Product Description
Features over 40 step-by-step projects using basic techniques and readily available supplies.

Ideal for beginning artists and hobbyists learning basic colored pencil as well as more experienced artists looking to perfect their technique.

Readers will learn to draw flowers, people, animals, metal, brass, sunsets, water, glass and more using reference photos, simple techniques and clear step-by-step instruction. She includes before-and-after examples from her students that prove how her simple graphing techniques translate into remarkable drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Colour pencil for ever!
The book is really easy to read, everything is very well explained, I was also blown away by the wonderfull drawings, but what really captured my attention was to know that some of these drawings were produced with only five or six colours. I never thouht possible to be able to draw like she does, but now I do. Colour pencil technique can be a very rewarding and not too expensive lifetime hobby.

Great teacher.
I like this book.I have purchased several books by Lee and find them very informative for what I want them for-colored pencil skills.Each book has something different. I recommend.

Drawing
Another Lee Hammond drawing book. She is a wonderful artist. A must have book for your collection. You will learn so much. Great detail.

Love this book
This book is detailed and gives step by step examples. Plenty of pictures with explainations. I highly recommend this book for beginners.

Excellent teaching tool.Great illustrations
What a terrific artist.She explains everything in a way it is easy to understand.It has helped my artwork immensely. ... Read more

Product Description
The author shows how to create form, volume, and space and avoid overworking a picture. She also shares special techniques for both popular and nontraditional subjects and discusses how to become a professional artist. 200 color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

If You're Beginning, You Need This Book
"Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner," though not everything you are going to need, will probably be indispensible for your first steps in serious colored pencil drawing.Bet Borgeson gives the basics you have to have in color theory, composition, and how to keep your inspiration flowing.She also talks about the ins and outs of how to sell your wares and actually establish a career in the arts.So there is alot of good here.

I didn't find all that I wanted, though, to tell the truth.In addition to the composition and mood and so forth of a piece, I was hoping for some more prosaic advice on how to do things like make an apple look like an apple instead of a tomato, or a blueberry look like a blueberry instead of a grape."Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner" was frustratingly short on topics like this, or what colors to belnd together to get flesh tones, or what colors to use to make convincing shadows, and so forth.

So you won't find everything in this book, but what book will give you everything anyway?In summary, it's pretty good for what it's intended for, and if you're a beginner, you're probably going to need it.Four stars.

I guess it depends on what you mean by serious
When she says serious... in the last few pages she tells you about becoming a full time artist, pros and cons kind of thing and options.She gives suggestions of places you can look into to show your work, but does not tell you how, just where to go.She does however say to go to the library to find out more or the internet.I guess most people don't know that, to me it is obvious.But hey, now you know and you didn't have to buy the book!

The artwork in the book sucks.It lacks depth and looks flat.Sure there is color, but it all seems to have the same pressure to it.Some may be better than others, buy my eyes don't want to look at it long.So, a tip that I know in becoming a serious artist is that if you actually want people to buy your work, you will want to create something that captures the attention of the viewer and keeps them there.The more they look at your work or the longer, the more likely they will buy it.The only one in there that looked pretty cool was the monopoly picture.

It's odd, she shows some basic examples of creating the illusion of 3D using tonal values from light to dark as well as discussing form, volume and space... but does not fully carry it through in her own work.

I just think if your going to learn from an artist, you would want to learn from someone who can give a good example.Why not learn it the right way the first time?There are too many other books that could do it better for ya.Check out books by Ann Kullberg, Janie Gildow, Gary Greene, Vera Curnow, or even Bernard Poulin.These artists have books for beginners and advanced, check them out and find the level best for you.They are better examples to follow.And if you want to start selling find a book strickly for that.Though Ann Kullberg, in "colored pencil portraits step-by-step has a section where she explains how she sells her portraits.

Are you kidding?
How did this artist ever get this published? The artwork in this book is so amateurish I did not even want to read what he/she had to say. I don't want my pieces to look like theirs. It looked like junior high artwork. The proportions of animals were totally incorrect, color wasn't eye catching, pieces looked like crayon drawings. This must be self published. I returned the book I didn't even care that I lost my shipping costs, I would never look at it or read it again.

Not for beginners
I think this may be a fine book for more advanced artists. There was little help for true beginners,even"serious " ones. There was much philosophy and opionion, but little practical help.

