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Katherine Tyrrell very much enjoys developing artwork in pastels and coloured pencils based on drawings from life and plein air studies. She is fasc... (more...)
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Learn more about coloured pencils and coloured pencil artwork
This site has much to offer anybody wanting to know more about coloured pencils - from experienced artists to beginners wanting to learn all they can.
Topics include tips and techniques for working with coloured pencils, information about coloured pencil brands and associated products, coloured pencil societies, coloured pencil artists and forums where you can discuss coloured pencil matters with artists working in coloured pencils
CHECK OUT the poll on what is the favourite make of artist grade coloured pencils
New links are being added added on a regular basis. See the right hand column if you want to create a bookmark or link to be able to check back to this site and/or e-mail this site to a friend who is interested in coloured pencil art.
You can find out about...............
just click on the link to go straight to that section
- Coloured Pencils - Brands and Manufacturers
- POLL: Which is your favourite make of artist grade coloured pencil?
- Coloured Pencils - Colours and colour charts
- Coloured Pencils - Lighfastness (Standards and Tests)
- Coloured Pencils - Lightfastness (Brands)
- BOOKS: About coloured pencils - on Amazon
- Coloured Pencils: On-Line Suppliers - UK and Europe
- Colored Pencils: On-Line Suppliers - based in the USA
- Coloured Pencils - On-Line Suppliers in Australia
- BOOKS: More books about coloured pencil - on Amazon
- Coloured Pencil Supports - paper, boards and the rest
- Coloured Pencils - helpful products
- Battery and Electric pencil sharpeners - on Amazon
- Coloured Pencils - Tips and Techniques
- Coloured Pencils - Wax Bloom
- Coloured Pencils - Lessons, Projects and Themes
- BOOKS: Botanical Art - using coloured pencils
- Artists - Leading Botanical Artists who use coloured pencils
- Artists who use coloured pencils
- Coloured Pencil Societies - websites and blogs
- Coloured Pencil Societies - International Exhibitions
- Artists who blog about working with coloured pencils
- Making a Mark: latest posts to my main weblog
- Websites supporting Coloured Pencils
- Travels with a Sketchbook in ....."
- Pastels and Pencils - Fine Art by Katherine Tyrrell
- New Del.icio.us bookmarks from makingamark
- Comments and Suggestions
Coloured Pencils - Brands and Manufacturers
Who supplies artist quality coloured pencils?
An index to the reputable brands of coloured pencils. Note that not all brands are available in every country and even leading art stores frequently only stock one brand. Specific links to brands marketed as lightfast are given but further links to independent information about lightfastness are in the next section
- Product reviews of coloured pencils
- Product reviews of the different brands of coloured pencils on the Wet Canvas site. Only WC members can add reviews.
- Caran d'Ache - artist pencils
- A swiss company producing superior quality artist pencils. "Pablo" is the brand name of the artist quality pencils
- Derwent
- Derwent are a major UK pencil company based in Cumberland. They produce a range of pencils for artistic and graphic purposes.
- Making a Mark: Derwent Coloursoft Pencils - a new brand
- "Coloursoft" are Derwent's new pencils - read about what people think
- Faber Castell - Art and Graphic Range
- Faber Castell produces excellent oil based artist quality pencils (polychromos) with good lightfastness
- Lyra Rembrandt
- Lyra Rembrandt produce artist quality coloured pencils and watercolour pencils.
- Sanford Prismacolor
- Details of the Prismacolor range of pencils - including the new lightfast pencils. (Karismacolor - the European version - has been discontinued)
- Gary Green video demonstrating Prismacolor products
- If you've ever wondered how Verithin, Art Stix, Premier Colored Pencils, Watercolor Coloured Pencils or the colorless Blender worked try watching this Prismacolor video Gary Greene using them all to complete a drawing
- Derwent Signature Premium Lightfast Pencils
- This is one of the two brands tested during the initial research into a lightfastness standard.
Derwent states "Signature is a premium quality range of 60 highly lightfast coloured pencils.``Made from the purest pigments and finest raw materials, the range has been rigorously tested for its resistance to fading and colour change." - Royal Talens: Van Gogh Lightfast pencils
- This is one of the two brands tested during the initial research into a lightfastness standard.
Royal Talens states: "These pencils are unique due to their guaranteed lightfastness. Royal Talens has combined its expertise in the use of pigments in artists' paints with the specific properties of pencils. The result is a complete range of fine art pencils with an excellent colour transfer and colour intensity." - Making a Mark: Royal Talens Van Gogh Coloured Pencils
- Read my review of Van Gogh coloured pencils and find out why I recommend them. They're also particularly useful for sketching.
- UKCPS News: News from Derwent (about Signature range)
- News from Derwent
Take a good look at this lovely box of Derwent Signatures - after December 31st 2007, they will no longer be available. I have just received word from Derwent that their Signature range will be discontinued - although Derwent's commitment to lightfastness remains. - Caran d'Ache > Products > News - the new Luminance (lightfast) range
- Caran d'Ache announces the Luminance 6901 colour pencil, a combination of the highest lightfastness and the smoothness of a permanent lead. Two years of research went into developing the formulation in the greatest secrecy in the Geneva workshops.
