If You Want To Be An Artist

Showcase your talent and win big in Artists Network prestigious art competitions! Discover competitions in a variety of media and enter for your chance to win cash prizes, publication in leading art magazines, global exposure, and rewards for your hard work. Plus, gain valuable feedback from renowned jurors. Let your passion shine through – enter an art competition today!

“If you want to be an artist, you have no choice but to be driven,” proclaims colored pencil artist Megan Seiter. Just in case you missed the feature article by Naomi Ekperigin on Seiter’s work in Drawing magazine earlier this year (Winter 2013), here’s a snippet from it:

They say God is in the details. Although I can’t vouch for that, I can certainly say that details can help artists create things of beauty, and the work of Megan Seiter is no exception. The young artist’s still lifes are the result of a painstaking focus on detail and a thorough and patient approach to drawing. She applies layer upon layer of colored pencil to her surface, resulting in still lifes featuring crisp, bright color against stark black backgrounds. The result is a vibrancy and moodiness that one wouldn’t usually attribute to such subjects as stuffed animals or cupcakes, and certainly not a head of lettuce. “I pick subjects that mean something to me,” Seiter says. “The toys are things that my brother and I grew up with. When I draw food or flowers, I’m not trying to get it perfectly right–I’m trying to personify it, make it come alive, and be more than just an object.”

Spiraling Lettuce, colored pencil art
Spiraling Lettuce (colored pencil, 21×31) by Megan Seiter

As unconventional as some of Seiter’s subjects may be, she finds that viewers are even more shocked when they discover that her work is done with colored pencil. “Usually when I tell people I’m a colored pencil artist, they say, ‘You should try oil,’” the artist says. “It can be discouraging, but I don’t take it to heart.” After all, Seiter has tried oil and many other media in her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Pre-College Program, in Providence; Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in Geneva, New York; and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), in Baltimore. Although she’s open to exploration and recognizes that she’s early in her career, she knows what she likes and is sticking with it. “I first worked with colored pencils at MICA as part of a homework assignment, and I just clicked with it,” she recalls. “From there, I kept working at it. None of my teachers used it as their primary medium, so I mostly taught myself technique.” ~by Naomi Ekperigin

Flora and Alexander, colored pencil art
Flora and Alexander (colored pencil, 19×25) by Megan Seiter

To read more about Seiter and her still lifes, click here and get your copy of the Drawing 2013 Annual CD, which includes articles on approaches to contemporary landscapes; lessons from both the masters and contemporary artists; combining new and old drawing techniques, and more.

Warm regards,
Cherie

Cherie Haas, online editor**Click here to subscribe to the Artists Network newsletter for inspiration, instruction, and more!

 

 

Related Articles

Join the Conversation!

Become a member today!

Choose an option below to join now.

$14.99/month

Join Now

 

Free Gift Included

$99.99/year

Join Now

 

  • Stream over 850 videos anytime, anywhere.
  • Enjoy exclusive events with live discussions from today’s top artists!
  • Get access to the Artists Magazine archives and save 30% on additional magazines.

View All Benefits

*Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards.