Featured Artist: Darra Sargent

Artist Program: Darra Sargent

Darra was born and raised in Baltimore, a city with an incredible creative energy and a deeply rooted arts community that shaped her from an early age. Creativity was always part of her home life, too. Her dad was a musician, and her mom worked as a hairstylist. Even though their careers were different, they both approached their work with creativity, and that had a big influence on her.

Darra’s been making art for as long as she can remember. Even as a kid, she was always creating and looking for ways to express herself. Growing up in Baltimore, surrounded by both community and creativity at home, naturally inspired her to pursue art from a young age.

Walk Us Through Your Creative Process

My creative process really depends on the medium. With digital work, I’m very precise and methodical, but watercolor gives me the chance to let go of control and embrace unpredictability, which is something I’ve really grown to love creatively.

Most of my watercolor pieces begin with a wet-on-wet background using only magenta, yellow, and blue, allowing the colors to naturally mix and create unexpected tones. I’ll layer in metallic and glitter paints for added dimension and then sketch my compositions digitally on my iPad before transferring them onto paper.

I’m inspired by contrast, balancing free-flowing, organic color with detailed, intentional composition, and I love using holographic and color-shifting paints that change depending on how you view the piece.

What Matters Most to You When Selecting Paper?

Texture matters most to me when selecting paper. I’m really drawn to cold press because I love that toothy, almost sandpaper-like feel, it holds watercolor beautifully and gives the work so much more depth and vibrancy. I’ve tested the same paintings on different papers, and the difference is huge. Even with great paint, if the paper isn’t absorbing color properly, the piece can fall flat.

I especially love papers like Legion Stonehenge because they stay sturdy under a lot of water without buckling, which is important for the wet-on-wet techniques I use to create those fluid, tie-dye-like backgrounds.

How Did You Discover Legion?

I first discovered Legion through Yupo paper around 2017 after seeing artists use it for alcohol ink work online. Later, when my favorite watercolor paper brand disappeared, I started testing a bunch of different papers to find a replacement, Arches, Strathmore and Legion included.

As soon as I tried Stonehenge Cold Press, I knew it was the one. The texture, the way it absorbs color, and how well it holds up to heavy water techniques instantly stood out to me. I’ve been using it ever since.

What Do You Hope People Take Away from Your Work?

I hope people take away that it’s okay to be unapologetically feminine. My work is colorful, playful, and full of things like rainbows and bright florals, but it also speaks to serious issues and encourages people, especially women, to speak up for themselves.

I think there’s power in embracing joy, softness, and femininity without shame. For so long, we’ve been told that “girly” things are something to outgrow or be embarrassed by, but I want my work to remind people that there’s strength in that joy and authenticity. Especially in difficult times, we need every bit of color, happiness, and light we can hold onto.

Featured Artist: Nicole Jarecz, Fashion Illustrator and Author

Artist Program: Nicole Jarecz

Nicole Jarecz is a fashion illustrator based in Detroit, MI. For as long as she can remember she was always attracted to drawing and creating but found that fashion illustration was her passion. 

She creates feminine pieces that are made with graphite, watercolor, ink, charcoal and colored pencil.  It’s all about a feeling and an attention to detail that makes her work different than other fashion illustrations.

Walk Us Through Your Creative Process

A lot of my research is fashion-based. I pull ideas from magazines, recent runway collections, and emerging trends. I’m always observing what’s current and how style is evolving.

I love working on newsprint, so I usually begin there to sketch out my initial ideas and get a sense of the composition. Once I feel confident in the direction, I transfer the sketch onto my final paper, typically Stonehenge paper.

Much of my process is intuitive. I usually start with a feeling and just go for it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,  but that’s part of being a mixed media artist.

I work with a variety of materials: ink, colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, layering different mediums to create texture, depth, and movement, especially when illustrating fabrics. I’m inspired by street style, nature, and everyday moments. The sketch phase is always loose and gestural, typically done on newsprint before moving to a premium surface for the finished piece.