POLL: Which is your favourite make of artist grade coloured pencil?
Are you as intrigued as me to know which particular make of artists' quality coloured pencil people like the best?
This poll focuses on artists' quality coloured pencils. A second poll on watercolour pencils will follow soon.
Don't forget to check all the options before you vote. If there any you haven't heard of before and you want to know more check the links to relevant websites in the above module.
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Coloured Pencils - Colours and colour charts
- Making a Mark: Coloured Pencils - Colour Comparison Charts
- Bob Ebdon (founder/webmaster UKCPS)has produced some new colour comparison charts.
The main advantage of these new Colour Comparison Charts over others I have seen is that these charts compare (side by side) seven different brands from six different manufacturers in a number of colour groups.
All colours are keyed to the range of colours in the discontinued Karisma range. - Faber Castell Polychromos - colour chart
- A pdf file of the colour chart for the Faber Castell polychromos range.
This colour chart lists all colours plus numbers against a block of colour which is - at least on my screen - very accurate as to the colour in reality - Making a Mark: How green is my coloured pencil collection?
- How green is my pencil collection? Well, given I particularly like drawing gardens and landscapes it's pretty green!
I did a couple of sample pages of my greens a little while ago when it was announced that the Karisma pencils were definitely being discontinued in the UK. I wanted to see what my choice was in terms of what I was left with. Here are all my green pencils - as they were then - laid out in a very rough colour sample chart by brand on two pages of my sketchbook (the pages of which are a pale creamy colour). - Making a Mark: Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Pencils
- A detailed review of Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Pencils plus colour chart
- Making a Mark: Derwent Drawing Pencils and 'Drawing a Head'
- Review of Derwent Drawing Pencils - in relation to portraiture. Colour chart and lightfastness information
- Making a Mark: Prismacolor - new colours for 2006 but no change on breakages
- At the CPSA conferences in Albuquerque, delegates were given a free pack of pencils in the new 2006 shades....
Here's my review of the colours - plus chart - and commentary on how they behave. - Making a Mark: Derwent Coloursoft Pencils - Update
- Details about Derwent Colourfast pencils:
* shades
* lighfast ratings
* pricing - Making a Mark: Janet Couture's Prismacolor Colour Wheel
- Janet Couture has created a colour wheel for her Prismacolor pencils and describes how she did this in her blog "Janet Colored Pencil".
Coloured Pencils - Lighfastness (Standards and Tests)
A resource about the lightfastness of coloured pencils
Are you concerned about the colourfastness of coloured pencils? Would you like to find out more - or even try your own tests? This is a developing resource which aims to include all the highly relevant websites on this topic
- CPSA Product research - Lightfastness Workbook - Version 5 (available from March 2008)
- Now Available! for CPSA Members only
VERSION 5 LIGHTFASTNESS TEST RESULT WORKBOOK
available NOW Including new test results for 2005-2007
- Prismacolor Premier Lightfast
- new Prismacolors
- Caran d'Ache Neocolors
- Derwent Coloursoft
- Derwent Graphitint
- Derwent Inktense - WetCanvas! - CPSA Lightfastness Test Result Workbook Version 5 - now available
- A discussion about the CPSA Lightfastness Test Result Workbook Version 5 - available March 2008
- Making a Mark: How lightfast are your artist grade coloured pencils?
- I tested my coloured pencils recently against the ratings for lightfastness in the CPSA Lightfastness Workbook Version 4 - and got a VERY BIG SURPRISE. You can see it in the picture in this post which include all my coloured pencils which did NOT make the cut because they are NOT listed in the CPSA Lightfastness Workbook as having an acceptable level of lightfastness. These are the ones which were in use and the picture excludes those that were in reserve and those which I've left in their boxes. Overall, we're talking a LOT of pencils - and a lot of money which has been spent on them.
- Lightfastness Testing
- LIGHTFASTNESS RATING - HOW IT'S DONE: A statment by CPSA about the work they have been doing with the ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials), colored pencil manufacturers and art conservators towards the development of a standard of lightfastness for colored pencils.
- CPSA: Lighfastness standard achieved
- This CPSA press release (7.11.03) announces the achievement of a standard for testing the lightfastness of coloured pencils.
- ASTM D6901-06 Standard Specification for Artists COLORED PENCILS
- ACTIVE STANDARD: Pages: 5, Price: $ 35.00
This specification establishes requirements for composition, performance, and labeling of artists' COLORED PENCILS. It covers vehicles and additives. Requirements are included for identification, lightfastness, and consistency. COLORED pencil specimens are exposed to both natural daylight through window glass and simulated window glass-filtered daylight radiation to determine the lightfastness rating for each pencil. - ASTM D4303-06 Standard Test Methods for Lightfastness of Colorants Used in Artists Materials
- This is the test standard applicable to manufacturers (as opposed to art technologists)
Four test methods are used to approximate the color change that can be expected over time in colorants used in artists' materials exposed indoors to daylight through window glass.
