Mars Mag 12 by Marsmag

Back to School #COMPETITIONS Trends to watch Young Artists

CONTENTS

Preparing for Christmas

Back to School

10 Art Session by Riaan

Ambassador Francien Kotze

The wonderful world of LEGO

Drawing a LEGO Character

LEGO Enter to Win

34 Immersive Art Trends to look out for in 2022 and beyond

EDITORS NOTE

FIMO Leather pencil case

Ambassador Left Hand Boy

Back to Campus

Trends to watch in 2022: Coloured Pencil Revival

Christmas Fun

The top art trends you need to know right now

66 Colour Trends

As we approach the end of 2021, the whole of STAEDTLER South Africa wants to say thank you to all of our clients, supporters and artists. Thank you for every art work that was shared on our social media platforms. Without all of you, we would not be able to continue to provide the quality stationery that you have become accustomed to. A special shout out goes to all our 2021 ambassadors. You have all blown us away with your amazing art. Please keep on sharing. We look forward to seeing all your entries into our new and exciting LEGO competition as well as the great competitions that will happen in 2022. To our future ambassadors – we cannot wait to see your art pieces. We wish all of you a very happy holiday period. Please stay safe and enjoy your time with your families. We will see you again in 2022 as our future leaders start a new school year with (what we can only hope) less interruptions. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Getting the children preparing for

Christmas

For many people, just thinking about Christmas and the possible expenses it brings, can be very stressful indeed. With some careful planning during the weeks before the actual Christmas period, money can be saved, and a great deal of fun enjoyed along the way. The important thing is to make these preparations a time for the family to get involved together. Most of us just don’t seem to have enough hours in the day, let alone an abundance of spare cash, but hopefully the following ideas may make a difference to the way in which your family look forward to the festive season. Firstly, a handmade gift, however small, can be the most treasured item someone receives at Christmastime. We have become far too fixated on quantity instead of quality, and this applies to gift giving as much as anything else. In years gone by, and still today amongst so many of our population there is very little money available for purchasing even the least expensive of gifts. The best present you can give your children is the understanding that the meaning behind the gift is the most precious aspect of the item. It doesn’t matter how much something costs, but the thoughtfulness is the critical element. Therefore, something which has taken some time and imagination to create, with the focus being on the person who is to receive the gift, can be priceless. The first step is to make a list of all those people to whom you will be giving a gift. Whether these are family members, friends, acquaintances or employees, write down their names. When it comes to family members, then it is easy to

get children involved. It never ceases to amaze me as to the creativity which youngsters show when given free reign. With other people who are not close family members, then a gift probably needs to be less personal but meaningful, and affordable. We are constantly reminded of the importance of recycling household items and now is the time to put this into practice. Attractively shaped empty glass containers can be spray painted and then decorated with stick on beads, or motifs and used as pen or pencil holders on the recipient’s desk, or filled with sweets or nuts and raisins, as long as there is a screw on lid. If the item is going to be a pen or pencil container then the word “pens” could even be put onto the jar using self-adhesive letters. If someone is an avid reader, then using some stiff cardboard, or a strip of colourful felt, a unique bookmark can be made. Attaching a decorative tassel, or even painting the name of the person who will receive the gift onto the cardboard, then voila!, an inexpensive, very thoughtful present has been created. If you want to give a pre-Christmas gift, then what about decorating some fairly small polystyrene balls to make very pretty and inexpensive Christmas tree decorations. All you need is some self- sticking beads, shiny stars or a sheet of the self-adhesive “jewels” which are readily available in many stores these days at very reasonable prices. Once you have decorated a ball to your satisfaction, then all you have to do is to use a thick darning needle to thread a string through the ball (using a few tiny plastic or wooden beads at the base as well as at the top of the ball to anchor the thread) and tie a knot a few centimetres from the top of the ball so it can be hung on a branch of the tree. You can also string several balls together, one on top of the other, with beads used to separate each one, and these make very pretty decorations to hang on door handles, or the corners of shelves to create a festive feeling. An alternative item to give to schoolteachers who always receive hand cream and body lotion by the ton!

Christmas cards are expensive, and some of us no longer post them due to failing postal systems, so they are often attached to the outside of a parcel on Christmas Day. Children can be very creative in making their own cards, with their own personal messages, and these are so much more meaningful than any mass-produced card could ever be. Old cards can also be recycled by cutting out the pictures and even the greetings, and pasting them onto new card. This in itself is an environmentally friendly family activity which also reduces the amount of old cards received over the years. Once it comes time to wrap gifts to put under the Christmas tree, then try to avoid buying expensive and unnecessary tin foil style wrapping paper. How about decorating sheets of old newspaper or boring brown wrapping paper instead? Powder paint can be used to paint the newspaper and the effect can be quite amazing. As far as the brown paper is concerned, the options are endless. It can be painted, drawn on, things stuck on to it, graffiti written on it, and even prettied up with some ribbon saved from a previously received gift, and then finished off with a handmade gift tag. If homemade biscuits or sweets are going to be given as presents, then make sure to save the plastic trays from supermarket purchased fruit and vegetables. If you cover the base with a small piece of tin foil or a paper doily and then place your homemade goodies onto this platform, you just have to cover the items on the tray with some clingwrap. To finish off, have a roll of curling ribbon which can be cut and tied around the container and then curled, using the blade of a pair of scissors. Once again, a thoughtful gift which would be appreciated by anyone with a sweet tooth. Despite the fact that children and teenagers spend so much of their time using the various forms of technology which they all seem to have at their fingertips, it is surprising to find that getting back to doing things the “old way”, can bring a huge amount of hidden talent to the fore. It can also be so rewarding to see the pleasure on someone’s face when they receive a small item which has taken the giver some valuable time to create. I do believe that it is worth giving it a try, especially as things have been very challenging for the past few years, and many of us have had to pull in our belts in various ways, but still want to spoil special people at Christmastime. Have fun discovering just how creative your family members actually are!