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

Much of my inspiration comes from travel. I lived in Paris for six years (2010–2016), and that experience deeply shaped my artistic voice. I still travel back frequently, and being exposed to different cultures, people, and places continues to influence my work.

I try to stay open-minded about where my art can go and what it can become. I’m inspired by the people I meet, the environments I experience, and the energy of the places I visit.

What Matters Most to You When Selecting Paper?

Color, weight, and texture are all equally important to me.

With Legion, I’ve found the best balance of all three. The color tones are incredibly rich,  I love working on toned backgrounds for my illustrations, and the Stonehenge Colors pad has beautiful neutral shades that I use often.

Weight is especially important for commissioned pieces. When a client invests in artwork, I want it to feel substantial and premium. Texture also plays a major role, papers like Stonehenge White are thick and versatile, and they handle mixed media beautifully.

Stonehenge White and the Stonehenge Colors pad all perform exceptionally well with ink, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. Legion papers are versatile, which is essential for me since I work across multiple mediums.

As a student at CCS College for Creative Studies in Detroit, I used premium papers occasionally, but mostly newsprint for cost reasons. Now that I’m working full-time as an artist, investing in premium paper makes a noticeable difference. My illustrations look elevated and more refined.

At sketching events, I may use more affordable paper for quick five-minute drawings, but for commissioned work, I always explain to clients that premium paper enhances the longevity and overall quality of the piece. It truly changes the final result.

How Did You Discover Legion?

I first discovered Legion through Instagram, then started purchasing the paper at Blick Art Supply. After using it, I fell in love with it. That was about eight years ago.

I began tagging Legion in my posts and building that connection organically. From there, the relationship grew naturally.

What Do You Hope People Take Away from Your Work?

I hope people fall in love with fashion illustration.

I discovered fashion illustration while studying at CCS in a history of illustration course. Once I saw it, I was immediately captivated. I even took private lessons with my professor to dive deeper into the discipline.

There’s something incredibly special about fashion illustration, the movement, the gesture, the feeling of fabric in motion. It offers something different from photography. There’s emotion and interpretation in every line.

When I host sketching events and people say they’ve never seen anything like it before, that excites me. I love introducing others to this art form and encouraging them to explore it further.

If viewers walk away wanting to learn more about fashion illustration,  then I’ve done my job.

Artist of the Month for August: Jenny Kiker

We’re so excited to feature the first artist of our new program, Legion’s Artist of the Month Program. We’ve been honored to work with incredible artists across nearly every medium we can think of. Part of the excitement has always been introducing artists to new surfaces, planting that seed and watching it grow. Learn more or apply to our program here.

Introducing botanical artist and owner of Living Pattern, Jenny. After exploring several surfaces for Jenny’s block prints, we were able to work together to find her perfect match, Stonehenge. We will be featuring Jenny’s art on Stonehenge White 250gsm and Stonehenge Black 250gsm throughout the month of August. Learn more about Jenny below and follow our social media for featured posts!

Tell us about yourself and your work.

Hi, my name is Jenny. I go by @livingpattern on social media where I've been sharing my work since 2013. I took my art career full-time that year, it was the best jump I've ever made. Currently, I am exploring watercolor and printmaking. Both mediums are translated similarly, inspired by graphic and minimal block printing with simple shapes that focus on patterns in nature. I am endlessly searching for the eye-catchers of the natural world.

What’s your process like from start to finish?

My watercolor and printmaking process both involve a new fascination. Both processes start with a sketch. With watercolor, I simply transfer my design to paper then lay the color in. I flatten all of my watercolors then sign them. With printmaking, my design is transferred onto a linoleum block. I carve the block, then ink the carving. Then test proofing begins to check my carving details. If all looks good, I begin printing the run.

You tested a few different papers to find a favorite. What did you find throughout the testing?

