Derwent are delighted to announce the winner of their recent Artists Pencil competition. After a company-wide vote Malcolm Cudmore’s unusual perspective of Ashness Bridge has been chosen to appear on the new Derwent Artists Pencil tins due to be launched later this year. The runners-up were Tiffany Budd and Leslie Hawes.

Artists is the first coloured pencil range that Derwent developed in the 1930’s and is still one of its best selling pencils today. Ever since its introduction the pencil has been associated with Ashness Bridge, just outside Keswick in the Lake District. This iconic landmark has featured on all Artists Pencil packaging since 1938.

Speaking about the competition Leah Lister Derwent Marketing Manager said ‘as part of our brand development programme we are re-designing the Artists Pencil range and wanted to find a new eye-catching and dynamic drawing of Ashness Bridge to feature on the tins. For the first time we encouraged artists to post their entries on-line using Flickr, Facebook or Twitter. We are delighted with the number and quality of the entries and it certainly has got the artist community ‘talking’ about Artists Pencils and our following on Twitter has grown!’

Before doing his drawing Malcolm visited Ashness Bridge to look at it from all angles ‘I preferred this view – I like high horizons and thought it offered a good dramatic composition. Derwent Artists Pencils lend themselves to my style of drawing, I like to build up form and tone by the application of many layers of separate colour, using as few describing marks as possible. Artists are a round traditional pencil with a wide core and a slightly waxy texture which is ideal for multiple layering and blending allowing me to build up an infinite spectrum of tones and hues’.

To view all the entries click here