The color changes that result from accelerated exposure may not duplicate the results of normal indoor exposure in a home, art gallery, or museum. The relative resistance to change, however, can be established so colored materials can be assigned to categories of relative lightfastness. - ASTM D5383-02(2003) Standard Practice for Visual Determination of the Lightfastness of Art Materials by Art Technologists
- This practice covers a method for exposing specimens of colored art materials indoors to sunlight coming through a closed window. A card containing eight Blue Wool References is exposed simultaneously. Blue Wool References 3, 6, and 7, are used as controls in determining when to remove test specimens from exposure and rate them. Test specimens are rated by assigning each specimen the number of the Blue Wool Reference that shows the same amount of color change.
This practice may be used to indicate art materials that will change color within a few months or years in normal indoor exposure and those that will remain unchanged for a period of years. It is not rigorous enough to verify that materials will remain unchanged for more than fifty years in a home or office environment. A major consideration in developing this method was to keep it simple and short enough to be preformed without instrumentation in a comparatively short length of time. - Review of Prismacolor Premiere Lightfast Colored Pencils
- An independent unsponsored review of Prismacolor Premier Lightfast Colored Pencils by Bet Borgeson, artist, author.
- Bet Borgeson: Checking Colored Pencils for Lightfastness
- All art media, including oil and watercolor, have colors that fade or change with exposure to ultraviolet and visible light. This easy five-step test procedure can provide a better understanding of which of your own colors are resistant to light, without needing expensive test equipment or kits.
- Sarah Longrigg's lightfastness experiments on black paper
- This is an example of what one artist has done and records her results for Caran d'Ache, Derwent, Faber Castell and Schwann Stabilo. The colours have been used on Canford black paper, framed, and exposed in a window for a minimum of 2.5 years
- Making a Mark: Colourfastness in coloured pencils
- Results of a lighfastness test conducted in Brazil by Lucio Rubira
- How to Do a Simple Lightfastness Test for a Paint Color
- An explanation of how to do a simple or basic lightfastness test to see how stable a paint color is. (The basic approach is also applicable to coloured pencils)
- handprint : doing your own lightfastness tests
- The technical specifications, testing equipment and coding schemes that make industry lightfastness tests look difficult shouldn't scare you from doing tests of your own. Testing paints requires no more skill than making a small painting and framing it
Coloured Pencils - Lightfastness (Brands)
- Making a Mark: Prismacolor Premier Lightfast Colored Pencils
- List of new lightfast pencils and links to which pencils are in which set
- Caran d'Ache > Products > News - Luminance 6901 (lightfastness certified to ASTM standard)
- Luminance 6901 -
- Every shade has been formulated using finely-ground pigments chosen for their purity, intensity and resistance to UV.
- a chromatic range which comes in sets of 16, 38 or 76 colour pencils.
- Certified lightfastness and use of FSC wood.
- 61 colours classified in the best category (Lightfastness I) under standard ASTM D-6901.
- Cut from California cedar, the Luminance 6901 colour pencils carry the FSC label, a guarantee of logging that is environmentally-friendly and socially and economically endurable.
BOOKS: About coloured pencils - on Amazon
These are all books by long-standing and leading coloured pencil artists. They are often quoted and recommended as standard texts in this field
Coloured Pencils: On-Line Suppliers - UK and Europe
Online supplies for your coloured pencil needs
The manufacturers of several brands of coloured pencils - Caran d'Ache, Derwent, Faber Castell, Lyra - have their HQ in Europe.
- Art supplies in the UK from the Heaton Cooper Studio
- Heaton Cooper Studio, a fine art gallery in Cumbria which also has a well regarded (I shop there!) art materials shop with online purchasing. Provides a currency calculator to aid those shopping from other countries.
Stocks (unless stated otherwise) sets and individual pencils for the following ranges: Faber Castell Polychromos; Caran d'Ache Museum leads; Derwent Artists' Drawing, Coloursoft, Inktense, Watercolour, Metallic and Signature; Lyra 'Splender' Pencil and Grey set only plus some useful pencil aids - Artifolk - artists' coloured pencils
- Top quality artists' pencils from Caran D'Ache, Derwent and Faber-Castell. Choose between individual pencils, small tins and large wooden boxes of pencils, all at great prices. Individual pencils available in the following ranges: Faber-Castell Art Grip, Polychromos, Derwent Artists' and Coloursoft,
- Artifolk - watercolour pencils
- Watercolour pencils provide great flexibility - use them on their own or with water to create a range of effects. These watercolour pencils from Faber-Castell (Albrecht Durer), Derwent (Watercolour) and Caran D'Ache (Supracolor) come in a range of sets as well as individual pencils.
- T N Lawrence & Son Ltd Pencils and Crayons
- Based in Hove - supplies Caran d'Ache (Supracolour, Pablo, Neocolour and Graphite) as individual pencils
- Jackson's and Art Express - the best art suppliers in London
- Stocks individual pencils for the Derwent and Faber Castell ranges. Also stocks Creta Aqua Monolith
- London Graphic Centre Pencil Sets
- This used to be the main place I got my stock from - but not any more! They now only have a very limited range focusing on Derwent sets.