THE book on Colored Pencil.
If you can only have one book on colored pencil, let it be this one.I had to buy another one when my professor saw it.It is another book that I read with pen and highlighter in hand.I couldn't just read it I had to study it. ... Read more

Product Description
Capturing the elusive qualities of light is one of the most sought-after goals of artists in every medium, and Painting Light with Colored Pencil helps readers achieve that goal with:

• An overview of the basics of any work of art, such as composition, gathering reference material, value and color
• Over 20 step-by-step lessons covering a variety of popular subjects, including fruit, flowers, textures and water
• Two extended demonstrations that show readers how to combine the individual lessons to create a refined, detailed painting

Through the techniques explained in this book, readers will learn how to unlock the potential of colored pencils to create realistic, light-filled paintings that glow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Chapter Four
I have painted for three years, but never used colored pencils
before. So when I got to page 73 (the reason I bought the book) I
was hoping to learn how to do the "entire picture" on page
73......There were only 4 steps and nothing mentioning the curtain or
the window pane in the backround. Maybe it's just me, but I really
could have used a few more steps and some graphics to go along with
the explanations.....I did love all the pictures used for the step-by-
step demonstrations , but I think maybe there was just too much put
into one book and the demonstrations were a little short for a
beginner like myself.

Great colored pencil techniques
This Cecile Baird book offered great descriptions and pictures of colored pencil techniqes.It's a good book for new colored pencil artists and as a reference for seasoned artists.

Great Book!!
Awesome book!! If you are interested on learning how to create color pencil artwork, this is the book for you. Gives a step by step clear instructions, and you will be amazed to see the kind of art work you are able to do.

Painting Light with Colored Pencil
Great illustrations.Good graphics and easy to follow narration.The author was very articulate and talented.This book met my expectations of what I wanted to know about painting light with colored pencils.

Good for Still Lifes and Technique
"Painting Light in Colored Pencil" is a wonderful book if you are interested in technique applied to still life compositions. She does a great job of moving reader through process of the creation of a "mood" that is related to light. Most of her examples involve fruit, flowers, and ceramics. If this is your interest, you will find the book helpful. If you are interested in landscapes or more unorthodox subjects I believe you will feel the book is too limiting. The first 31 of 126 pages is dedicted to materials, photography, and composition. For a beginning colored pencil artist this may be very helpful section. For advanced artists, you will probably skip over this section. I liked the book since it contains interesting techniques and a good message -paint what you like (what inspires you) and have fun at it. ... Read more

Product Description
As a teacher of coloured pencil workshops, Gary Greene sees his students buying water-soluble pencils "by the truckload." Problem is, they don't know how to use the medium or even what it's capable of...and until now, there's never been a book to teach them. In this much-requested book, Greene shows artists how to achieve a variety of different effects with this fascinating medium - from loose, watercolour-like washes to precise airbrush looks. The author, along with 6 guest artists, show how they use the medium in 18 complete painting demonstrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Don't waste your money!!!
This is very, very poor book!!! Here is 127 pages and only 20 with instructions((( Don't waste your money!!!

water soluble colored pencils
The book was in excellent condition .It was all I thought it would cover and the subject. I was very well please with the book .Thank You

Not quite
Not quite what I was looking for. As an absolute beginner in this medium, it is not quite inspiring and I am still lost. It says apply derwent deep, madder carmine and geranium lake...how do I apply? It does not say one colour first, then add next colour on top. This happens throughout the book. Maybe when I have gotten real instructions on "how to..." then I will be able to appreciate this book.

cherries
I agree with others who have reviewed this book regarding to many cherry demonstrstions But it is a good way to show the various techniques with the same object. I thought that there was not enough direction on
geting started but once you did it contained valuble information.

A classic on the subject...
This is a true classic, the first book to really cover watercolor pencils in depth.It's in my own library, and I wrote Watercolor Pencil Magic!

I didn't end up using the crush up pencil tips and paint technique in my book, because it seemed like an uneccesary step in the creative process, but Greene's paintings are beautiful and inspiring! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Drawing Birds with Colored Pencils by Kaaren Poole
This book is simply amazing and beautiful.What a gifted artist sharing her gift with others.Arrived in great condition and very quickly.

enjoy birds
the birds are beautiful and the explanation is clear. Draw and enjoy with this book inhand

One of the best books on the basics
I am very pleased with Kaaren Poole's Drawing Birds with Colored Pencils. Kaaren has provided a step-by-step, very readable book. She includes color theory, composition and an encouraging presentation for the beginning color pencil artist. I can highly recommend her book.

Drawing Birds With Colored Pencils
The drawings are very nice but there's not as much colored pencil technique as I would have liked.It's more helpful as a book on drawing birds in general.

