Painting In Colored Pencil Favourite Things by Cynthia Knox
I am sure that the lady who authored this book for colored pencil artists is well known by you all. Cynthia Knox is like the Godmother of the Colored Pencil community, Cynthia Knox has authored more colored pencil books, hosted online colored pencil tutorials and colored pencil tutorials around the word in person than most of us can dream of.
When I first started out learning about colored pencils, there was an online platform called Craftsy, Craftsy still exists today, but back about eight or nine years ago, it was a little bit different to the platform we see today. Back then, Cynthia Knox along with a few other amazing colored pencil artists created wonderful courses which once you purchased, they were yours for life and could watch as and when you wanted. My first course was one of Cynthia Knox’s, but of course, at the time that was my first introduction into just how thorough and professional Cynthia Knox was and is.
This is not Cynthia Knox’s first time dabbling in the world of publishing, far from it. The only issue I have reviewing a book Cynthia has published, is keeping up. For example, this book on review “Painting in Colored Pencil, Favorite Things.” is not Cynthia’s most recent, the book we have is the one prior. Cynthia’s most recent book, which was released only a few weeks ago from posting this review, is called; “Painting in Colored Pencil, Dramatic Things.” and boy, does the book look like it absolutely lives up to the title.
I always used to wonder how anyone could teach an art medium like colored pencil in a book format, it always seemed to me a medium that was best taught via video or in person, however, once I read my first Cynthia Knox book, I soon answered my own question. Cynthia has developed a wonderful teaching experience, which helps the pupil understand pencil pressure in every situation.
Another thing I love about Cynthia’s books is how they are laid out in a logical chronological order, I know this may seem like an odd thing to say, however I have read similar books which involve jumping all over the place to learn anything. In Cynthia’s books, she starts out talking about the materials, closely followed about the techniques, how to use those materials. From there it is on with the projects, armed with all the information you need to follow along and create a wonderful piece of art.
Table Of Contents.
The first thing you are presented with is a clear, visual, Table of Contents, simply laying out the materials section and then the six wonderful projects you are about to embark upon. From here you get a glimpse of the beautiful projects you are about to learn from and create yourself with Cynthia’s clear and concise guidance.
Throughout the course of this book and the six classes you will learn from, you will learn a plethora of wonderful tips and techniques that you can carry through to any colored pencil project you desire. Throughout the book you will learn how to master textures such as glass, colored glass, reflections, animal fur, eyes, botanical and so much more.
Materials
As I have mentioned, the book is laid out in a logical fashion and in the Materials section, you will learn about all the materials Cynthia uses to create her colored pencil paintings and why she uses them. You will learn about the paper, accessories and colored pencils that Cynthia Knox predominantly uses
After this, Cynthia lays out the tips and techniques that you will create using the materials. Perhaps the most unique things about this latest book, “Painting in Colored Pencil, Favorite Things.” is the fact that, traditionally Cynthia uses Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils to create her oil painting like masterpieces, but in this book Cynthia has branched out a bit.
Here Cynthia includes materials such as Caran d’Ache Pablo, Faber Castell Polychromos and Caran d’Ache Luminance for one particular project, deviating somewhat from her traditional and preferred Prismacolor. Going a step further, Cynthia also traditionally prefers a smooth surfaced paper such as Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth, but for this particular project, Clairefontaine PastelMat is demonstrated.
Catch a Falling Star
Once you have gathered all the materials you are going to use and paper to draw on, the first project is called “Catch a Falling Star” and as you can see from the image provided, you are going to learn so much. In this particular project there is so much going on, what with the clear glass, colored glass, reflections on the table surface, the intricate detail in the tea light lantern.
As you can see in the background, there is a lot of light and shadow going on which will help you to understand values. I know looking at the image you could be forgiven for thinking it to be a daunting task, however, with the guidance of the amazing Cynthia Knox, this beautiful image is absolutely achievable.
Precious Pup
Moving away from the hard surface of glass and the cool tones implemented in the project “Catch a Falling Star” in this next project we tackle this adorable little puppy. In this project you are going to learn how to recreate realistic puppy fur. This is an area of colored pencil art that all colored pencil artists desire to draw.
In this project you will also learn how to use colored pencils on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, a more gritty surface than the traditional, Cold Pressed, Bristol Smooth or Velum surface. Here you will also apply a collection of Caran d’Ache Pablo, Faber Castell Polychromos and Caran d’Ache Luminance to your piece.
