Customer Reviews

Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil

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As a relatively new "convert" to colored pencil from watercolor, I was amazed to see the realism Kullberg can attain while still maintaining a slightly loose, soft technique with her colored pencils. I would have thought that she spent countless hours on tiny details...but in this book, Kullberg literally shows you, how to see and paint only the ESSENTIAL details in order to create masterful realistic paintings without hours of painstaking detail work.

After buying her book, I visited her annkullberg.com website and found that she also has a Video Workshop CD to go along with the book. The CD includes 2 full hours of video instruction, plus line drawings, plus extra hints, plus palette lists. I ordered the CD and have to say that it is an absolute MUST HAVE for anyone who wants to "fast forward" into colored pencil technique!! The video lessons seem somehow to have been filmed right over Kullberg's shoulder, so you literally see her every stroke as she demos, from start to finish, 6 of the subjects featured in "Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil". Actually seeing Kullberg work on colored pencil paintings was a huge eye-opener for me, and well worth the affordable price!!

One last thing....don't be fooled by the cover of this book. It is not just another "Kullberg Portrait" book...but instead, covers foreground and background elements often found in portraits, and is divided into "Interiors" and "Exteriors" sections. Although I rarely do portraits, Kullberg's book will not be leaving my drawing table's side, as she covers landscape and still life elements.....and most importantly, really shows how YOU can paint realistically in colored pencil.

Soft realism is the ability to create a realistic artwork without including all the fine details. Ann Kullberg is a master of the technique and in "Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil" she teaches the reader how she does it.

In a step by step manner the reader learns how to capture the essence of a subject in sufficient detail to create a somewhat realistic work of art.

"Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil" begins with the basics of the materials needed, stroke types, density, and building color. From there it moves to various projects dealing with interior subjects (wicker, windowsills, wood grain, etc.) and then to various projects dealing with exterior subjects (various flowers, hedges, grass, trees, water, stones, etc.). From developing the right hues and textures to resolving problems and providing shortcuts and solutions, it's all here in this book.

Well illustrated and sufficiently detailed to actually teach the techniques, it is highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn how to work with colored pencils.

Ann's Soft Realism book is fantastic but you can't just purchase the book, you MUST HAVE THE COMPANION CD! It's better than a vhs video tape. It's truly awesome and I don't say it if I don't mean it. Ann shows you step by step how to use the colored pencils and the techniques and guides you through so many demos, plus she supplies line drawings and palettes, hints, and other goodies to use and when used with the book, you can't beat it except to be in one of her workshops personally. It's so down to earth basic for the beginner and yet great for more advanced I am sure. I love that I can use the CD on the computer, it is so much faster and more fun than vhs. You can replay each segment without fussing with rewind too. Can't be beat. I think the CD companion and the book together is the best idea I have seen yet! I like that you chose different textures and materials to color. I feel that I got more than my money's worth.
. I hope you do more video workshops like this cd and hope you do it real soon Ann. Her newsletter is super too. Always a lesson to learn step by step using colored pencils. Great work Lady! I'll bet others copy this idea, but you are the first and the best!!
Hugs
Lucy H

ANN KULLBERG'S NEW BOOK IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. HER INSTRUCTION IS STEP BY STEP AND ALL LEVELS WILL BENEFIT FROM HER DETAILED EXPLANATION ON HOW TO BUILD COLOR, WITH PHOTOS SHOWING THE PROGRESSION AS THE LAYERS ARE ADDED. THE EXAMPLES RANGE FROM BLACK PATENT LEATHER SHOES TO DRAWING AN OCEAN SCENE AND CLOUDS. HAVING THIS BOOK IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN WORKSHOP AT HOME. ANN HAS EVEN INCLUDED A QUESTION AND ANSWER SECTION THAT COVERS AREAS THAT BEGINNERS AND ADVANCED WILL FIND HELPFUL. ANN'S SPECIAL METHOD OF PAINTING WITH COLORED PENCILS IS NOTHING SHORT OF MAGICAL. HER TECHNIQUE CAN HELP GUIDE THE READER TO REALISTIC DRAWINGS WITH DEPTH AND BEAUTY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK FOR ANY ARTIST'S STUDIO.

