Customer Reviews

The Complete Colored Pencil Book

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bernard Poulin is a master in the medium of Colored Pencil. Whether you are beginning or advanced in the use of this new medium, you will find useful information. The work featured is breathtaking, and the information is straightforward and easy to follow. I highly recommend it.

Excellent artwork in the book. Don't judge the artwork by the cover, or even the back. OPEN IT, the work gets better.

Don't let the title fool you either. The author/artist even says in his introduction that he is offering you a "...'GLIMPSE' into the versatile and vibrant medium..." He is basically wanting to show the reader that colored pencil can render high value artwork just as those created in oil. Just getting the recognition it deserves. So, that is where the artist/author is coming from.

It is not a step by step book or how to draw book. He explains some techniques and gives alot of verbal information about each work presented in the book. He gives you things to think about when you start to approach your own projects, as would a college art instructor. But gives you the freedom to create your own and be an individual and expressive. Instead of step-by-step how to do the exact artwork in the book, he shows you how to do your own artwork, and inspires you to do so. Much of the work in the book is his, but he does show other artists work as examples as well. There are many subjects covered which is great. The best way to like this book and learn from it, is to really READ it and study it.

He is guiding you, not holding your hand. So beginners, don't buy this book.

I always read the reviews before purchases and the very first one is as far as I got for this book. It said how great the book was and the person was speaking after purchasing a decent amount of books.

Well if I read a little further I would have read the negative one saying this book offers nothing.


THIS BOOK OFFERS NOTHING

It is just eye candy and not very much of it. All you see are pencil pictures and comments about them. This book teaches you nothing. It doesn't even go over how to do anything!! It just shows you pictures of what it is it is showing ex: this is a sample of texture.

Ok I knew that, but how did that happen? I wasn't looking for step by step although sometimes that helps out a lot.

This book was a complete waste.

Don't bother

This is one of the excellent books on Colored Pencil fine art.I have read or used nearly a dozen of such books.The author gives a nice balance between skills/techniques and the fine art aspects to develop masterly paintings.The text is simple and easy to follow.The author being a portrait artist, the chapter on portraits is well written and valuable.The art work and the illustrations are very instructive.
I like the author not only exhibiting his own work, but a few selected paintings of well-known CP artists like Vera Curnow and Gary Greene.Another nice aspect is that the author does not endorse any particular brand of Colored pencils or support, thus commercialise book writing,as many authors do, but give sensible and technical suggestions.The book is a good buy for any serious CP artist.

I've drawn casually for years, but when I finally got around to buying professional grade colored pencils, I wanted to learn specifically how to use them as a media. This was the first book I read on the subject, and it was a sore disappointment.

The author is a good artist, but the book does very little actual teaching. As someone else mentioned, it shows a lot of pictures of artwork and tells that they were made using certain techniques, but it never shows how to do it yourself.

What really bugged me was that there was a huge section just on the author's personal workshop--how he built it, what materials he used, even copies of the blueprints! How many casual art students are going to build their own studios, including tables and countertops and shelves and cupboards? It's obvious that the author is proud of what he did, and he has every right to be. But, he might have done well to write a separate book just on how to build and furnish your own studio, rather than wasting space he could have used to give instructions on how to draw with colored pencils.

Between that and all the examples of artwork with no instructions, it really seemed like the book was written more to show off the author's accomplishments, rather than teaching new artists. It might be better being read by someone who already has plenty of experience with colored pencils, but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners.

If you're looking for good instructional books, try Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils along with Colored Pencil Solution Book.

I have a personal library of over twenty books on colored pencil and unfortunately, this is the weakest book I own on the topic. There is very little on technique and there is a general lack of substance. If you are looking for an overview on colored pencil, there are far better books available. One that comes to mind is Exploring Colored Pencil by Sandra Angelo. And if you are looking for technique or practical information this book simply doesn't cut it.

PERFECT! A very comprehensive cataloging of all you need to master colored pencils. Ideal for the beginner and intermediate, even advanced!

What I have read so far is very helpful with my own colored pencil drawings. I am trying to establish my own technique and with Poulin's steps of applying color and textures I am able to.

I purchased this book because of a recommendation from the Ann Kullberg ezine. I found the book good for beginners by explaining the various pencils and papers, drawing tools, and studio space. It was also good for intermediate artists by explaining advanced techniques and and tips. But as usual I found I wanted more information. The color examples were excellent on showing a specific look and I enjoyed the author's easy to read style.

I needed a quick review in the use of colored pencils. I borrowed several books on the subject from the library and this one was the most comprehensive so I bought it.