STAEDTLER tradition eraser

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STAEDTLER oil pastels

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Art sessions by Riaan

STAEDTLER South Africa is proud to announce that we have created free online art lessons in 2021. We understood that the COVID pandemic has changed many lives and made physical art classes impossible at times. We saw the first episode of Art Sessions with Riaan Marais go live on 1 April 2021 and have since had two episodes per month. Aspiring artists have the opportunity to learn different art forms during a live session with the ability to ask Riaan questions during each session via a chat box or even per e-mail. The lessons range from beginners to experienced artists. If you have missed any of the episodes, you can try them here or join our next live sessions at: https://www.creativesouthafrica.co.za/artlessons

INTERACT AND ASK QUESTIONS

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 1 - How to draw a sphere

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 2 - How to draw a cube

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 3 - How to draw a cylinder and a cone

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 4 - How to draw a house & different surfaces

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 5 - How to draw and paint a basic landscape.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 6 - How to draw and paint basic still life using pencils and water

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 7 - How to understand value by drawing a vase.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 8 - In this session you will learn how to understand basic colour theory.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 9 - In this session you will learn how to understand perspective for designers by drawing an industrial design.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 10 - In this session you will learn how to draw a human head.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 11 - In this session you will learn the basics of human anatomy by drawing generic human bodies.

PLAY

Art Sessions with Riaan Marais Episode 12 - In this session you will learn the basics of animal anatomy by drawing generic animals.

PLAY

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Colour

Mars® Lumograph® black 100

• High quality drawing pencil • Special lead formulation containing a high proportion of carbon for matt, jet black results

YOUR

STAEDTLER Eraser Set

• Art Eraser set • Kneadable eraser: Special-purpose & cleaning eraser • Easily lifts off & removes traces of pastel, graphite & charcoal • Smudge-free

DESIGN

JOURNEY

STAEDTLER Pastel chalk • Studio quality, brilliant colours • Lightfast, fixing recommended • Soft, smooth performance

Ergosoft • Coloured pencil in ergonomic triangular shape for relaxed and easy drawing • Unique, non-slip surface with name field

STAEDTLER Watercolour pencils • Coloured pencil in classic hexagonal shape with watercolour lead • Soft lead for amazing bright effects on watercolour paper with water and paintbrush • Also for dry colouring

Francine Kotze Who are you? My name is Francine Kotze, I’m from Gauteng.

Advice to give young artists? Practice makes perfect! If you have art in you and you really feel like you can do something with it, go for it!

A wish, 1 wish - what is it? To be successful in my art, and for my pieces to be in a exhibit and be sold in galleries.

What is the type of art and genre that I specialise in? I specialise in Photo-realistic pencil drawings.

Hopes and dreams for my art? My hopes and dreams for my art is to inspire others.

Contact details: I can be contacted on Whatsapp; 073 073 7525 Or on my facebook page; @FranCineKotze.arts (FranCine Art)

Francine Kotze STAEDTLER Ambassador I’m a 25 year old artist, specializing in Photo-realistic pencil drawings. I get my inspiration from a broad range of public figures. I’m self taught, but art runs in my family. My uncle who passed could also draw really well, he showed me some tricks here and there in sketching. I’ve had an interest in art since childhood, but at the age of 16 I really started focusing on sketching. The more I drew the better I got at it. I’m a mommy of a beautiful little girl and she’s already a little artist, she loves drawing and painting. When she’s older I’ll also teach her how to draw. I also do commissions. Requests that I receive a lot, are of loved ones who have passed away. It’s really something special and it means so much to me to do a drawing for someone who has a loved one that has passed, it’s like a memory captured in art. I love giving people the feeling of awe when seeing my drawings. My favourite artists are tattoo artist Kat Von D and Mariusz Kedzierski, who inspire me so much. Being able to create something and get so lost in it, has got me through a lot in life. Drawing is like an escape to a feeling of calmness. For now I want to keep doing commissions and I’m currently working on drawings which will be up for sale once they are done.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF LEGO

Millions of children the world over have grown up learning the pleasures of building with Lego blocks. It was an interesting exercise to look up, using Wikipedia, the story of how Lego originated. The word “Lego” came about because of the two Danish words “Leg” and “godt” meaning “play well” – a very apt name when you see how involved children become, building and designing the most amazing items using their never-ending imagination. In the 1960’s, when the Danish company first began producing the plastic Lego blocks, the pieces consisted of small squares with four raised circles on the upper side which enabled pieces to be built one on top of the other. Due to them being hollow underneath they could not only be put together but also separated from each other fairly easily. Rectangular blocks came next, and the colours were no longer only red and white, but yellow and blue as well. The addition of windows, doors, roof tiles, trees and small Lego people with smiling faces made building much more fun as now there were houses and whole villages to construct. The design of rubber wheels was another great innovation which now allowed for the designing of small cars and trucks. Although many adults probably viewed Lego as a toy suitable only for little boys, that in itself was a misjudgement which Lego had the good sense to correct years after the first boxes were sold. With little girls in mind, Lego sets which were made especially for their more feminine tastes, consisting of pastel-coloured blocks and suitable themes, became available. One only has to go into a toy shop nowadays to be