LOVE IT
I just finished reading this book.I was hoping for an instruction book that gave clear, step-by-step instructions for creating pictures in colored pencil.That is exactly what this book does (unlike some others I have ordered in the past). I am now ready to start on the projects and am looking forward to creating some nice pictures as, with the detailed instructions, I am confident I will be able to do. ... Read more

Product Description
Flowers are a perennial favorite subject because of their exciting variety and complexity of color, texture and detail. Using basic colored pencil techniques, artists can capture the rich textures and distinct personalities of elegant orchids, graceful roses, cheery pansies and dozens of other beautiful blooms.

Gary Greene, along with six other respected colored pencil artists, show how to make the most of colored pencil's distinctive translucent properties. In 64 glowing, step-by-step demonstrations they show how to layer, burnish and underpaint colors to create floral portraits that are truly radiant. Features advice on choosing tools and materials plus the Plethora of Flora--a colorful gallery of finished blooms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

a gift
This book was purchased as a gift for someone who was very pleased with it, so it was worth it.

cp flowers
Excellent book for CP artists interested in floral painting.
Good hints and tips and explinations, highly recommended

Great Flower Lessons
I felt the book provided good lessons and beautiful graphic design . The artist does certainly draw radiant flowers. My main objection is the variety of colored pencils and watercolor pencils needed to have on hand from various different companies.

Book of copying
The book is full of beautiful and inspirational flower drawings, I admit. I hoped to get some hints about drawing flowers generally, but the author teaches the reader to copy his(her?) drawings step-by-step, including to use the same pencils/colours. Maybe, if I was 10 years old, it would be helpful, but as an adult, I don't want to copy someone's creation. Yet, the book is not disappointment to me - it introduces a new technique of coloured pencils I never met before.

Beautiful Pictures - not enough how to
This book contains wonderful examples of colored pencil art. The pictures in this book are exquiste. As a person who is just starting exploring medium and just starting drawing, I found it lacking in the how to aspect. Each picture has a list of the colors used in it. But, it doesn't go into detailed instruction or detailed technique which is what I would have liked at this beginning stage. When I get more proficient with my technique I will go back to this book. The books displays wonderful examples of what can be done with colored pencils. The book is worth having for the beautiful pictures. If nothing else it makes a great coffee table book. ... Read more

Product Description
An instructive book describing new technologies and approaches to achieve immediate results with the time-consuming process of layering with coloured pencils. The author has also written "The Coloured Pencil" and "Colour Drawing Workshop". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

colored pencil fast tech
Ms. Borgeson's books are always excellent and she is a wonderful artist and her books are very helpful and beautiful besides

Get it for the color charts, if you're seriously penciling!
Borgeson is here to some extent getting over slow techniques which some of us never acquired, like feeling that any area has to be built out of three colors, rather than using a dead straight one out of the box if it fits.But there is lots here on choosing papers, working imprimatura, and other methods that let you complete projects larger than a notepad in much less than four months.Good appendices on how Derwent and Prismacolor pencils match or don't, and where Prismacolor hues fall on a detailed color chart. ... Read more

Product Description

Master the Art of Colored Pencil with Gary Greene

With this easy-to-use handbook, best-selling author Gary Greene provides you with instant access to his best tips, tricks and techniques for creating exceptionally realistic colored pencil artwork. Whether you’re new to colored pencils or perfecting advanced techniques, you’ll find the answers you need here in dozens of complete step-by-step demonstrations, including:

· Simple techniques for achieving amazingly realistic compositions, including layering, burnishing and underpainting

· Proven methods for working successfully with water-soluble colored pencils

· A full range of inspiring subject matter, from flowers and animals to landscapes and still-life compositions

· Tips for solving common problems, fixing mistakes and taking sharp, clear reference photos

· Expert guidance in choosing the right materials and colors, including complete color charts from all the major manufacturers

It’s all here in the The Ultimate Guide to Colored Pencil – the solutions and secrets you need for your own colored pencil success!

www.artistsnetwork.com

Ideas. Instruction. Inspiration.

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Great CP Book From Gary Greene!
I love this book. The first half of the book has the requisite supplies list and basic techniques. The book comes alive in the second half. Fantastic step by steps, and a CD has been added for a beautiful rose project. I am very happy with this book. It's great for beginners thru experienced CP Artits. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Best of Colored Pencil 4" showcases winners from theFourth Annual Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) InternationalExhibition.Features 145 of the best artwork selected from 1,000entries in a beautiful full-color volume.Gives insights into theartists' thoughts, processes, and inspiration for the winning works.Includes a range of subjects from the traditional to the whimsicaland humorous.Presents every style and technique in visual artexpression - graphic design to fine art.An inspirational andeducational treasure for every artist - professional and amateuralike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful coffee table book, inspirational
This coffee-table book is packed with beautiful colored pencil art covering a wide variety of subjects including people, nature, still life, and fantasy. Styles also vary from abstract and impressionistic to photo-realistic. It is a great source of inspiration and ideas.