- Ken Bromley Art Supplies - Coloured Pencils & Crayons
- Stocks sets only of: Derwent Graphitint pencils (only) and Caran d'Ache ache Pablo, Supracolour Pencils and Necolour Crayons
- Great Art - Caran d'Ache Pablo - single pencils
- Complete range of colours on display - all available as single colours
- Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Pencils
- complete range of colours on display - all available to order as single pencils
Colored Pencils: On-Line Suppliers - based in the USA
Online supplies for your coloured pencils needs
Always check out the postage and total cost of an order before you place your order. Also, you can order from USA suppliers even if you don't live there - just remember to think about/add in import duty to the cost of an order.
- Colored Pencils - Blick Art Materials
- Dedicated section within website
- annkullberg.com - for all things Colored Pencil!
- Stock sets of Prismacolors only plus some aids for using coloured pencils. Two half yearly sales with big discounts
Coloured Pencils - On-Line Suppliers in Australia
- Australian Coloured Pencils Resources
- This squidoo lens was created to develop a local resource for Australian coloured pencil artists and in doing so to also provide a way to highlight and find one another. It lists suppliers in Australia.
BOOKS: More books about coloured pencil - on Amazon
A range of books - some standards and some newer ones
Coloured Pencil Supports - paper, boards and the rest
Want to know more about what you can use coloured pencils on?
This section aims to provide information about the different types of support that you can use for coloured pencils.
Links to more information are organised as follows: paper, coloured paper, film, and abrasive supports.
Links to more information are organised as follows: paper, coloured paper, film, and abrasive supports.
- CPSA: information about Paper
- This link provides a summary of detailed but basic information about the characteristics and production of paper.
- Daniel Smith: Deterioration of Paper: Causes and Prevention
- Daniel Smith (art supplies) identifies the reasons why paper can deteriorate and how best to prevent artwork from suffering any harm
- Canson USA - Arches Printmaking Sheets
- Arches Cover: This famous heavyweight, mould-made sheet is 100% cotton, acid free and buffered. It has a visible, slightly flattened grain, deckle edges and a registered watermark. An excellent choice for lithography, intaglio, silkscreen, collotype and drawing, it is also suitable for embossing
- Making a Mark: Legion Paper acquires Rising and Stonehenge Brands
- Legion Paper announces its new ownership of and commitment to the Stonehenge and Rising Brands - much loved by some coloured pencil artists - following the closure of the mill they used to be made in. There are no concerns about future supplies.
- Canson USA - Artist Papers - Mi-Teintes paper
- Mi-Teintes Sheets: the manufacturer states "The most famous lightfast pastel paper in the world. In heavy weight with rough texture, these 60% cotton papers come in fifty breathtaking pulp-dyed colors that go all the way through. Acid free and archival, they are also excellent for pencil, scrapbooking and papercraft."
- Colored Pencils on Colored Paper for Quick Results by Vera Curnow
- Learning Section | Daniel Smith Art Supply
Colored Pencils on Colored Paper for Quick Results: A Step-by-Step Demonstration by Vera Curnow, CPSA - Making a Mark: Abrasive Supports for Pastels & Coloured Pencils #1
- The first part of an overview of different abrasive surfaces which can be used with coloured pencils.
- Making a Mark: Abrasive Supports for Pastels & Coloured Pencils #2
- The second part of an overview of abrasive surfaces suitable for use with coloured pencils. Contains links to suppliers.
- Art Spectrum Pastel Primer & Colourfix Paper
- Art Spectrum Colourfix Paper and Art Spectrum Pastel Primer can help you explore your full creative potential and create new dimensions to your coloured pencil work and work in mixed media. Try using coloured pencils and Zest-It on this surface for spectacular results.
- Ampersand Art Supply - Pastelbord
- Pastelbord is a clay and gesso coated hardboard panel with a granular marble dust finish comparable to a sanded pastel paper except more durable and more versatile. It can be used with wet or dry traditional pastel techniques or with acrylics, and more! (I've used it with coloured pencils and fell in love with it!) The coating is pH neutral and non-yellowing, making it a truly permanent museum quality surface.Available in Gray, Green, Sand and White.
- FUR IN THE PAINT: Art Materials - Part 1
- Gayle Mason writes:
Although I have tried out many supports over the past few years I return to the same favourites:-
Arches Hot Press Watercolour paper or Mellotex for graphite
Polydraw Drafting Film for coloured pencil, or mixed media including acrylic
Ampersand Pastelbord for coloured pencil including Neocolor ll
In this she writes about the Polydraw Drafting Film - Fur in the Paint: Back to Black - Experiments with Claybord
- Gayle Mason starts an experiment on Ampersand's black claybord - plus cat drawing
- Nicole Caulfield prepares her own colourfix board
- Nicole Caulfield has abandoned paper for abrasive boards. See how you can make you own boards and avoid having to mat all your coloured pencil work.
- Nicole Caulfield Art Journal: Sealing Experiments
- Nicole Caulfield has had loads of questions on how she seals her my colored pencil drawings on Pastelbord to make them frameable without glass.
