Meet the Tutor: Talking Coloured Pencils with Rachael Anders
- Gemma Gittins
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever marvelled at the detail that can be achieved with a simple coloured pencil, you’ve likely admired the work of Rachael Anders. Based here in the UK, Rachael teaches the art of drawing with coloured pencils - a medium that is often overlooked. Today, we’re stepping into her home studio to talk about unhelpful feline assistants and the inspiration behind her work.
Inspired by beauty
Rachael’s patience and eye for detail is inspired by the best in history. When asked whose sketchbook she’d most like to explore, she points to the legendary House of Fabergé.
"I would love to look through the only three surviving albums of Fabergé designs," she tells me. After visiting the Romance to Revolution exhibition at the V&A Museum a few years ago, Rachael was "blown away by the incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and technical mastery that went into producing the world's most celebrated jewels."
That same quest for detail is evident in Rachael's own work, though her toolkit is refreshingly humble. If she had to choose only three materials for life? "Pencil, eraser, and paper", of course!
A Studio of Ideas
Unlike the creative chaos some artists prefer, Rachael keeps a steady ship. "My studio is pretty organised and tidy," she says, though she does admit to having a healthy collection of work-in-progress thoughts taking up space on her desk. "I have about five notebooks that have ideas, sketches, and beginnings of new pieces", she tells me.
Whilst Rachael likes the idea of an ordered studio, her unofficial teammates have other ideas. Her two cats, Bella and Cupid, "are cute," she laughs, "but very unhelpful assistants!"
A few of Rachael’s favourite things:
Favourite Season: Spring
Favourite Museum: Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Favourite Art Shop: Another vote for Jackson’s Art Supplies
Favourite Smell: Lilac and honeysuckle wafting in from the garden.
Favourite Book: The Flower Fairies illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker
Favourite Time to Create: Lunchtime
Favourite Colour: White (the secret weapon of every pencil artist!)
Taming the Inner Critic
Even for a professional, the start of a project can bring a flutter of nerves. "I am nervous when I have nothing at all on the drawing board," Rachael confides. To get past that initial block and quieten the inner critic, she relies on a gentle perspective which would serve us all well: "I remind myself that I’m still learning."
It’s a lovely reminder for her students, too - art is a journey, not a race. And, to keep her energy up during those long hours of layering? Rachael relies on a classic British duo of "Tea (milk, one sugar) and chocolate digestives."
A Life in Full Colour
When she isn't teaching at Ardington or focusing on a commission, Rachael still loves to be creative. She has a wish list of colourful crafts she’d love to try, ranging from stained glass and sculpture, to calligraphy and oil painting.
Her family life outside the studio is just as vibrant, filled with photography, live music, and birdwatching.
But when she needs to feel truly inspired, she heads to the mountains. Her favourite view? The breathtaking Cairngorms in Scotland; our largest National Park and home to 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the UK. Seems like the perfect choice for an avid wildlife photographer!
Any Final Words of Wisdom?
"Remember that everyone’s creative path is different."
Thank you as always to Rachael for sharing with us a little more about her life 'behind the camera'.
Our next class with Rachael is 'Getting to Know Your Coloured Pencils' - part discussion, part class -we'll be taking a deeper delve into which coloured pencils work best, how to make the most of the medium, and some easy techniques to help you achieve masterful results!
Comments