completely awestruck by the variety of Lego sets, ranging from the most basic small kits to construction sets needing the mind of an engineer to complete – but thankfully there are instructions included in every box. In the 1970’s the larger scale blocks called Duplo Lego were produced, having been designed specifically for tiny hands to grasp and being far safer for babies than the tiny pieces. Once their fine motor co-ordination improved, they could learn to join these blocks together. The original small Lego pieces could be used in conjunction with the bigger Duplo pieces as a child outgrew the more basic blocks. Now the company had reached a much larger client base – forward thinking by highly skilled designers and engineers has been the trademark of Lego ever since its inception. Like all big companies, the Lego group (which has remained largely a family concern) has had to adapt to changes on a regular basis. With the advent of movies such as Star Wars the opportunity was there for producing Lego kits depicting not only Space vehicles but models of the heroes as well. Many adults who grew up building with Lego have become fanatics, who spend huge amounts of money investing in the very sophisticated items on sale nowadays. Famous buildings, vintage cars, monuments and the list goes on and on, constantly being updated, have all found themselves replicated by small plastic pieces. Works of engineering which go way beyond the concept of pure play.

Now that Christmas is approaching yet again, there will be millions of excited children world-wide who hope to receive either their very first Lego set, or yet another one to add to an already large collection. Whatever the age of the recipient, and bearing in mind one’s budget, there is sure to be something in the Lego section of your local toy shop or department store which will turn out to be a real winner on Christmas Day. From the very small, relatively affordable, individual figurines (ideal to pop into a stocking), to one of the very pricey large sets, Lego is a gift which is educational in all its forms. Imagination, creativity, and the fun of building a model are all a very healthy alternative to the current fixation on tablets, i-pads, television and video games. As a parent, you can always pretend to be helping your children build their models, whilst actually indulging yourself by re-living those childhood memories of your own. Lego was so much more basic then than these incredible kits which are available today, but still provided you with hours and hours of creative fun.

SCAN ME

SCAN ME TO WIN

LETS GET DRAWING!

DRAWING A LEGO CHARACTER In this existing tutorial we will be drawing a dragon LEGO character. It will be a fun exercise in testing your skills of perspective drawing and your ability to draw colour and values. We will be using STAEDTLER’s Mars Lumograph pencils and STAEDTLER’s coloured pencils. Lets jump into it the drawing.

It is a good idea to use a harder pencil to do the base drawing, as hard pencils tend to be very light. Here I have used a 2H pencil. (H stands for hard and B for Black). I start with the top part of the head.

Next up is the jaw. Make sure you follow the correct angles by measuring the distance of the reference form the sides and top to the jaw and compare that your drawing is following the same ratios.

While you draw constantly check if your angles and sizes are in proportion to your reference drawing.

Once you are 100% happy with your drawing use STAEDTLER’s putty eraser to lighten the drawing. It removes less of the drawing than the standard eraser and also does not smudge the pencil that much.

Time to swap the graphite for STAEDTLER’s coloured pencils. Start with the lightest colour visible in you reference. In my photo, the blue was the lightest. Draw wherever you see the light colour.

Next up is green. Again I use the lightest version of green first.

Here you can see me continuing filling in the greens of the dragon. Keep it light even when you draw with the darker pencils. You can always add darker colours, but it is really difficult to remove dark pencil marks once they have been drawn.

Then I add the next darker colour. We will use this process throughout the drawing. I find it best to start with the lightest colours first and then build up the values as I continue.

Now that I am confident about my colours that I have laid down, I can start to add a bit of black where I see really dark shadows.

10.

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I continue adding dark shading to the darkest areas of my character. Be careful not to cover areas where you plan to add colour. Once an area is black you will find it very difficult to add bright colours to it again.

Where you see an area needs a darker area with colour, use your colour first and then add the black on top of that. Then you can use the colour pencil again to deepen the colour. You can do this method on the thigh of the dragon.

To do smooth shading, try not to use direction when you colour in. I use a combination of hatches and circular motions to fill in areas.

Once you have fully coloured the dragon go back to each area and add more layers till you feel that the dragon is bright enough in the highlight areas and dark in the shaded areas.

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For the flame we start with a bright yellow and draw each part of the flame where we see yellow.

In this step I went over the whole flame with the bright yellow to mix the orange and yellow with each other.

To warm up the flame we will use an orange and only draw orange where we see it.

To set the flame on fire we will add a bright red in the areas we can find red. Make sure not to cover the whole flame in red, because the red will be the coolest part of a flame. The yellows and oranges is the hottest part of flames. We want that flame to be really hot!!!

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To plant the character on solid ground we need to draw a shadow on the floor. Use a grey pencil and start shading very lightly. Keep adding darker tones to make the shadows darker closer to the feet. You can add a bit of black in the last round of shading.

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Final Product.

FINAL PRODUCT.