In this post, she explains what she used and what she does and also details her current experiments with water-based varnishes. - FUR IN THE PAINT: Art Materials (Part 2) - Gayle Mason comments on Pastelbord
- The other new surface I have been using this year is Pastelbord. I use Ampersand Pastelbord which is described as "a clay and gesso hardboard panel with a granular marble dust finish"
- Nicole Caulfield Art Journal: Portrait on Fisher 400 Paper
- I was given some sheets of Fisher 400 sanded pastel paper a long while ago to try and finally just got around to it. I am always amazed at how a different paper will completely change the colored pencil experience. Much more than different pencil brands, using good paper can completely make a piece. I always use sanded surfaces for my drawings and every one works differently.
- Greywaren Art: Maggie on Art Materials, Part I
- What Maggie Stiefvater uses in her day to day coloured pencil work.
Coloured Pencils - helpful products
Afyer you've got your coloured pencils what else do you need? This sections highlights other items which help working with coloured pencil
- My electric eraser
- An electric eraser can be used to erase efficiently and effectively - or as a drawing tool. Here's the one I use - a Jakar eraser pen
- Eco-House Inc - Xtra Mild Citrus Thinner
- A Canadian product equivalent to Zest-It. A Solvent must be capable of dissolving resins, oils, waxes and fats. This means that vital human organs are at risk when volatile solvents enter the body by inhalation. Eco-House Extra Mild Citrus Thinner combines the solving action of natural orange peel oil in food quality with highly purified mineral oils, which are 100% volatile and free of aggressive aromatics.
- Panasonic Desktop Accessories Traditional Electric Pencil Sharpener KP4A
- A compact battery powered pencil sharpener - produces needle points on coloured pencils. A very good back-up for an electric sharpener
- Jakar Electric Pencil Sharpener
- (Artifolk) This electric pencil sharpener from Jakar is mains powered with an automatic stop to prevent over-sharpening and pencil waste. It is suitable for graphite and all good quality coloured pencils up to a maximum thickness of 8mm.
- Zest-it
- The safe, environmentaly friendly, non-toxic, non-flammable alternative to white spirit and turpentine. This product can be used safely to dissolve coloured pencils in underpaintings or to help with blending and removal of pencil marks.
- UKCPS - Sharpening Tools
- This is a list of some sharpening tools that you might or might not find useful, with hopefully some indication of how they might be used and where to get them. Please bear in mind that the views expressed here are the personal views of the webmaster, Bob Ebdon, or other named artists, and should not be attributed to the UKCPS. If you have anything you wish to add here, or correct, please contact Bob.
- UKCPS - Blending Tools
- Blending Tools - see Bob Ebdon's Article on Blending on the UKCPS site (or in Tips and Techniques on this site) for more information on how to use these.
Battery and Electric pencil sharpeners - on Amazon
Speedy sharpening
Battery powered and electric pencil sharpeners are a huge help to the coloured pencil artist who must keep pencil points very sharp.
Panasonic KP380-BK Classic Electric Pencil Sharpener, Black, 1 Unit
Amazon Price: $41.72 (as of 05/09/2008)
Panasonic KP4A-BK Kp-4a battery pencil sharpener, black, 1 Unit
Amazon Price: $16.21 (as of 05/09/2008)
Panasonic KP150BK Vertical Electric Pencil Sharpener, Black, 1 Unit
Amazon Price: $44.34 (as of 05/09/2008)
Hunt(R) Boston(R) 1800 Series Electric Sharpener, Black
Amazon Price: $18.17 (as of 05/09/2008)
X-Acto 1818 Model 1800 Electric Pencil Sharpener, Charcoal Black, 1 Unit
Amazon Price: $19.04 (as of 05/09/2008)
Coloured Pencils - Tips and Techniques
- Tips, Tricks and Techniques
- a long established 'sticky' thread - which continues to be updated - in the Wet canvas coloured pencil forum. It provides a range of information and advice
- The Colour Pencil Recipe Book
- Wet Canvas Colored Pencil Forum develops The Colour Pencil Recipe Book
- Laurelines compares the performance of coloured pencils
- Laurelines compares the performance of
* Cretacolor Aquamonoliths
* Derwent Inktense
* Faber Castell water colouble coloured pencils
* Faber Castell Polychromos (a non WC pencil) - How green is my coloured pencil collection?
- a blog post from "Making a Mark" providing colour charts for a multitude of greens from various brands
- Using Zest-It solvent
- Various artists explain how to use zest-it solvent to dissolve coloured pencils. Solvent makes the achievement of saturated colour on paper very fast.
- Gayle Mason demonstrates which coloured pencils to use on drafting film
- Gayle Mason has been experimenting with different brands of coloured pencil on Dura Lar drafting film
- Colourfix, solvent and scumbling - Gordon Leverton demonstrates his technique
- Gordon Leverton demonstrates how he achieves a saturated yet scumbled finish to his industrial landscapes using colourfix, solvent and coloured pencils
- Sanford & A Lifetime of Color's Art Education Resources
- A demonstration of Prismacolor® Professional Quality Art Pencils by Janie Gildow
- Making a Mark: Janet Couture's Prismacolor Colour Wheel
- Janet Couture has created a colour wheel for her Prismacolor pencils. Her colour wheel really identifies for me where there is a good choice of colours and also where there are major gaps in the range. This blog post tells you more about it.
