Colored pencil is an increasingly popular medium, convenient, versatile, and capable of a surprising intensity of color and variety of handling. Like any medium, there are techniques and 'tricks of the trade', so don't re-invent the wheel - a good book can guide you through the basics, give you 'insider tips' from years of creative work, and serve as a ready reference whenever you're stuck with a problem. Here are some of my favorite colored pencil drawing books.
1. Colored Pencil Portraits - Step by Step
by Ann Kullberg, North Light Books. Follow step-by-step as Ann Kullberg, one of America's foremost colored pencil artists and teachers, guides you through the creation of of a portrait, covering materials, composition, lighting, the drawing of skin tone, hair and fabric. Her work is beautiful and she excels at capturing character and light. I really enjoy Ann's writing style too - it's friendly and well written, so this book is an enjoyable read as well as useful reference.
2. Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner
By Bet Borgeson, published by Watson-Guptill. Another highly respected artist and teacher, Bet Borgeson's book covers materials, fundamental drawing principles, colored pencil techniques such as color mixing, lifting and impressed line, and looks at different themes such as floral and landscape drawing. I highly recommend this book - it offers a really solid grounding, is easy to read, and will give you the skills and inspiration to really progress with your colored pencil artwork. Bet Borgeson also offers useful advice on becoming an artist, exhibiting and sales.
3. Colored Pencil Solutions
by Janie Gildow, Barbara Benedetti Newton, publisher F & W Publications With an 'FAQ' style table of contents, Gildow and Newton's book offers solutions to common questions, as well as basic information for the beginner in colored pencil drawing, such as materials and equipment, composition, light etc. as well as pencil-specific techniques. The book's demonstrations focus on still-life drawing.
4. Exploring Colored Pencil
Sandra M. Angelo, Davis Publications. This book seeks to cater for beginners through to more experienced artists, offering exercises at various levels. Angelo also incudes examples of other approaches than photorealism - a welcome change, as many books focus on realist work - and a range of themes, including landscape and figure drawing as well as still-life.