SCAN ME

ANSWER THE TWO COMPETITION QUESTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE WEEKLY AND BE ENTERED INTO OUR WEEKLY PRIZE DRAWS AS WELL A OUR GRAND PRIZE DRAW. 8 x weekly prizes of R2500 each LEGO Certified Store online vouchers Grand prize 1st R10,000 2nd R5,000 3rd R3,000 LEGO Certified Store online voucher WWW.CREATIVESOUTHAFRICA.CO.ZA

#LEGO Competition T&C’s 1. The competition is open to all South African citizens except directors, members, partners, employees, agents, service providers and consultants of STAEDTLER South Africa and LEGO Certified Store South Africa ( also known as Great Yellow Brick (Pty) Ltd) as well as their spouses, life partners, immediate family members, business partners and associates referred to as ‘The Organisers’. 2. The competition closing date will be at the discretion of the organisers, but no later than 31 January 2022 at midnight (12pm). Competition dates are as followed: Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1: 1-9 December: Winner announced 10 December 2021 2: 10-16 December: Winner announced 17 December 2021 3: 17-23 December: Winner announced 24 December 2021 4: 24 – 30 December: Winner announced 31 December 2021 5: 31 December – 6 January: Winner announced 7 January 2022 6: 7 – 13 January: Winner announced 14 January 2022 7: 14 - 20 January: Winner announced 21 January 2022 8: 21- 27 January: Winner announced 28 January 2022

Grand Prize announcement 31 January 2022 3. In order to enter the STAEDTLER #LEGO Competition, answer the two competition questions on our website weekly and be entered into our weekly prize draws as well a our grand prize draw. www.creativesouthafrica.co.za 4. All ages are allowed to participate. 5. Any late entries received will not be taken into consideration. 6. The competition sponsors and/or their advertising agents will contact the winners ONLY, via telephone or email that was provided on the entry form. Winners who are not contactable by telephone within 7 (seven) days after the closing date will be disqualified and a new winner will be drawn and contacted. 7. STAEDTLER, and their agents, as well as LEGO Certified Store, and their agents, accept no responsibility for any problems or technical malfunction of any communication network or any late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, incorrectly submitted, delayed, illegible or corrupted entries. The Organisers, and their agents are not liable for any costs incurred, responses received, or any other consequences of user error. 8. The competition shall result in a prize of the following: 8 x weekly prizes of R2500 each LEGO Certified Store online vouchers Grand prize 1st R10,000 2nd R5,000 3rd R3,000 LEGO Certified Store online voucher 9. The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. STAEDTLER, and

their agents will not be held responsible for any disputes arising from the competition or prize rewarded. 10. Winners shall use the prize at their own risk. The Organisers, and their agents shall not be liable for any loss, damage, personal injury or death that is suffered or sustained (including but not limited to that arising from any person’s negligence) in connection with this competition or accepting or using the prize. 11. The Organisers, and their agents reserve the right to cancel, modify or amend the competition at any time, if deemed necessary in its opinion, and if circumstances outside of their control should arise. 12. By entering you agree that STAEDTLER and LEGO Certified Store can publish the winners’ name/s, photograph and entry in any printed, digital media, or any other relevant promotional media. 13. The risk in the prize shall pass to the winner, once possession thereof has been taken. 14. Entry into the competition implies the acceptance of the above. Prize/Voucher terms and conditions: • This discount coupon is valid ONLINE only at The LEGO Certified Store (greatyellowbrick.co.za) in South Africa • This discount coupon is non-refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash, transferred, duplicated or sold. Goods purchased may not be returned / exchanged. • You cannot use this discount coupon in conjunction with any other promotion, coupon, discount, free gift or voucher • Each discount coupon that is provided can only be used once and must be redeemed before the expiry date on the discount coupon • The discount coupon will expire on 28 February 2022. • Additional terms and conditions available at https:// greatyellowbrick.co.za/pages/terms-conditions

Immersive Art Trends to Look Out For in 2022 and Beyond Paintings by Vincent van Gogh and other Dutch Masters come alive, and experiential art museums remain pervasive while XR, VR, AR and the crypto-verse gain more momentum in the art world. Here are some immersive art trends you need to know. TEXT: Reena Devi IMAGES: Courtesy of various In The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins, Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing writes, “We are not used to reading stories without human heroes. We forget that collaborative survival requires cross-species coordinations. To enlarge what is possible we need other kinds of stories, including adventures of landscapes.” Perhaps that is why as we experience the various existential crises of our time, we increasingly seek out artistic experiences that immerse us in expansive and diverse realities and landscapes, sometimes complementing our current physicality and other times, completely taking us away from it. It is this instinctive seeking of new worlds that makes immersive art and its relevant trends worth paying attention to now and in the years ahead.

Masters Paintings Come Alive (So to Speak) Last year’s Netflix show Emily in Paris brought a whole new level of attention to the immersive experience of large-scale projected images of iconic paintings when it featured the van Gogh-themed light show from the Atelier des Lumières as a backdrop for a romantic scene. Presently, at least three companies are bringing similar experiences of paintings by Dutch Masters to a total of 13 cities in the US. In New York City alone, one can choose between two van Gogh shows in June this year, both at top-secret locations: “Immersive Van Gogh”, connected to Massimiliano Siccardi, the Italian director behind the Atelier des Lumières experience, and “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience”, an entirely different light show produced by a company called Fever. Obviously, tickets for all these shows are going like hotcakes or already sold out.

The New Kind of (Experiential Art) Museum Whatever your stance on the proliferation of such museums, the pandemic, social restrictions and low attendance do not seem to be slowing them down. The Museum of Ice Cream launched an outpost in Singapore in August, making their first foray outside of the US. Despite layoffs and discarded plans for a London outpost, Fotografiska, the museum which introduces photography exhibitions to visitors in a boozy clubhouse atmosphere with midnight DJ sets and a Michelin chef-run restaurant, announced plans for a fourth location in Berlin. Pace Gallery outgrowth, Superblue, postponed its Miami launch to early Spring, featuring installations by artists such as Nick Cave, James Turrell, Es Devlin and teamLab. It is reportedly attracting strong investor interest and planning for two more venues in yet to be disclosed cities. Even those worst hit by the pandemic, like immersive art company Meow Wolf, are planning an ambitious comeback.