- How To: Checking Colored Pencils for Lightfastness
- All art media have colors that fade or change with exposure to ultraviolet and visible light. Bet Borgeson provides an easy five-step test procedure for providing a better understanding of which of your own colors are resistant to light, without needing expensive test equipment or kits.
- Borgeson Studio - Colored Pencil Techniques FAQ
- Art questions are reliably answered here on one of the most popular pages on Bet Borgeson Studio site.
- P R I S M A C O L O R some tips and techniques
- Nadia Geller, accomplished interior designer, has teamed up with
Prismacolor providing monthly tips and techniques to fellow artists. - UKCPS - Blending by Bob Ebdon
- Blending is a key skill for the CP artist. Many artists rely on using a very light touch, and putting many layers of pencil one on top of another. As long as this is done smoothly, the eye will blend the final result into one homogeneous colour or gradation of colour and you need do no blending at all. If you want to help this process along then you could use one of many aids listed in this article.
- UKCPS - Burnishing by Bob Ebdon
- A dictionary says burnishing means "to make shiny or smooth; to polish".
Few topics in coloured pencil techniques have more mystique associated with them than burnishing. The trouble is, burnishing means different things to different people-or maybe there are just lots of different ways to do it.
Bob Ebdon - founder and webmaster of UKCPS - has written this article to explain and demonstrate aspects of burnishing.
Coloured Pencils - Wax Bloom
What is it and what can you do about it?
Artists used wax-based coloured pencils may well have a problem with wax bloom at some point. Wax raises to the surface of the piece of artwork and bloom causes a 'bloom' which makes the artwork look as if it has a milky haze. It tends to appear if a work has been heavily worked and/or after a piece has been sitting for a bit. It has been known to appear weeks or months after a piece has been finished.
Artists using oil based pencils don't experience wax bloom.
Artists using oil based pencils don't experience wax bloom.
- David Deen WebStudio : IMPrint Issue 12
- David Deen's Web Studio features the fantasy artwork of David Deen.
This part of his site describes what to do about wax bloom. - Colored Pencil Tip - Wax Bloom
- A colored pencil drawing tip - find out what to do about wax bloom. Wax bloom is a white haze that appears across heavily worked colored pencil drawings as a layer of the wax medium forms on the surface.
- Colored Pencil: Fixative by Christine Taylor
- The wax from wax-based pencils will "bloom" out of a colored pencil work over time, especially if the work has been burnished...The dusty white wax bloom may be gently wiped from the work with a soft tissue, once again revealing the colors. However, since it's best to handle artwork sparingly, there are times when prevention is the road to take.
So the question begins: When to fix? When not to fix? For me, the answer lies in the product itself. - Categories of Wax-Based Drawing Media
- September 1997 Volume 19 Number 3
Categories of Wax-Based Drawing Mediaby Margaret Holben Ellis and M. Brigitte Yeh
excerpted from "Wax Based Drawing Media--History, Technology
and Identification: presented at AIC, June 1997
Coloured Pencils - Lessons, Projects and Themes
This module focuses on specific aspects of using coloured pencils.
- 'Blessed Event' - Painting with Colored Pencils by Barbara Newton
- Barbara Newton shares techniques of grisaille and juxtapositioning of colors as she paints with colored pencils.
- Classy Glass Class
- Wet Canvas Colored Pencil Library: Classy Glass Class
A thread started by Louise Sackett which has proved to be the most popular group project of all time in the Coloured Pencil Forum. Lots of tips for drawing glass and creating reflections and shine. - Eye Spy II - including fur tutorial
- Wet Canvas Colored Pencil Library: "Eye Spy II - including fur tutorial"
Gayle Mason (Glenspey) demonstrates how to develop fur in a profile image of a cat. The artwork produced by Gayle is now a best selling cat print. - Creating Shiny Metal by Janie Gildow
- Daniel Smith Art Supplies, Learning Section provides this step by step demonstration by Janie Gildow of how to create shiny metal with coloured pencils.
- Eye Tutorial - by Gayle Mason
- Wet Canvas Colored Pencil Library: Eye Tutorial
Gayle Mason demonstrates how to develop the eye of a cat. - Colored Pencils and Juxtaposed Color - a demo by Bet Borgeson
- Daniel Smith Art Supply: Learning section - provides this lesson by Bet Borgeson
- Colored Pencil and Ambient Texture
- Learning Section | Daniel Smith Art Supply
Bet Borgeson Enlivens the Mood of her Art with Colored Pencil and Ambient Texture - Colored Pencils on Colored Paper for Quick Results
- Learning Section | Daniel Smith Art Supply
Colored Pencils on Colored Paper for Quick Results: A Step-by-Step Demonstration by Vera Curnow, CPSA - Wax-based Colored Pencils
- Learning Section | Daniel Smith Art Supply
Working bigger, bolder, faster with Wax-based Colored Pencils - A Demonstration by Vera Curnow CPSA - The Art of Alastair Lockwood - Lessons on drawing photorealistic glass and reflective surfaces
- Alastaor Lockwood is a prizewinning coloured pencil artists. Here he provides two coloured pencil lessons - previously published in "Leisure Artist" (March 2004) and "Painting with Watercolour" (Issue 37 2004)reproduced in pdf format
- Borgeson Studio - Hands on Practice
- One of the best places to find free and fun drawing exercises and projects related to improving composition, color mixing, value, rendering, achieving depth, 3-D effects.