I like it that there is only one piece of artwork on a page and you get more information than just the size, surface, artist and title. Each artist writes about themselves and the artwork. I think these added remarks really help you understand appreciate the artwork better.

Some of my favorites include an adorable bird on a fishing reel by Sylvia Westgard and a sunflower by Nancy Huges. I also loved another called Garden Party II by Priscilla Heussner featuring flowers floating in balloons. I enjoyed a portrait of ballet dancers by Thomas Thayer and an unusual fantasy tree with musical leaves by Mike Russell.

In the back there is a glossary and a directory of artists in case you wish to contact them. The variety here shows off the wonderful range of possibilities in this medium. This makes a great gift for any colored pencil artist or enthusiast.

Excellent gallery and inspiration book
I picked this up (discovering there was a Colored Pencil series) at a used book store, and the artwork in it is truly amazing.Who would have thought you could do such things with colored pencil?It's a book you go throughagain and again, picking up different details every time.Plenty of ideasand imagess and colors for inspiration!

Best of the series !!!
The Best of Colored Pencil volumes 1,2,& 3 are in my library, and they are great. Volume 4 is an excellent addition and I feel the best of the four.The addition of the artist's comments, insights, and technical information makes this more than a "flip through" coffee table book. If colored pencils are your choice of media or if it is one you're considering, this book belongs in your library. ... Read more

Product Description
The 15th anniversary paperback version of Creating Textures in Colored Pencil includes fundamental instruction on materials and tools; basic techniques; over 50 complete step-by-step demonstrations for textures including flowers, fruits, vegetables, leaves, wood, earth, water, humans, animals, glass, porcelain, shiny metal and more. You will also enjoy a gallery of large finished art from a well-known author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great Transaction
There is alot of good colored pencil instruction and examples in this book.It is worth a try.

The Purpose Of This Book
"THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK is to get your 'creative juices' flowing by painting interesting,
realistic textures with colored pencil,
then applying what you glean to develop exciting and unique colored pencil paintings."
- Gary Greene
[from the front flap]

An Excellent Reference!
I was doing a very detailed colored pencil painting as a gift, and desperately needed a book which contained outlines regarding techniques on creating specific textures.I did not want an "ego book" which only showed an artists works and a tiny bit of "how to," but I also did not want an agonizing this-is-how-you-draw resource.

This book covered all the bases for me.Though I agree with previous reviewers in that I wish it had been a little more detailed in its presentation of instructions, the success I still achieved from the pages was still more than I had had with any other book in my colored pencil library (the exception being Ann Kullberg's Colored Pencil Portraits which is truly the master work for me).

Despite its lack of a detailed step-by-step, you can't go wrong with this book as a reference material.The information presented about burnishing and the use of solvents was a lifesaver for me and my own colored pencil work.I consider it the best quick and handy guide out there for overcoming troublesome textures.

Lacks detail.
This book is supposed to be for beginners, however, it barely touches on the basics (a mere 20 pages). It does contain a 100 pages of examples of textures, but the instructions are practically non-existant. It does give you a list of colors used to achieve the look, but the book does not explain why these colors are used. This makes it difficult to adapt the instuctions to work for a different color flower, for example.

A MUCH better book is "Colored Pencil Solution Book". I bought both, and the "Solution" book has a very extensive explanation of techniques and how colors work (Such as, when applying a color from the opposite side of the color wheel on top of another, it will neutralize the bottom one, making it grayer and more muted. Layering green on top of red, for example).Colored Pencil Solution Book

Gives good basic techniques for drawing in coloured pencil
I have a Bachelor degree in drawing and had no problem getting the hang of any drawing tool except for coloured pencils.Several years ago I took a class specifically on drawing with colour pencil and was disappointed when the teacher told me that I'd have to settle for a light layered application of the pencil on paper so as not to develop wax bloom--what I wanted out of the pencil was rich, vibrant colours, not something washed out.I put down my Prismacolours and resigned having to use them to colour in my anatomy colouring book, not for actual drawing.

That's why I was encouraged when I found and read my way through "Creating Textures in Colored Pencil".The author mentions the use of burnishing to build layered colour so it is rich and vibrant, as well as the use of solvents.He also mentions different coloured pencils, like water-soluable pencils, which I normally would use not for drawing but for fine touches on my watercolours, and oil-based coloured pencils.After reading this book it feels like a whole new world of drawing has opened up to me, in addition to my use of graphite, conte crayon, pastels, and of course what I already do in paint.