We Are in the XR Now The increasing use of XR—an umbrella term describing augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technologies—since the pandemic is par for the course. One of the most successful applications of this technology so far is artist-run virtual experiment Epoch’s Substrata for “maximising its use of the virtual space, taking us out of the traditional art gallery format and incorporating artworks in different digital formats.” The architecture of the show, set in an ordinary snow-filled glade, was designed by Alice Könitz of the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LAMOA). There’s also a slew of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) shows and initiatives launching this summer including “The Looking Glass”, an outdoor exhibition with new commissions by Precious Okoyomon, Julie Curtiss and KAWS at The Shed, New York, and “A Curious Game Of Croquet VR Experience” as part of the exhibition “Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser”, at the Victoria & Albert, London. Speaking of museums, in January, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, launched “The Met Unframed”, an AR phone experience bringing its art to your smartphone. The Crypto of it All Let’s not forget how virtual environments have come to be common parlance with those in the art world increasingly familiar with crypto. For example, Decentreland, a blockchain based VR platform, is even used by traditional art galleries such as Berlin’s König Galerie. Also, as ridiculous as it sounds, there are NFT collectors creating virtual museums for their art-on-blockchain, hiring architects to design these spaces. Miami-based art collector Pablo Rodriguez-Fraile and venture investor Colborn Bell even established The Museum of Crypto Art (MoCA), reportedly the leading virtual reality art gallery of the Metaverse. Meanwhile, James Murdoch-backed startup Authentic Artists developed virtual chimera or cyborg beings which perform live interactive music sets online. The company has plans to launch their virtual entertainers on Twitch and even metaverse platforms like Roblox and Fortnite as well. Ultimately, it looks like immersive art is here to stay, whether it comes to us straight from the virtual worlds and personalities on our screens or intervenes with our surroundings and art IRL.

https://www.cobosocial.com/dossiers/art/immersive-art-trends-to-look-out-for-in-2021-and-beyond/

FIMO LEATHER PENCIL CASE

STEP 1 Whenever I start a project I also start with a plan. This will help me with how big every part needs to be and it will guide me where I feel uncertain. Plans should always be seen as a general guide and you will see that I changed my mind a little because I did not have enough clay for my elaborate plan.

STEP 3 We want to create a marbled effect, so cut all the block into a few slithers. Then stack these onto each other by mixing each of the slithers. Using a roller, role it flat to merge the colours together.

STEP 2 Choose your favourite colours and start to open the packages. I would suggest you have at least six block of FIMO leather clay before you attempt this project. Mine was just nearly enough.

STEP 4 Keep rolling it till it is a flat sheet.

2021 is on its head and January 2022 is approaching very quickly. Let’s create a pencil case for next year using STAEDTLER’s FIMO leather effect clay. It feels and looks like leather, but with the added benefit of mixing colours that will be difficult to do with leather. (adult supervision is essential)

STEP 5 Cut it into strips like we have done here with a STAEDTLER blade. Be very careful not to cut yourself. The blades are extremely sharp. Adults are advised to help or supervise children during this step.

STEP 6 Mix these strips again by placing them on top of each other and using the plastic roller press them together again. You can repeat Step 05 and 06 until you are satisfied with the pattern emerging.

STEP 7 Now we need to get all of our clay as flat as possible. You can flatten a few smaller balls of clay or you can bunch everything together and try to flatten it all. It might be best and easier to flatten smaller sections and then merge these by laying the sheets on top of each other and then using the roller to blend them into each other.

STEP 8 Rolling the clay flat can be a bit time consuming, but don’t rush this bit. You really need the clay to be as thin as you can get it. The clay will bend better if you can get it to be at least 1.5mm thick. Using a STAEDTLER pasta roller will be much easier.

STEP 9 The clay might not roll out as you plan, so cut the pieces that are out side of your planned dimensions and put them on the ends that still need a bit of clay. Make sure to fold them over sufficiently and then roll over it to merge the overlapped areas thoroughly.

STEP 10 This is more or less what it should look like. Try to make sure it is even and that it is approximately 1.5mm or thinner.

STEP 11 I am using STAEDTLER’s leather embossing card to add a leather texture to my clay. You can use other objects too to create textures. Make sure the you keep the clay’s thickness even and that you don’t pierce it.

STEP 12 Once you are done with the texturing place the clay in a preheated oven at the stipulated temperature and bake it at the time shown on the packaging.

STEP 13 After baking you can draw your plan onto the leather using household scissors to cut out the pieces that you want to discard or reuse.

STEP 14 It is strongly advised that an adult help with this part of the project. We need a needle, thick twine and a thimble. Lay out the parts that you want to sew onto the big piece. We want a place to put out pencils, strip over the pencils to hold them in place and a few pockets for an eraser and a sharpener.

STEP 15 To prevent the pieces from moving around too much I used clips to hold the first part in place. If you don’t have a thimble this sewing process will become tedious and painful.

STEP 16 Now that the first piece is in place you can start planning the next piece that you want to sew onto the the pencil case.

STEP 17 Here I opted for the strip running over the pencils to keep them in place.

STEP 18 Next up was the pockets for my eraser, sharpener and an extra pocket for a future object.

STEP 19 As an extra measure I have added a flap to cover the pencil tips. It will prevent them from falling out of the pencil case.

STEP 20 Fill your pencil case with pencils, an eraser and sharpener. Go forth and create your next master piece!!!