- Colored Pencil Drawing Lesson | Skin Tone Demo by Ann Kullberg
- A step by step demo on skin tone in colored pencil by renowned portrait colored pencil artist Ann Kullberg
- Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques - Hair Demo by Ann Kullberg
- A step by step demo on drawing hair in colored pencil by Ann Kullberg
- Coral Poppy - Colored Pencil Demonstration by Kristy Ann Kutch
- Kristy Ann Kutch draws a poppy
- Step by Step demonstrations by Alyona Nickelsen
- Three demonstrations showing how she uses Gamsol Spirits to create a wash of coloured pencil pigment on white Stonehenge paper.
BOOKS: Botanical Art - using coloured pencils
This book includes detailed demonstratations of work in coloured pencil by leading botanical artists Ann Swan and Susan Christopher Coulson.
See my blog for a detailed review of this book
See my blog for a detailed review of this book
Artists - Leading Botanical Artists who use coloured pencils
- ANN SWAN contemporary botanical art
- Ann Swan contemporary botanical art, one of the UK's leading botanical artists specialising in pencil and coloured pencil drawings, limited edition prints, greeting cards and workshops.
- Susan Christopher-Coulson ( floraleyes.co.uk) - botanical artist
- Susan Christopher-Coulson. British botanical artist working in coloured pencils. RHS Gold Medalist.
Artists who use coloured pencils
- United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society - Members' Galleries
- Click on a name in the list and you will be taken to a separate page for this artist, with three images, a biography and contact details. Many of our artists offer their work as prints/cards and also provide CP workshops and drawing classes. Others are absolute beginners.
- List of coloured pencil artists
- an alphabetical index of coloured pencil artists compiled by members of the CP Forum on the Wet Canvas website
- Linda Lucas Hardy
- Colored Pencil Paintings by Linda Lucas Hardy
In 2007 she won
- the CPSA Award for Exceptional Merit & CIPPY Award for "Light Crisp Tasty - Fortune Inside" at the 15th Annual International Convention and Exhibition in Bethesda MD
-The CPSA Award for Exceptional Merit & EXXPY Trophy, Explore This 4! Colored Pencil Exhibition, Brea, California
You can see more of her prize-winning work here
Coloured Pencil Societies - websites and blogs
- Coloured Pencil Societies
- A post on my blog providing an overview of the two main coloured pencil societies - I'm a member of both.
- Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA)
- the society for colored pencil artists in the USA has several local branches across the USA and two competitive exhibitions each year
- United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society (UKCPS)
- The UKPCS has two main aims (1) to promote coloured pencils as a fine art medium, and (2) to support UK based artists who use, or wish to use, coloured pencils, in any way.
- UKCPS News
- This blog will contain news and information about the UK Coloured Pencil Society.
- Colored Pencil New England - THE BLOG
- The CPSA Chapter 112 Blog! If you are not a member of CPSA Chapter 112, feel free to read and comment on our group's posts. If you are a chapter 112 member, please email the webmaster to get enrolled as a contributor to this blog.
Coloured Pencil Societies - International Exhibitions
- UKCPS - Exhibitions Gateway
- This page is the gateway to the online shows of our Annual exhibitions. The UKCPS has two exhibitions most years. The major one of these is a juried exhibition.
- UKCPS - Calendar of Events - Future International Exhibitions
- The 7th UKCPS Open International Exhibition in 2008 (3rd--28th October 2008) will be held at the Royal West of England Gallery, Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol
The 8th Annual International Open Exhibition (20th September - 3rd October 2009): This will be held at the RBSA Gallery, 4, St Pauls Street, Birmingham. - Making a Mark: CPSA - call for entries for 2008 annual international exhibition in Seattle
- I'm a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America and this week received the written call for entries for its 16th annual international exhibition at the Convention and Trade Centre in Seattle, July-September 2008. All entries will be juried.
I've highlighted extracts from the entry requirements below (with MY COMMENTS in italics) plus some tips about entering competitions and links to blog posts about this exhibition in 2006 and 2007.
Details about the 16th Annual Exhibition can also be found on the CPSA website. - International CPSA 16th Annual Exhibition
- CPSA Sixteenth Annual International Exhibition will be held in Seattle, Washington from July 2nd to September 29th, 2008.
Open to all colored pencil Artists age 18 and over. - Making a Mark: UKCPS have changed the exhibition rules....again
- The announcement of the revision in proposals for rules changes re 2008 and 2009
New rules are to be introduced from 2009 - Making a Mark: The rules for the 2008 exhibitions of coloured pencil art
- An overview of proposals for changes in rules and conditions for CPSA and UKCPS (prior to a further revision)
Artists who blog about working with coloured pencils
See examples of their blog posts about working with coloured pencils in the above modules
These are sites where people explain what they're doing as well as showing you the artwork they produce using coloured pencils
- Daily Painter - Nicole Caulfield
- Nicole likes experimenting with coloured pencils and the abrasive supports she uses - and explains what she does. Nicole's work is much admired, was exhibited at the CPSA International Exhibition in 2006 and won first prize at the UKCPS International Exhibition in 2007
- Greywaren Art
- This blog is a place to see Maggie Stiefvater's award-winning equine and animal art.