Incidentally, the author addresses dealing with wax bloom by spraying the drawing with several layers of workable fixative--I've also heard that wiping the bloom with a paper towel will remove the cloudiness.

Mr. Greene includes several examples of items to draw, including step-by-step instructions with colours mentioned.I'm sure those would be great for the beginning/intermediate student to build up skills and confidence; that sort of thing doesn't appeal to me as I'm used to grabbing tools and drawing from life.

I think this is a great basic book on how to handle the medium.As for handling textures, I thought some were very well done while others were not as realistic as I would like.It has very nice full colour reproduction and is very easy to read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Sharing colors
It's a miracle how we can learn with a good book!

Issues as simple as shadow and lighting are easier to understand with this book.

Thank you very much, book..!!!

Great for beginners
This is a good start for beginners, exercises, technique and examples of other artists' work.

One of my new faves
I have a lot of books on drawing and colored pencil and this is my new fave.While I do agree with another reviewer that this book isn't for beginners, on the other hand, most colored pencil books assume you already have some drawing skills to begin with.This is an excellent book for inspiration and has great examples of what one can acomplish with colored pencils.What I also like is the little history of colored pencils, and the fact that there are examples from several students and fellow artists.It's not all drawings by the author.I think that really adds to the overall inspiration that I have gotten from this book. It may not be one to start to learn with but it is one you should eventually add to your library.

One-of-a-Kind!
Exploring Colored Pencil is a unique and beautifully illustrated book. For those who have never been exposed to this medium, you will be amazed at the life-like drawings and incredible detail that can be achieved with colored pencils. Exploring Colored Pencil is truly a work of art and is jam-packed with history, techniques, illustrations and exercises for beginner(me), intermediate and advanced students. I learned how to blend colors and use different techniques and loved how the book was laid out in an easy to follow format.This book is a keeper.

Very comprehensive, easy to follow
This book covers the full gamut... from 8 different techniques to specific subjects like drawing animals, landscapes, still life and people. My favorite section is the one on faces where she gives detailed drawings that you can copy.

The quality of the art is breathtaking and there are so many different styles represented from artists of all ages.

It's neat that each chapter has lessons for various levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced students. I found the step by step illustrations and instructions very easy to follow.

This is a good follow up to her other books, Colored Pencil Drawing and So You Thought You Couldn't Draw. This books takes me to a whole new level.

I'd like to find the colored pencil videos that she mentions. I'm going to see if Amazon.com carries them. ... Read more

Product Description
Colored pencil artists are gaining respect in the art world. This book approaches colored pencil work in the same manner as oil/acrylic painters work; offering instruction on how to plan and work on the entire painting at once. The result is a more cohesive, finished painting.

Rich colors are a desirable result for most artists. The techniques of creating a tonal underpainting and layering colors have been used by master artists for centuries. This book, which uses complementary colors for the underpainting, allows the contemporary colored pencil artist to tap into that tradition used by the Masters.

There is no other book that approaches color in this manner for today's artist.

Opposite or complementary colors create contrast and vibrancy. Masterful Color is loaded with instruction on how to layer colored pencil effectively to create deep, vibrant colors that exude richness. Readers will learn how to layer these complements over one another, creating rich shadows and adding depth and dimension to their paintings. With extensive coverage of basic techniques, detailed information on composition, color theory, textures and more, colored pencil artists will learn everything they need to achieve rich, vibrant colors by layering complementary colors. 17 demonstrations show readers the various techniques needed to use this approach and an extended final demonstration leads them through the entire painting process, step by step. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Impressive color drawings!
I have half a dozen books on colored pencils and this is the most impressive one. Arlene Steinberg's method on usingopposite or complementary colors is really effective and made me understand why some color combinations I used to use empirically do work. I made a copy of her chart and pinned on the wall in front of my desk. I recommend this book for its well organized techniques and because her colored drawings are just impressive!

Colored Pencil
This book was listed as "New" The book was great, but the jacket had some bends. The demonstrations/tutorials are helpful. Great book for an art teacher.

Exactly what it says it is...
a book about layering your colored pencils to make vivid colored pencil paintings.So many of these types of books are a collection of thoughts that seem to be random streams of consciousness that dont really teach you how to do exactly what is needed.Not this book.Step by step you will learn how to make pencil 'paintings.'

I don't know what to say
Because I cannot eloquently review this book, I defer to those who gave it 5 stars.Their descriptions were right on the money.I simply wanted to write a review just to give this wonderful book 5 more stars.

good
I intended to buy a drawing book for watersoluble colore pencils.However this book is a nice one for color pencils drawing learning. ... Read more

Product Description
With this surprisingly simple step-by-step guide, anyone can create beautiful pet portraits. Anne deMille Flood walks readers through her easy techniques for rendering cats, dogs, birds, horses and other cuddly friends.

