Art by Hollis Richardson

Happy Happy 7 x 13

Cool Pencil Drawings Bursting With Design and Color

Cleveland artist, Hollis Richardson, began his art studies with graphite pencil drawings, and progressed over time to ink drawings and other media. Years later he discovered the joy of creating Prismacolor pencil drawings. For over seventy years he has consistently produced wall art with a remarkable eye for design. See and collect from his large and diverse body of professional quality wall art, including traditional images and many stylized, brightly colored images of people.
Meeting 11 x 14
Richardson’s cool drawings are highly collectable contemporary wall art. Read more below and explore all the pages on this website and his biography to learn about the many influences that have inspired his rich imagination.
Two Innocents 10 x 7
Many Years 7 x 10
Fence Post 9 x 7
Barn Buckets 3.5 x 8.5
Barn Antiques 9 x 6
The Old Motor 9 x 11
Truck Driver 10 x 7
Two In One 16 x 14
Tall Hats 15 x 10.5

ABout Hollis RiChardson and his Drawings

Richardson began drawing what he saw when he was still in grade school. As a young man he was rendering realistic life drawings. It was challenging to get the likeness of people, the proportions and perspective correctly. As his skills developed, his drawings became more emotive and expressive. Today his artwork is more imaginative and fun, but it is seriously skilled wall art. He finds it to have a calming effect on him, as he devotes his full attention to the task at hand. The discovery that that he could render pencil drawings with the rich colors of Prismacolor Pencils, had an inspirational impact on him. Hollis Richardson became so excited about drawing again, that he would begin early in the day and continued working until late at night, one project exciting his imagination and spurring him on to begin another. He credits drawing with helping him to be more observant of his surroundings, to see shapes instead of things, seeing and using values and to practice using all the elements of design, including textures, patterns, positive and negative space, shapes, lines and most importantly, good perspective to create pleasing compositions. He likes creating small works of wall art. Creating a good design in a small space lends itself to a quick, spontaneous process that only an experienced artist can accomplish well. Drawings and paintings that are not over worked is often better artwork, imparting a sense of freshness, immediacy and stimulating a connection with the viewer. It is difficult for Hollis Richardson to answer the question of why he draws what he does. It is rooted in his experiences with different cultures and women in his life. He enjoys using decorative details that might be used in celebrations and events. However, his drawings and paintings are not replications of any one culture or personality. Rather they are the representation of the experience of such events, and the joy and significance of them to the person or people involved. It is contemporary modern wall art, used playfully.

About Drawing

Drawing skill involves persistence and a willingness to overcome hesitation resulting from a need for more self-confidence. If you want to become an accomplished artist, keep working and it will come. Many people are easily discouraged when their drawings do not reflect a high level of skill. However, with patience, much practice and self-acceptance, anyone can learn to draw and become a contemporary artist. Look at shapes instead of things. Experiment with thick and thin lines, sharp and blurred edges. Practice shading and blending. Pay as much attention to the overall picture as to the parts. It would be helpful if you begin with the larger areas first and then develop the smaller areas. Pay attention to how you group objects and colors to make a pattern and unify the composition. But do take time to learn perspective. You can have a very nice drawing in every other way, but if the perspective is off, it is not a good drawing. The process of drawing and its value is not widely appreciated. Some perceive it is a time waster and think painting involves more skill. In realty the only difference is the technical process of creating the artwork in a different medium. Drawing still involves actively using both sides of the brain, the right for creativity and the left for logical and analytical thinking, enhancing the ability to focus and think strategically and creatively. It is good mental activity for all of us. Children should be highly encouraged to spend time drawing, to enhance their cognitive development and to begin down the path of self-discovery, something important whether or not they become artists. Self-discovery is a lifelong process that is best begun early in life.
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