Lefthand Boy STAEDTLER Ambassador

My name is Thokozani Nzuza, a self-taught artist, but better known as Lefthand Boy in the art industry. I was born and raised in small town called, uMzinto. As a young boy who had big dreams of making it one day, I attended Phambili Primary School and matriculated in 2019 from Wozamoya High School. I’m currently located in Pinetown, Durban, and doing what I love most, which is art. The type of art that I’ve chosen to specialise in, is the drawing of portraits using graphite pencils. My advice for young and upcoming artists is to go into the art industry not thinking about money, but rather do it for love and passion of it. I truly believe if you are passionate about your craft, it will inevitably take care of you. My wish is to have all of the drawing equipment that I need to assist me with pursuing my dreams and journey, that will hopefully take me to places in different countries, to showcase my talent.

You can contact me on: 0672040208 or alternatively email: thokozaniartsa@gmail.com

Lefthand Boy

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back to campus

Trends to Watch in 2022: Coloured Pencil Revival Trends to be watched out for this coming year. Artsy is the worlds largest online art market place and is launching a series of three features to spotlight the trends we’re watching. Using our internal data, each of these features reflects a theme we saw emerge during the end of 2021 that we expect to take hold across the contemporary art world in the year ahead. We share the third installment, “Coloured Pencil Revival.” One of the less obvious effects of COVID-19 has been the disruption of many artists’ typical practices. With social distancing measures in place, many have been unable to safely access studio buildings or communal workspaces. Some artists have even found themselves stranded in foreign countries due to travel restrictions. In order to stay creative, many artists have been making due with what they have on hand. The ever-versatile, accessible, and easily transportable coloured pencil, it seems, has become a go-to medium. While coloured wax crayons have been around since as early as 500 B.C.E., coloured pencils as we know them weren’t invented until the 19th century, when they were used for the utilitarian purposes of marking and checking written copy. Decades later, the material was adopted for artistic use. Though it’s a fairly traditional medium, the coloured pencil has remained squarely within the arsenal of many artists working today due to its vast graphic possibilities and practicality. The 10 contemporary artists featured here are creating works that are reviving the medium of coloured pencil.

Zipora Fried B. 1963, Haifa, Israel. Lives and works in New York. Zipora Fried’s meticulous work in coloured pencil puts the material’s nuanced tactility to full use, playing with its wide gradient of opacity in stripes of colour. With each individual stroke articulated, Fried’s work has the effect of a deconstructed colour-field painting and is reminiscent of Agnes Martin’s more subdued compositions. In 2019, Sikkema Jenkins & Co. debuted its inaugural solo exhibition of Fried’s work with a suite of drawings that the artist had executed during an extended stay on Lamu Island in the Lamu Archipelago of Kenya. Inspired by the vibrant flora and fauna on the island, these drawings radiate with vivid colour palettes. Described by the gallery as “monuments,” many of these coloured pencil drawings take the artist several months to complete. This endurance and labour-intensive process is a hallmark of Fried’s practice which, in addition to her drawings, also includes work in sculpture and photography.

Zipora Fried The Most Distant Object, 2020 Sikkema Jenkins & Co.

Skye Volmar BB. 1997, New Jersey. Lives and works in Los Angeles. In Skye Volmar’s disorienting portraits and drawings of flowers, coloured pencil is used to illustrate multitudes, with different perspectives and gestures undulating in and out of focus within a single frame. These psychedelic compositions feel as though they’re constantly in motion. “It’s difficult, if not disruptive, to create a fixed image of a person,” Volmar said in an interview with Paper in October 2020, explaining why she chooses to convey such fractured likenesses of her subjects. “Do we think of ourselves as insides, outsides, or everything around and in-between?” she asked. “Are we as we identify, as we’re identified, both or neither? In other words, do we choose ourselves or do ourselves choose us?” Volmar’s work was recently included in a group show at Kohn Gallery titled “Myselves,” curated by Joshua Friedman, exploring the ways in which identity is structured or fabricated. Other featured artists included Romare Bearden, Amoako Boafo, Rafa Esparza, Emily Mae Smith, and Salman Toor.

Skye Volmar Pollinators, 2020 Kohn Gallery

Skye Volmar Like Moths to a Flame, 2020 Kohn Gallery

Sarah Ann Weber B. 1988, Chicago. Lives and works in Los Angeles. Bursting with colour and alien shapes, Sarah Ann Weber’s mixed-media works use coloured pencil and sometimes watercolour to create scenes that are densely populated with surreal plants and ghostly figures. Patterned with pink and purple venus flytraps, giant ferns, and fields of technicoloured cacti, Weber’s drawings explore growth and entropy and often evoke the landscapes of Southern California. In a recent interview with Circle Foundation for the Arts, Weber explained that she intends for her work to “foster the hallucinatory experience of seeing a mirage.”

Zipora Fried The Most Distant Object, 2020 Sikkema Jenkins & Co.

Sarah Ann Weber A woman’s weapon is her tongue, 2020 Anat Ebgi

Lucile Gauvain Lives and works in Paris. A graphic designer and illustrator by trade, Lucile Gauvain began making her own personal work only recently. Drawing inspiration from her time working in film and surrounded by otherworldly sets, her drawings toe the line between fantasy and reality, depicting people doing ordinary things in extraordinary, often surreal settings. Her rich application of colour and attention to intricate detail often give her drawings a painterly quality. Gauvain has recently worked as a graphic designer for Wes Anderson’s upcoming film The French Dispatch, and as a concept artist for Julian Schnabel’s 2018 Vincent van Gogh biopic At Eternity’s Gate.