It was because of Ann Kullberg's book "Colored Pencil Portraits STEP BY STEP" that I am using colored pencils as my medium today. Her new book "Capturing Soft Realism" is one of the best books and a must have. I highly recommend it for reading and/or studying the art of using colored pencils. If you're a student or a practicing, professional artist, you will find this book a valuable asset to your art career or hobby. As a fellow artist, I have found that creating colored pencil artworks is very time consuming. By applying Ann Kullberg's techniques, I have found time saving steps and key ideas that not only saved me time and money but made my artworks much more enjoyable and "FUN" to create. If you're like me and paint a number of different types of subjects and want to capture realism in your artworks, then this is the book for you!

I based an art unit for my Advanced Art high school students around this book and I was very impressed with my students' results! They first practiced the various stroke techniques that Ms. Kullberg shows, learned pertinent vocabulary, practiced layering, color matching (and mixing) and then simply took off. I highly recommend this book (as well as the other one by Ms. Kullberg) to art teachers who are looking for new and exciting techniques to share with their older students!

Ann Kullberg has done it again...a great book for colored pencil artists, beginner or advanced. I had put off buying the book thinking I really didn't do that many "people" portraits, but instead pet portraits, which I didn't think this new book would relate. Boy, was I wrong! There is so much material on technique,colors to use, examples, demos that could help with any subject with colored pencil. She breaks it down to learnable steps and along with her online e-magazine "From My Perspective", a great resource for colored pencil (or any) artists! Thanks to you Ann for your sharing of your skills.

Ann Kullberg's new book, Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil, is a fabulous sequel to her first treasure, Colored Pencil Portraits Step-By-Step. Each page has gorgeous artwork along with clear, understandable text. If you are interested in creating colored pencil portraits and you really don't know how to begin, this team of books is where to start. There are many many demonstrations and Ann writes the way she instructs. Simple but with clear directions. She tells you what materials to buy and which ones she uses for each painting. Her enthusiasm is contagious and the reader feels confident that one day, with this kind of practice, artwork like Ann's is attainable. I love it when those who have truly made it in the art world want to share everything they know with those of us still working towards that goal. Ann has a generous spirit and extends endless patience toward her workshop participants. It seems that her life goal is to communicate all that she has learned about colored pencils to others so that they can become as good as her. Her Internet magazine, "From My Perspective", is filled with more great art and advice.

I highly recommend this jewel of a book to beginners as well as published, accomplished artists. It's basic in its instruction, yet Ann paints difficult backgrounds step by step. These two books are the kind that you buy both and settle in some weekend with a good block of time and no interruptions to practice techniques and ultimately try your own painting.

It was because of Ann Kullberg's book "Colored Pencil Portraits STEP BY STEP" that I am using colored pencils as my medium today. Her new book "Capturing Soft Realism" is one of the best books and a must have. I highly recommend it for reading and/or studying the art of using colored pencils. If you're a student or a practicing, professional artist, you will find this book a valuable asset to your art career or hobby. As a fellow artist, I have found that creating colored pencil artworks is very time consuming. By applying Ann Kullberg's techniques, I have found time saving steps and key ideas that not only saved me time and money but made my artworks much more enjoyable and "FUN" to create. If you're like me and paint a number of different types of subjects and want to capture realism in your artworks, then this is the book for you!

Soft Realism is a library in itself. Whether you are a beginner or have drawing with cp's for a long time. This book is a must. I have Anns' other book and feel as though I don't need any others. Anns' online magazine, "From My Perspective" will pull everything that you need to know about cp drawing together along with giving advice on problems you may encounter while painting with cp's and what to do about them. Soft Realism is a one of kind book. You can purchase a companion CD that makes you feel as if you are getting private lessons from the author. I would reccomend this book to everyone and anyone who feels that they need directions that are easy to follow or if you just need a little fine tuning of your skills. Thank you Ann for publishing your books, CD's and your online magazine. Achieving the colors you need has never been so easy. The joy of working with colored pencils has become so much more enjoyable. Carol Barbas