When using a surface such as PastelMat, it allows you to apply light over dark, something traditionally the colored pencil medium struggles with. The selection of colored pencils in this project are also much better suited to the pastel mat surface what with them sporting much firmer cores. When using a gritty surface such as Pastelmat, using a soft cored pencil like Prismacolor Premier can be conducive excessive sharpening.
Splash
This next project looks amazing, here you tackle glass as in the first project, allowing you to hone you skills on this particular surface. As you can see from the image provided, you will be drawing a glass with liquid in the glass and it also splashing out of the glass. In this project you not only tackle the surface of glass and liquid, but also movement, the way water moves in the glass and spills out.
As well as the glass and liquid subjects, you will also be introduced to botanical art in a way. In the glass there are two slices of fruit, a Lemon and Orange. With Cynthia’s clear guidance, you will turn two mundane circles into segmented circles of fruit with the additional light reflecting through and off the liquid in the glass. Again a somewhat complicated project, but under the guidance of Cynthia’s expertise, the process will be clear and stress free.
Spring Blooms
As you can see from the image in this piece, here you will learn how to create some beautiful spring blooms, in this case some gorgeous violet Hyacinths, along with some greenery. The flowers are inside a white ceramic or porcelain jug and here you will learn how to portray this from using clever light and shadow techniques.
Along with the main subject, you will also learn a little bit about depth and perspective. If you look at the surface the flowers are on, you can see the wood grain, in the foreground the woodgrain is detailed, however further along the grain fades helping to create the illusion of depth and dimension.
Spring Blooms II
Another botanical piece however in this project we move away from the gorgeous violets of the previous Spring Blooms and into the fresh pinks and reds of the current Spring Blooms. In the first Spring Blooms, details such as the flower stems were hidden due to the vase the flowers were in, however in this project the stems are clear due to the glass jar housing them.
In this piece again we tackle glass and water, however due to the fresh green stems of the flowers in the glass jar, as is always the case, the stems are offset due to the way water moves. There is a lot of highlights in the jar from the light source, along with reflection on the surface the flowers sit. Another complicated looking project, however, with Cynthia’s vast knowledge and experience of teaching, you will soon master all of the techniques required to not only complete this project, but also carry them through to your own project.
The Gatekeeper
In this final project, we are presented with an image of this gorgeous Bluejay, perched on a fence. Again, in this piece, you will encounter important aspects such as depth and perspective, the texture of the wood fence, the ability to portray trees and foliage in the distance and of course the main focus of the subject, the beautiful BlueJay.
Birds are a fantastic to subject to paint, the life the eyes brings to the painting and the bright vibrant colors of the feathers. As with every subject in this book, each individual colored pencil required is listed along with the accessories used to help make the process easier.
Cynthia Knox Painting In Colored Pencil Favorite Things Price
Given the wealth of information jam packed into this amazing book, Painting in Colored Pencil Favorite Things by Cynthia Knox, the price is incredibly reasonable, in fact better than reasonable, more of a bargain. The links I have provided are to Amazon as this is the more generic pricing I can gather and amend as and when prices change. However on this occasion, I have also added links directly to Cynthia’s Page and Ann Kullberg’s Sites.
Amazon UK - Cynthia Knox Painting in Colored Pencil Favorite Things - https://amzn.to/4cfQ4f1 this is the link for artists in the UK and will cost approximately £21
Amazon US - Cynthia Knox Painting In Colored Pencil Favorite Things - https://amzn.to/3IEa7pO This is the link for artists in the US and will cost approximately $26
Ann Kullberg COLOR Magazine - https://annkullberg.com/collections/books-more/products/painting-in-colored-pencil-favorite-things-by-cynthia-knox This is a single link no matter where you reside and the currency for your country will be provided.
Cynthia Knox Website - https://bit.ly/3h6hbvF
Painting In Colored Pencil, Favorite Things, Conclusion.
Ive never made a secret of the how much I admire and respect the work of Cynthia Knox and Cynthia as a friend, but with good reason. Cynthia continues to publish book after book, online courses and in high demand for zoom and public tutorials, all of this is due to her vast experience, unique teaching methods and ability to select desirable subjects.
If you are interested in purchasing this amazing book to help you develop your colored pencil skills, I have added links back to Ann Kullberg’s website where you can purchase a copy or alternatively links back to Amazon. On Ann Kullbergs website you also have the option of purchasing a starter kit, which means you have line drawings of each subject sent to you for tracing. This is a good option for beginners, just to help them establish proportions etc, don’t forget, you can recreate these projects as often as you like in order to refine your skills.
