About Brush and Pencil

Where Art Meets Product Development

Brush and Pencil, LLC is an independent art-supply company founded in 2015 by colored pencil artist, author, and educator Alyona Nickelsen.

The company grew from a practical problem: conventional colored pencil tools and surfaces often forced artists to work slowly and within unnecessary limitations. Alyona began developing products that would allow colored pencil artists to work with greater freedom, efficiency, and painterly control while maintaining professional results.

About Alyona Nickelsen

Alyona was born and raised in Ukraine and returned seriously to art after moving to the United States in 1999. Her colored pencil work has received national and international recognition, appeared in numerous art publications, and been exhibited in juried exhibitions.

She is the author of Colored Pencil Painting Bible and Colored Pencil Painting Portraits. Her approach, which she calls “colored pencil painting,” combines layered color, blending, texture, and techniques traditionally associated with painting to produce luminous, highly realistic artwork.

The Development of Brush and Pencil Products

Rather than continuing to adapt materials that were never designed specifically for colored pencil, Alyona began developing her own.

Brush and Pencil products were created to solve real studio problems, including blending dry pigment, restoring highlights and texture, building multiple layers, and working on a durable surface capable of supporting more demanding techniques.

LuxArchival® sanded art paper became the centerpiece of that system. It was developed specifically for colored pencil artists who need a strong, versatile surface that can accept extensive layering, blending, lifting, liquids, and mixed-media techniques.

Our Approach

Every Brush and Pencil product begins with an actual artistic problem. It is tested through hands-on studio work and refined according to how artists truly use it—not merely how it performs in theory.

Brush and Pencil continues to research and develop professional tools for artists who want to expand what colored pencil can do.

  • Where Art Meets Product Development

    Brush and Pencil grew from years of studio practice and a practical question: why should colored pencil artists have to adapt their methods to materials that were never designed for them?

    Founded in 2015 by artist and author Alyona Nickelsen, the company develops professional tools and surfaces around the way artists actually work—through layering, blending, lifting, correction, and experimentation.

  • About Alyona Nickelsen

    Alyona Nickelsen is a colored pencil artist, author, educator, and product developer. Born and raised in Ukraine, she returned seriously to art after moving to the United States in 1999. Her work has received national and international recognition and has appeared in numerous art publications and juried exhibitions.

    She is the author of Colored Pencil Painting Bible and Colored Pencil Painting Portraits. Her approach—“colored pencil painting”—combines layered color, blending, texture, and techniques traditionally associated with painting to create luminous, highly realistic artwork.

  • From Studio Problem to Professional Surface

    Brush and Pencil products are developed to solve problems encountered through real studio work—not merely to perform well in theory.

    LuxArchival® sanded art paper became the centerpiece of that approach: a durable, versatile surface created to support extensive layering, blending, lifting, correction, compatible liquids, and mixed-media techniques.

    Explore LuxArchival®