Color Drawing Workshop

Though usually demonstrated in colored pencil, these are excellent for any colored media: dry or oil pastels, acrylics, aquarelle, oils, gouache, and so on. Following them will get you to stretch your skills: even if you are in an "orange period" you need to play with the other stuff occasionally just to remember why orange is fascinating by comparison. Especially valuable when you are feeling stale: start where you last left off, or start all over at lesson one. Each time you do them, you do them differently, and you learn new things.

What a great resource for artists of all levels to develop and improve their skills. I have searched extensively for a step by step program to help me become skilled with colored pencil. I love the format which gives an instructional narrative about an aspect and then gives a drawing assignment to direct the artist in an effective exercise to develop the skill. It breaks down the vast (and sometimes overwhelming) body of information into bite sized pieces for the beginner and progresses on to challenge an intermediate to advanced student as well. In all fairness, I must say that I am writing from the perspective of a relative beginner. I don't know exactly how advanced one would need to be to outgrow this book, but I think it would last all beginners and most intermediate students quite a long time! I found the author's illustrations very helpful and the displays of her own work is a feast for the eyes. I wish there were more of them. All told, this is a wonderful book of clear lessons and great assignments.