- Fur in the Paint
- Gayle Mason's art journal reflecting on the struggle to produce animal art, which is both 'up close and personal' and captures the essence of each animal portrayed
Gayle has pioneered the use of draughting film and Pastelbord in the UK - Workshops, News & Other Great Stuff
- Workshops, News & Other Great Stuff - with colored pencil artist Linda Lucas Hardy, CPSA
Making a Mark: latest posts to my main weblog
My main art journal reflecting on:
* the making of marks with pastels, pencils and pen and ink
* influences on developing both artwork and art careers
* information about resources for artists
* the making of new artwork on my website www.pastelsandpencils.com
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWebsites supporting Coloured Pencils
Websites which provide information and/or support for artists using coloured pencils
- Wet Canvas - Coloured Pencil Forum
- A place to show your coloured pencil artwork and find help with any problems you're having.
- Ann Kullberg - for all things colored pencil
- information about the various products and services offered by Ann Kullberg - who is a very popular author and instructor working in coloured pencils These include: tools and kits; lessons on CD; videos on CD; a gallery and a very popular e-zine for coloured pencil artists
- The Colored Pencil School
- Created by Nicole Caulfield and Maggie Stiefvater to promote coloured pencil as a medium by providing:
* information about colored pencils (workshops, product reviews, teacher's tools)
* lists of opportunities to exhibit artwork in mixed media art shows and shows which are color pencil specific - Bet Borgeson Studio
- Online drawing courses in coloured pencil and answers for FAQs about coloured pencils
- Crayons de couleur
- Forum artistique dédié à la technique des crayons de couleur.
(This is a forum in the French language for coloured pencil artists) - Scribbletalk
- This is a discussion forum called ScribbleTalk for Pencil Artists hosted by Glassgems.
- Australian Coloured Pencils Resources
- This squidoo lens was created to develop a local resource for Australian coloured pencil artists and in doing so to also provide a way to highlight and find one another. It also lists local resources in Australia.
Travels with a Sketchbook in ....."
When I travel, I sketch. When I sketch on my travels I record it here.
The colour in my travel sketches is achieved using coloured pencils.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byPastels and Pencils - Fine Art by Katherine Tyrrell
- Pastels and Pencils
- Original fine art by Katherine Tyrrell. Galleries of paintings and drawings of landscapes, still life and floral subjects in pastels and coloured pencils; drawings and sketches in pencil and pen and ink of landscapes, flowers, interiors, people and cats. Information about art materials resources and supplies
New Del.icio.us bookmarks from makingamark
These are the items I bookmark on del.ico.us which are tagged with "coloured_pencils". They will vary from items added to this lens to individual blog posts with an image completed using coloured pencils to items I find elswehere on the internet.
Comments and Suggestions
Let me know what you think
Feedback - comments about links, compliments about the site or suggestions for how you think it could be improved are always welcome
Anybody can comment BUT please note that:
* All comments are moderated before publication
* All html is stripped out of comments. Spam is not published.
* All suggestions about the inclusion of websites relating to contemporary artists will be reviewed but will only be published if the website is added.
* Please do not ask me to rate your lens (see Squidoo FAQs)
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jvdarcy
There is so much information on this page, it will take me weeks to get through it all! Thank you for taking the time to put it all together! Posted April 25, 2008 |
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HotbuttonPress
I love your egg tempera lens, too! Five stars everywhere. And a cat lover, too. :) http://www.squidoo.com/nonelectric Posted April 11, 2008 |
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OnStageLighting
I drew a picture of my favourite Bear with coloured pencils. Come and see it at: Posted April 11, 2008 |
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Retro_Loco
Another great lens, Katherine! Colored pencils is what I want to work with when I start taking art classes, so I know this lens will be a big help for me. Just checked out some of your art on your blog...very, very beautiful! Posted April 09, 2008 |
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poddys
I never knew there were so many kinds. Nice lens. Posted April 08, 2008 |
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makingamark
Thanks for the note about the Color Pencil Challenge - I've now deleted it. Posted March 30, 2008 |
smockery
I'm a beginner so for me this is a great site and a super resource. Thank you for doing this. I tried the link to Color Pencil Challenge, and it is no longer there.
Posted March 28, 2008
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thomasz
Interesting lens. Nice info. Posted February 12, 2008 |
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LeslieBrenner
My favorite colored pencils are by Berol Prismacolor. They develop a kind of waxy finish when you apply the pencil heavily. The colors become very saturated. Then you can use a desk brush to make the waxy finish shine. It's also fun to use them for shading. Posted February 06, 2008 |
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Aika
My favorite coloured pencil is Faber-Castell, which was given by my Dad when I was in high school. I love to draw and paint, its one of my hobby. ^_^ Posted December 14, 2007 |