Beginning and intermediate artists will appreciate the close-up demos for getting the texture of fur and feathers just right. There's also clear instruction on working from reference photos, choosing focal points and getting started.

This is an essential reference for anyone who wants to create animal portraits in colored pencil. Artists will quickly find themselves drawing better than they ever thought possible! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Did not appear complete
Although this book had several good technique tips, I found that I had two problems with the instruction. First, it appeared as though there were 'missing steps' from some of the portraits. Attempting to follow along, the artist had noted that 'moderate pressure' was needed to achive an over-all blue. The blue appearing in the book was smooth, an almost painted appearance that I could not replicate, even pressing very hard with the pencil. My work retained the granular 'pencil' look. I know that there are mediums that can help to smooth out colored pencil, such as fast drying odorless paint thinner, but this was not mentioned in the instructions. Secondly, the colours she uses almost exclusively belong to the 132 Prismacolor Set, which is upwards of 200$. I do not think this book was written with beginners in mind.

ONe of my favorites
I love this book. As an avid colored pencil artist, I refer to it frequently.I love to draw animals, and Anne gives great suggestions on how to achieve the realistic textures in fur, feathers, horse eyes, dog noses, cat whiskers....YOU NAME IT...Her basic exercises can be applied to drawing anything in colored pencil. It is very structured, some may even say too structured, but I think it is a great way to teach techniques.If you want to draw animals, this is a good addition to your library.

Step by step methods of drawing animals in colored pencil
Like so many colored pencil how to books, this book names specific colors to use.This is probably the only sure method to achieve the same look as the artist writing the book. I find this is often frustrating because I don't ever have the EXACT colors mentioned.I forge ahead using colors "somethng like" as close as possible to the recipe.Yes, this is like painting from recipes.I don't really approve of it all together, but I have to admit, if you do follow the directions to the letter, you most likely will find it easier to create your own mixtures.The examples are very well done.I particularly like the method of drawing the eyes in such a way as to achieve that moist and reflective quality.I would not have been able to get that look without following the pattern as prescribed

Pet Portratis in Colored Pencil
While I am not currently interested in painting pets in colored pencil, I wanting to see how the author taught about values, proportions and light.I also like to compare author/artists in what tools and materials they choose.This book met all of my expectations.

Amazing and helpful...
I bought this book with several others, and I just can't put it down.While it is true that some of the pictures are not photo-realistic, they are truly amazing.The author helps you with technique, and breaks down several aspects about animals that make drawing them difficult.I would have liked to know more about the whole body of the animal, but this isnt a drawing book, rather it is a technique book that covers the eyes, fur, feathers and to a lesser extent the expressions.She gives excellent advice on cat eyes to make them look liquid and translucent, and she breaks down some common mistakes.Overall an excellent book to own. ... Read more

Product Description
There's a trick to painting realistic subject matter without including every last little detail.It's this "soft realism" approach to colored pencil that Ann Kullburg shares in her insightful new technique book.

Kullberg teaches artists how to faithfully capture the essence of any subject without wasting time on excessive detail work. Step by step she presents 35 popular subjects and describes techniques for adding rich texture, depth and form in the most simple and straightforward way possible. Insights on getting a realistic effect include:• Mapping out a complex subject to make it easier to paint• Changing pencil strokes to create different textures• Mixing hues for greater visual interest• Creating softer, more natural edges by varying the pressure of the pencilIt's all the instruction a colored pencil artist needs to effortlessly add gorgeous details to every piece they create. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Ann Kullberg Soft Realism
This is no longer in print. I needed it to accompany her other portrait dvd's and the first book.It arrived very fast, also in excellant condition just as the details stated.

Very good
Excellent book, with very detailed information on how to do different types of textures without too much details, and still looking very realistic. Highly recommended.

"Soft Realism" is a winner
This is a beautiful book with large colourful photos and great step by step instructions. It covers a wide range of subjects including the proper materials and techniques to use, as well as a wide variety of subject matters. It shows you how to draw and colour subjects such as a wicker basket, furniture, window frames, shiny surfaces, a waterfall, a garden in bloom, individual flowers and plants, rocks, landscapes and more. It's all here, for the artist who likes to "paint" a little bit of everything. It is such an attractive piece, I use it as a coffee table book. Ann Kullberg is a genius with colour pencils. With this book she shares her unique ability to produce the charming subtleties that transform a drawing into a true masterpiece. I have since purchased several of her books and would not hesitate to buy more. A truly great buy!