I tested several papers, what I liked about Stonehenge was how smooth and accepting of ink it was. The 250 gsm is also a nice weight, I had trouble with the 115-175 gsm papers arriving with creases or bends that were hard to get out. 

The white of the paper was also a big factor for me because I wanted a paper that wasn't too stark white but not beige or cream either. I was looking for a contemporary white that went well with white mats or white frames found in modern/ minimalist homes.

Do you use the same paper for your block prints and watercolor prints?

For printmaking, I use Stonehenge White and Black 250gsm paper. For watercolor, I use Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Bright White paper.

What other materials do you use (aside from the paper)?

For printmaking, I use Battleship Grey linoleum, Flexcut tools, and Cranfield relief inks. For watercolor, I use Mision watercolors and Silverwhite brushes.

Tell us about one of your favorite projects!

Easy! I worked with an amazing firm, Studio Tack, to design large scale original watercolors for a newly designed hotel. Studio Tack is an extremely talented team and I am honored they chose my work for the hotel. I created 8 large scale pieces for the lobby/ dining areas and each room has Living Pattern prints in it! Click here for the link.

What do you hope to achieve with your work?

My work aims to bring appreciation to the stunning details found in nature.

Any advice to artists first starting out?

You never arrive, your art is ever-evolving just like you! Do not question your art, do not listen to other people's opinions of your art and share it without hesitation straight from your soul. 

Tilden Hotel

Barbara Rogers wins Legion Paper award!

CPSA's Annual International Exhibition

"Reflections" - drawn on Stonehenge, 19" x 23" and done using an Icarus board with mostly Luminance pencils.

In conjunction with the annual International Exhibition each year, Colored Pencil Society of America presents a fun-filled convention providing colored pencil artists the opportunity to network and become acquainted with other artists, attend workshops led by experienced and accomplished artists, win door prizes at the Art Gala, and enjoy a banquet to see in person the announcement and presentation of exhibition awards.

The CPSA International Exhibition is an annual juried gallery exhibition exclusively for works done in 100% colored pencil. It is held in a different city each year to provide more people the opportunity to enjoy colored pencil as a fine art medium. This year's exhibition was held at the Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland from June 10-August 6, 2017. The recognition levels included: diamond, platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. One of this year's winners was Barbara Rogers, winning the Legion Paper award for Exceptional Merit.

"Reflections of San Francisco" hanging on display. 

Barbara Rogers has always had a lifelong passion for art and has been painting for sixteen years. Her work consists of oils, colored pencils and pastels. She's been exhibited locally and won numerous awards. She is a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA), as well as Oil Painters of America (OPA). We congratulate Barbara on her award!

A new experimental piece recently finished by Barbara on Rising. 

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A Revolutionary Design. A New Look for Legion's New Artist Pads.

Art is about connections. Between structure and the whole, ideas and the viewer, the medium and the maker. No matter what the piece of art, all of its elements must work together. Everything must be connected.

At Legion, our art is paper. And now we are proud to announce our new redesign, a bold disruptive look that takes three of our papers, new and old, and connects them so you know that you are getting the quality, consistency and substance you demand for your art.

It was time to break tradition. To create something the market had never touched upon. The design-savvy covers strip away the clutter of conventional pad covers, using a varnish text against a solid background color to capture the attention of the artist without being intrusive. Designed for the artist’s eye, the clean, bold type tells you the paper, a beautiful gloss overlay paints an ephemeral verbal picture of exactly what that paper can do.

Orange on purple? That’s Stonehenge Light. Red on orange? That’s Yupo Medium. And so on and so forth. The papers haven’t changed, we’ve just made it easier for you to find them on the shelf and given them a look you'd be proud to leave out in your studio or on your coffee table.

Together, all these covers will connect all of our brands under an umbrella that any novice can recognize and any artist can appreciate. And connections are what it’s all about.

We are Legion. We are paper.