Lucile Gauvain Dinner With The Afterlife, 2020 HOFA Gallery (House of Fine Art)

Jorge Méndez Blake B. 1974, Guadalajara. Lives and works in Guadalajara. Jorge Méndez Blake bases his conceptual practice on deconstructing literature, linking the worlds of the written word and visual arts through drawings, assemblage, and sculpture. Trained as an architect, part of Méndez Blake’s oeuvre includes extraordinarily technical photorealistic drawings rendered entirely in coloured pencil. At this past year’s virtual Art Basel in Basel, Galería OMR in Mexico City presented a suite of recent works by Méndez Blake, including one from an ongoing series exploring the concept of the library. Titled “Biblioteca de la exploración,” the works in this series investigate the expeditions of Colonel Percy Fawcett, an English explorer who got lost trying to find an ancient city within the Amazon jungle. Conveying the daunting impossibility of finding one’s way through the Amazon, Méndez Blake created an enormous drawing of the lush rainforest. Through the dense foliage, one can make out what appears to be a towering bookshelf far out in the distance.

Jorge Méndez Blake Toda escritura comienza en una selva VII/, 2020

Jorge Méndez Blake Toda letra es la última letra (A), 2020 Travesia Cuatro

Igor Moritz B. 1996, Lublin, Poland. Lives and works in London. Texture is the name of the game when it comes to Igor Moritz’s use of coloured pencil. Every energetic mark is made plainly visible, giving his portraits a sense of immediacy and playfulness, as though the artist were filling out a colouring book. Reminiscent of modernists like Matisse and Picasso in composition, Moritz’s bold and unexpected application of colour brings these works into the present. A self-taught painter, Moritz has quickly become an artist to watch since graduating from Bournemouth University’s industrial design program in 2019. In the past few years, he has already mounted solo shows in Paris and Montreal; his work has also been exhibited at art fairs including London Art Fair, Pulse Art Fair Miami, and Seattle Art Fair.

Igor Moritz Paper Tiger , 2020 Nil Gallery

n u f s a m st i r Ch Come along and have some fun! Time to make some festive season treats for you and your family. Ingredients needed : - 3 marshmallows - 2 pretzels - Milk chocolate Candy corn - 1 skewer ( stick )

Instructions 1. Place the 3 marshmallows on the skewer ( stick ) , making sure they touch each other. 2. Put your chocolate in a microwavable bowl , and then put the bowl in the microwave until chocolate is melted. 3. Once the chocolate is melted , you can use a toothpick or a STAEDTLER paint brush dipped in chocolate to draw on a smiley face on the top marshmallow and your snowman’s buttons on the middle marshmallow. 4. Then you can dip the flat side of your candy corn in the melted chocolate to make it stick to your snowman’s face as a nose. 5. To complete your snowman you can dip the one side of each pretzel in the chocolate and then place them on each side of the middle marshmallow , to be your snowman’s arms . You can also use melted chocolate to draw on your snowman’s arms instead of the pretzels 6. Clean up, and enjoy your festive snowmen 7. Happy marshmellow making!

Print and Colour...

wall of fame BE APART OF OUR WALL OF FAME! SEND US A PHOTO OF YOU USING YOUR STAEDTLER STATIONERY AND WHAT YOU CREATED WITH IT AND YOU COULD BE FEATURED IN ON OUR WALL OF FAME! SEND IT ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM

THE TOP ART TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW

If you are on the hunt for the perfect art piece for your drawing room or just want to be updated with the latest trends in the art world, you are in the ideal place. Plenty of stores, artists, and retailers sell art nowadays. It is pretty subjective, so you should be familiar with a few different types before choosing the one you think is suitable for your home. Read on to find out about 6 art trends right now.

CALMING THEMES Science says that art can have an impact on your long-term emotional and mental well-being. Thus, what you regularly lay your eyes on should not only be aesthetically pleasing but must soothe your soul as well. Humans have different things that calm them down. You may look for art related to what helps you ground yourself. As an alternative, one unexpected way an art piece can bring peace of mind is by learning about it. Research about the work and its artist as much as you can. Once you build such a connection, your whole body will be filled with a calming feeling every time you walk past the piece.

FLUID PAINTING This is a trend you can embrace in a multitude of ways. You can even indulge in the experience of making it yourself. You may be wondering, ‘I don’t know how to use alcohol inks.’ Don’t worry too much; due to the availability of the supplies required to make it and its reflexive procedures, if you have the will, you will find your way around it. Possessing a knack for innovation and a creative soul, plus a little web browsing can help you make your own fluid art. Abstract art speaks to most of us, even if on a surface level, how tangled and messed up we all actually are. More than that, for DIY-ers, there’s really no way you can mess it up, so it might be a perfect choice if you have just started to explore your artistic side. You can incorporate fluid paintings into your decor if everything else is colour-coordinated and has neat, precise designs. The contrast could be pretty interesting.

INSPIRED BY NATURE We may have cut down all trees and built industries in place of them, but people are being increasingly drawn to nature-inspired art. This is not limited to paintings with elements of nature, such as trees or animals, and various sculptures of natural materials, art pieces of palettes of earthy tones, and even abstract forms that celebrate shapes found in nature. Since such a wide array of options are available in this particular trend, it will not be too difficult for you to embrace it. It can be a classy way to add a slight mother nature touch to your decor.