Ridiculous prices
These books are for sale for ridiculous prices. You can get them from the author for about 1/3 the price. Some people must think we're morons.

The cover is a tease -- Don't be mislead
This is an excellent book.I would have given it five stars if it weren't for the beautiful portraits on the cover and scattered throughout the book.

There are great projects for all sorts of photo realistic textures, but none of the projects are portraits.You need to buy her other book for that.The inclusion of portraits in this book is off-topic, show-offish, and misleading.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Paulines Review
Nice book, interesting detail, however not as simple as i was looking for. The condition ofthe book was excellent. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Limited
This is a pleasantly produced, basic introduction, limited in scope and also, I would say, in its capacity to inspire new artists.Some people may find it quite adequate for their needs, but if you have any sense that you might wish to explore the medium further, and get more ambitious with your results, you will probably do what I did and go on to buy more comprehensive books.Even for a short book, I felt that this one is not particularly competitive.I'm not saying that pages and pages ought to be devoted to values and color theory, but more can be shown with relatively few words and diagrams than is shown here -- and I know this because other books on the subject of colored pencils pull it off.Also, I'm not sure how much Carole Massey is really committed to, or knowledgeable about, colored pencil art:she even surprised me by saying that water-soluble pencils don't give the vivid images one can get using watercolor paints!Well, has she and her publisher looked at the competition lately?Any quick survey of books will show that pencils, whether dry or water-soluble, can give wonderfully vivid results -- it's a question of mastery, technique, and imagination.Instead of this book, I'd like to suggest Jane Strother's wide-ranging and thoughtfully produced guide, The Colored Pencil Artist's Drawing Bible:this features watercolor pencils as well as dry.My favorite dry pencil book, which is helpful despite the absence of watercolour, is Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner by Bet Borgeson.Now there's a guide you can grow with, and great value for money.

Book on Water soluble pencils
Very informative and helpful whether you are an experienced artist or new to the use of pencils.Good for anyone from beginner to expert.

How to use water soluble pencils
This is an informative, step by step book.It takes some practice to do as well as pictures, but keep at it.Still having some difficulty blending colors but I have improved. ... Read more

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This book provides concise coverage of everything any artist interested in the medium of coloured pencil needs to know - materials, techniques, colour theory, and practical applications to a wide variety of subject matter. The chapter on basic methods explains such essentials as achieving gradations and values, mixing colours, white pencil, and mixed media techniques. Fully illustrated step-by-step practice exercises show how to compose an image using just the three primary colours and black; how to paint a still life using a full range of hues; how to create portraits working with a live model and with a photograph; and how to paint with watercolour pencils. Framing finished works is also discussed, and a glossary is included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Reference Book!
This is an excellent reference book for Colored Pencil Artists. The book was first published in the 80's, so you'll have to purchase it used. Love this book!

Not a First Art Book, But a Great First Colored Pencils Book
An excellent small book, especially valuable because it teaches so much without costing a bundle.Fascinating section on learning to paint anything with just three colors and black:this is invaluable for outdoor sketching, when you don't want to take the time to find just that shade of green, and hauling all hundred colors would be a drag anyway.

This is meant for the person who can already draw or paint, but wishes to learn this particular medium. ... Read more

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Master the Details that Make the Difference

Even with a keen eye, it can be difficult to troubleshoot and fix your own artwork. That?s where this guide comes in. Featuring a range of styles and subjects, Colored Pencil Secrets for Success is like a personal critique session, featuring proven tips, tricks and fixes that will transform your work from good to great.

Ann Kullberg has helped countless artists with her classes and writing. You?ll learn what?s needed to get off to a great beginning with the right tools, techniques and reference photos; then reap the rewards of Kullberg?s visual instruction in this unique critique format, highlighting the why and how of what?s working, and what needs work, in 29 inspiring colored pencil compositions.

In each example, Kullberg gets right down to the details, revealing crucial secrets for avoiding and fixing things like ?Chiclet teeth,? streaky skin tones and flat highlights. You?ll learn that other artists, in fact, share many of your artistic challenges, as Ann shares the solutions and secrets you need for your own success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Critique book but....
I read this book in one day cover to cover. It is interesting but I do believe most us could do the same critiquing as was in the book. I must have liked this book before because I had purchased one previously and found it on my shelf AFTER I received this one......All in all, a good read.

