A few days ago my friend and fellow creative Bill Nelson sent me an e-mail announcing his latest art book. Some of you may already be aware of Bill Nelson’s work – he’s an award winning illustrator (500+ awards) and artist. Bill is the master of colored pencil and has also developed a very successful career in sculpture. His dolls are sought after by  celebrities and collectors. Recently he has entered into a partnership called “Inspired Worx” to produce fully articulated ventriloquist dolls.

Bill has garnered numerous awards in his thirty plus year career including medals form the Society of Illustrators, The Art Directors Club of NY, Communication Arts Magazine and many many more.

Here are a few brief comments on his technique. In Bill’s words:

“As for the illustrations, the technique is colored pencils on various background colors. Sometimes I use a basic wash to fill in an area instead of trying to build it up completely with pencil. I work on anything from mat board, to recycled paper, ( with a little Canson charcoal paper thrown into the mix ).”

“The INSPIRED WORX figures begin as heads sculpted in plasticine. Then seven coats of polyurethane varnish so they`ll withstand the trip out west.
I have tried animating them myself but have no talent in that area.
RANDALL the bum figure is fully loaded with, moving mouth, stick out tongue, one stationary eye and one universal one. Raising and lowering eyebrows, wiggling ears and a light-up nose.”

“I`m in partnership with a very talented engineer on the west coast and, while I design and sculpt each character, he casts them and builds the intricate movements. We are called INSPIRED WORX.”

Links:

Bill’s website                              
Bill’s art book