pencil
art! Be sure to check out his website, www.artkleko.com
where you can learn more about Richard and see more examples of his
stunning color pencil art. He also has an informative blog
where he discusses his working process, including some interesting
thoughts about making abstract art with colored pencils. You can also
purchase prints and tshirts with Richard's beautiful art at his Redbubble
shop.