Another Great Book from Ann Kullberg
Colored Pencil Secrets for Success is Ann Kullberg's latest instruction book for colored pencil artists.If you are a colored pencil afficionado, all of her books are must haves - not only for the wealth of information she provides but also for the beautiful pictures she includes as examples.In the previous books, she used her own work for examples, but in this latest book, the paintings come from a number of different colored pencil artists, and it is inspirational to see the wide variety of styles and techniques that can be used to create art in this medium.

This book is primarily a collection of critiques, a teaching methodwith which Ann Kullberg has a lot of experience.She offered a critique service on her web site for years, and still does a monthly critique for readers of her colored pencil magazine (From My Perspective).After the introduction - which covers the all important basics such as choosing a photo, composition and cropping, CP techniques, and a review of the tools necessary - there are four main sections of critiques: Portraits, Animals, Landscapes & Florals, and Still Life. Each critique shows what the artist did right as well as what he or she could improve on.This is very important, because some teachers will assume that if a student did something right, then he or she already understands that point; however, having been the beneficiary of one of Ann's critiques myself, I have found that seeing what I did correctly in context with what I need to improve is more beneficial than negative criticism alone.

It is very educational to have collection of these critiques in one place for easy reference. It really helps to see the common mistakes, and how to correct them, as well as the techniques used to create these beautiful pieces. (Even though this is a collection of critiques, all the contributions are really excellent and enjoyable to look at.)Also, each section is followed by a selection of CP examples belonging to that category, with a short discussion of what makes their work so powerful.

Finally, as a customer of a lot of art instruction books, I have written to Amazon previously about their "Look Inside this Book" feature.It's a great idea.However, art instruction books always start with the essentials - tools required, techniques needed, that sort of thing.You couldn't really write one any other way.The problem with buying such a book online and relying on the "Look Inside this Book" feature is that you can't see examples of the artist's work until you get the book home.There are some styles that an aspiring artist really doesn't want to emulate - this doesn't mean the style is bad, just not right for the student.I suggested to Amazon that instead of always using the first chapter as the sample, with art instruction books, they should grab a random chapter from the middle. It's much more helpful.Since they haven't (as far as I know) taken my advice on this, I have limited purchasing art books to those written by artists I'm already familiar with (or buying them at a traditional bookstore, where I can really look inside the book.) .I bring this up to make the point - I have never been disappointed with Ann Kullberg's style, and always feel I can buy her next book sight unseen.She creates beautiful art, and she's a talented teacher as well.

colored pencils secrets for success
If you are a colored pencil artist, if you have ever taken one of Ann's workshops, beginner or experienced you will love this book. From the time you open the book to the very first pages I was enthralled, studying each drawing and trying to decide in my own mind what Ann would say about the work. This book is very informative for any colored pencil artist!

For anyone who loves colored pencil!
I was SO thrilled to see that Ann had done another book, and this one is packed from front to back with suggestions, techniques, and how-to's.

Years ago I went to one of Ann's seminars. She offers two - a beginners, and advanced. I took the beginner's class not because I was new to CP, but because we were learning Ann's method of CP painting - which is what you'll find in her books. She teaches everything you need to know in order to get started - from materials, the various colored pencils which are available, to paper - most CP artists use Stonehenge - which is what I use. She teaches her methods on how to recreate what you see, a photograph, or whatever one wants to draw. Remakably, Ann starts with a portrait - which seems so complex. Ann seems to believe anyone can paint with colored pencils - as long as they can distinguish darks and lights. Ann makes learning colored pencil SO much fun. Her books are very user friendly, Ann's colored pencil books are among my favorites, and I think this one is my favorite of her books!

Not too many years ago there weren't very many CP books available, but there were a few early pioneers who are among a very few considered to be the CP elite. They're the people who fought for the rest of us, making CP an "acceptable" art form - with juried shows, wonderful awards, and gallery showings.

Now there are many wonderful CP books from which to choose. CP painting can resemble just about any other medium, and CP artists have a wide array of styles. Some styles are very realistic - almost photographic quality, and then there are some who prefer an abstract style. Colored pencil tends to be more portable than most painting methods, and it can be a pretty forgiving mode of painting. Ann teaches all of this - from getting started, to selling your work, and how to get out the mistakes.
Colored Pencil is just so much fun to learn, and Ann was my first and favorite teacher.

Tips and Tricks
This is a great book for those little tricks you learn only with experience or by reading a book like this :) Ann Kullberg has long been one of my favorite colored pencil artists. She really knows her stuff. This book is not just about drawing another great work of art, but it teaches you what makes a drawing great. It shows you the pitfalls to avoid, the minor touches that make your drawings look more professional and how to find the small problems that make your drawing look "not quite right", and then correct them. It also gives you tips on pencils and papers to use and many other items all dealing with colored pencil. ... Read more