Customer Reviews

Water Soluble Pencils (Step-by-Step Leisure Arts)

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This is a pleasantly produced, basic introduction, limited in scope and also, I would say, in its capacity to inspire new artists. Some people may find it quite adequate for their needs, but if you have any sense that you might wish to explore the medium further, and get more ambitious with your results, you will probably do what I did and go on to buy more comprehensive books. Even for a short book, I felt that this one is not particularly competitive. I'm not saying that pages and pages ought to be devoted to values and color theory, but more can be shown with relatively few words and diagrams than is shown here -- and I know this because other books on the subject of colored pencils pull it off. Also, I'm not sure how much Carole Massey is really committed to, or knowledgeable about, colored pencil art: she even surprised me by saying that water-soluble pencils don't give the vivid images one can get using watercolor paints! Well, has she and her publisher looked at the competition lately? Any quick survey of books will show that pencils, whether dry or water-soluble, can give wonderfully vivid results -- it's a question of mastery, technique, and imagination. Instead of this book, I'd like to suggest Jane Strother's wide-ranging and thoughtfully produced guide, The Colored Pencil Artist's Drawing Bible: this features watercolor pencils as well as dry. My favorite dry pencil book, which is helpful despite the absence of watercolour, is Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner by Bet Borgeson. Now there's a guide you can grow with, and great value for money.

Very informative and helpful whether you are an experienced artist or new to the use of pencils. Good for anyone from beginner to expert.

This is an informative, step by step book. It takes some practice to do as well as pictures, but keep at it. Still having some difficulty blending colors but I have improved.