The New Colored Pencil: Create Luminous Works with Innovative Materials and Techniques

Coloured pencils are a must-have in my Studio-To-Go kit.  They are portable, inexpensive, and readily available, requiring little else to create “cool” effects on paper.  We all have pencil crayons in our stash, but do we really use them to their full capability?  “Cool” effects can go to stunning results with the information provided in this book. My tentative Craft Art can become Fine Art! 

When I was asked to review “The New Colored Pencil: Create Luminous Works with Innovative Materials and Techniques” by Kristy Ann Kutch, I was delighted to find a book filled with useful information, beautiful examples and exciting techniques with which to experiment.

 “The New Colored Pencil” incorporates many recent product and technique innovations in the pencil crayon realm.  It is well organized, with three sections; pencil crayons, watercolour pencil crayons, and pastel crayons, such as Caran d’Ache NeoArt and Lyra Aquacolors. It is easy to locate whatever information you might want to explore. Reference tables are included in each section and a comprehensive colour guide for major brands has been added in an Appendix.

Ms. Kutch gives us insight into the composition and construction of pencil crayons to ensure that we understand why one pencil is more suited to a specific style. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Surfaces are explored (and not just paper), along with methods like blending, brushing, grating, spattering and misting. In addition to application of color, we learn that there are almost as many ways to remove it! And I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of artwork shown by Ms. Kutch and her colleagues. Samples include flowers, landscapes, pets and portraits.

Ms. Kutch shares step by step processes detailing the use of the colored pencils in her many examples as well as possible pitfalls and how to minimize mistakes.  A section on colour theory and tips on composition give added value to this book.  There are more than enough morsels of inspiration to keep us exploring pencil crayon art for a long time.   

Coloured pencils are a must-have in my travel kit, and are always on my table as well. “The New Coloured Pencil” will be close by.  

The New Colored Pencil

 Create Luminous Works with Innovative Materials and Techniques

Kristy Ann Kutch

New York: Watson-Guptill, 2014

176pp. $24.99

978-0770436933

 

 

On Amazon.ca:The New Colored Pencil: Create Luminous Works with Innovative Materials and Techniques