INSPIRED BY CULTURE AND TRADITION Artisanal works of art are being brought back to life and gaining popularity. Some examples are handmade ceramics, woodworking, knitwork/needlepoint, etc. They are being showcased in their native form and being revitalized in various digital formats, such as VR experiences. Such art can not only be a treat to your eyes and ears but also help you rediscover lost heritage and push you to educate yourself more about your culture. If you invest in such a piece for your interior decor, your home will have a perfect touch of tradition. People with modern homes as well as traditional homes are now incorporating artisanal works into their decor. Even though it might sound like a fusional clash to you, artists are flourishing now more than ever with access to so many art mediums.

MAXIMALISM If statement pieces are what speak your heart, maximalism is calling your name. This art style may seem chaotic to some, but we would instead look at it as a clash. You can effortlessly jump on this bandwagon by displaying 18th-Century European paintings or Chinese motifs. If you want to opt for this style in modern times, you may boast art pieces with vibrant colors, unexpected combinations, the use of various textures and layers, and so on. One maximalist piece can be the center of attention in your chosen room. It can be anything that draws all eyes on it as soon as people enter the room. You might create an excellent contrast by placing a maximalist work in your minimalist decor. This powerful aesthetic might be too graphic for some, but if you choose to display it, it can change the whole atmosphere of your home.

METALLIC TONES Metals aren’t only a popular choice for light fixtures and hardware. You can throw in these shiny shades on your art as well. Everything in your room does not have to be of the same tone. In fact, that may make everything look quite monotonous. Instead, take a little bit of a risk and incorporate a couple of different metallic shades, even if they are spread throughout your home. If you are keen on this trend, you may try looking into paintings and sculptures made of foils or metallic accents. The beauty of this trend is it can add both modern and classy touches to your decor, depending on your choice of metallic element.

CONCLUSION These are the six must-know art trends right now. The process of buying or making art can sometimes be more therapeutic than when you actually have the art in front of your eyes or in your home. The point of art is to speak not only to the eyes but to your soul. It’s okay, too, if you want to settle with something aesthetically pleasing but not necessarily emotionally provoking. Don’t fret if none of the trends mentioned above seem pleasant to you. Art can be entirely subjective. These are just what have been gaining momentum among the global population in recent times. https://fadmagazine.com/2021/07/08/the-top-art-trends-you-need-to-know-right-now/

Discover and create YOUR OWN design journey...

COLOUR TRENDS WE COULD ALL DO WITH A BIT MORE FUN IN OUR LIVES. A HIGH-OCTANE, SUGAR-SWEET PALETTE INSPIRED BY RETRO CANDY AND 1980’s COLOURS. NOT QUITE NEONS OR PURE PASTELS, THESE COLOURS COMBINE THE FRESHNESS OF PASTEL HUES WITH THE FIZZING ENERGY OF NEON TONES. PARMA VIOLET, PALE LIME, BUBBLEGUM AQUA, AND CANDY PINK MAKE FOR A FLAGRANTLY FUN AND NOSTALGIC SCHEME THAT BRINGS PLAYFULNESS TO WEBSITES, BRANDS, OR 3D ILLUSTRATIONS.

CANDY PINK

BUBBLEGUM AQUA

PALE LIME

PARMA VIOLET

PARMA VIOLET #D8B7E4 Mauve - a youth colour hero Mauve explores the range from muted (almost pink) neutrals to sweet pastel (almost neon) shades. The mauve colour story feels idealistic and pure, evocative of youth, decadence, and femininity. It may be too emotional and authentic to resonate with the wider crowd but reigns supreme with its young and artistic audience, especially with those with a tender spot in their heart for the ‘80s interior style and colour schemes. https://blog.sampleboard.com/color-trends-2021-millennial-purple-interior-obsession/

PALE LIME #E8F4B5

Pastel green is fresh, light, cool. The colour becomes the perfect way to translate the atmosphere of a relaxed spring day onto even the most upscale of looks. After all, what can you expect after a year in social isolation? Of course, none of this means that the tone cannot appear in well-styled and elegant productions. A pastel green tailoring set is the perfect balance of a chic look with a sharp silhouette. Used in harmony with more basic colours, the pastel adapts well and becomes a good ally to break from the ordinary without having to so boldly adopt vibrant colours. https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/pastel-green-color-spring-summer-2021-fashion-trend

CANDY PINK #ECB5B8 With the comeback of all things retro and a strong reference to the ‘70s colour schemes, pastels are back in a big way, promising sweet interior pleasures year around. It is no secret that pastels have evolved to become the new neutrals of interior design, and they are now being used in much more complex interior colour palettes then they used to. The biggest interior trends for 2022 speak about colour and encourage us to be playful with our selections, but they also teach us how to create soft, delicate interior colour schemes. https://blog.sampleboard.com/pastel-pink-hygge-scandinavian-interiors/

BUBBLEGUM AQUA #A8E1DF Soft pastel blue is the biggest trend of the year. Designers are making everything in this shade, from jackets, hoodies, and sweatpants to T-Shirts, undies, and accessories. Blue is the colour of the sky and the sea, so it brings a sense of tranquility and is easy on the eye. Darker shades of blue can actually make us sad and depressed, and bright blue can be a bit too dramatic. Pastel blue is the perfect middle ground, which is why it is such a popular choice. https://www.artistshot.com/blog/color-palettes-softpastel-is-the-new-trend-in-fashion/

DRAW IT YOUR WAY Redraw LEGO man your way using your favourite STAEDTLER products. Take a picture of your drawing and send it to us on Social Media, and you can stand a chance to be featured on our page.

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