Art by Karl Kwasny

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A project I'm finishing up at the moment - illustrations for Claire Legrand's middle-grade novel The Year of Shadows!

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Print available here!

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Poe.

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The most terrifying movie-monster.

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Unwanted.

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Hello, I've been trying to get into calligraphy and your work is a great inspiration to me. I appreciate it even more now that I try to get similar effects, particularly in terms of ornamentation, and find it extremely difficult! Do you have any suggestions in terms of composition, technique, materials etc...? (I currently use a Lamy 1.5 Italic nib for calligraphy on Paper made for ink and I use various inks, mainly J. Herbin)

Getting composition and ornamentation to work is mostly trial and error. Try to make loose, gestural pencil strokes, and if a particular idea doesn't look right, erase it and try something different. Sometimes it will take me several hours of sketching to get something to look balanced. You just need to be patient.

I sometimes use nibs, but I much prefer using a brush (Raphael 8404 #2 is my favourite at the moment.) I wouldn't suggest using anything smaller than a #2.

Of course, the best advice is to experiment and find out what suits you best!

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But it's worth it.

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Taken with Instagram

(I made an Instagram account the other day. Follow me if you like.)

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Moving soon. I'll miss this view.

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Maurice Sendak On Death (And Life).

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Stuck

(Ink & watercolour)

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[karlkwasny]

Hi Karl! I'll take this opportunity to say your work is great, keep it up! Your lettering work is awesome. I'm trying my luck at traditional art again after years of digital spoil. I was wondering if you could help with this silly doubt. What kind of pencil does someone use for sketching before watercolor (if pencil is supposed to be gone after)? I noticed you said you erase sketching lines after the first layers. Mine (your average Joe pencil) not only smears but it gets sealed below the paint.

Good question!

I like to use Faber-Castell HB pencils for sketching on watercolour paper. They tend not to get sealed beneath watercolour as badly as some other brands.

Also, I would strongly suggest using non-PVC erasers, particularly if you find that your current erasers are smudging your work. You will be amazed at the difference. Tombow Mono erasers are my favourite at the moment.

The brand of watercolour paper you use makes a difference, too.

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Mother Deer. Collaboration with Stephanie Pepper.

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Company.

Print available here.