You Will Be Able to Draw by the End of this Book: Colored Pencils

I have been trying to teach myself colored pencils. One popular book did not even mention solvents. Another said to use heat to melt wax based colored pencils, although no one that i know does this. Most books have two or three pages for a beginner then launch into pages and pages of advanced or useless material. This is the one and only book that a colored pencil beginner needs. It tells you all that you need to know all in one place. Definitely worth the money.When doing an Amazon search for books on drawing, Jake Spicer books does not come up first or even second or third. The "By the End of This Book" series is excellent. I hope that Jake Spicer catches on, because people can save a lot of time and money if they find his books first.

Not what i thought it was. There was actually very little colored pencil instruction and projects. More of a drawing book than colored pencil book. Of all the cp instruction books i own this one is in the bottom 3.

good beginner book

I love this book. It's the one I wish I had many years ago when, as a non-artist major I was required to take an illustration class. The textbook was next to useless but we had a great teacher. This is a book she could have created.It covers the basics and tons of stuff you can't even imagine are a part of drawing.I love the overall graphic design, illustrations and content. It's perfect for beginners. It's also one of those books that although it might be best to go in order, you can go back and forth. And if you need a refresher or missed some things, you can get educated about them quickly.Pages 10 to 17 are must-reads before you begin. Don't skip them, especially "Using This Book" and "What You Need"The book does say that you should have a sketchbook in addition to this book as it's clear from some exercises that you would need more than a page or so for practice, etc. (I would not expect any book of this nature to provide lots of blank space/pages as one should have a separate sketchbook.)I might respectfully disagree with viewers who think that you necessarily need more experience to get the full benefit of this book. It's one of these learn by doing and since so much is visual, you don't even have to understand what it is you are doing as you can see the examples and how to create them. I think the text is accessible and not complex or obscure. If you can't get to a good class, or would prefer to self-learn, this is a great place to start. And even if you don't end up becoming an artist, you'll learn how to draw and this may add to your skill set if only used for personal reasons (an illustrated journal/diary?)This would make a terrific gift for someone who has an interest in drawing with color pencils.

I have acquired several sets of really nice colored pencils over the last couple of years with the intent of learning to draw, but each attempt was rather frustrating since I didn't really know any of the theory of translating what the eyes see onto paper. This book, with its simple examples written text and step-by-step approach, finally gives me hope that I will be actually be able to draw something recognizable!The book starts with the basics - how to sharpen and hold pencils - and moves on making lines, contouring, drawing negative space, seeing light a shadow, marking tones, defining tonal shapes, etc. The lessons get more complicated as you move along, and practicing each lesson numerous times is encouraged. After a bit of practice of each lesson, I am already gaining confidence in my abilities to see and translate line and shadow onto the page. I keep my pencils, sketchbook and this book on the corner of my desk so that I can pick it up from time to time and practice, which is the only way I'm ever going to get any better at drawing !The step-by-step approach to learning the building blocks of drawing with colored pencils is simple and easy to follow and inspires confidence.

Books and words have always been my field. Art teachers have dismissed my efforts; one actually told me, "You're no artist." But I long for color and want to improve my ability to mix shapes and create design as much as anyone.I consider this sumptuous book a must have compared to coloring books. In simple terms, Spicer goes over basics like what kind of pencil point will yield what kind of line, how to hold a pencil to make a mark, and then gives space on the page to make your mark, to practice starting a design as he shows. Spicer uses examples drawn from many great artists, so you feel as if you are rubbing shoulders with the greats as you proceed through the pages. I find it so important that Spicer doesn't use just her own drawings as examples. For instance, in her pages on distance and depth, she shows under her 'inspiration' heading examples by Fu Baoshi and van Gogh. So you get a nice little art history as you go, and somehow it's reassuring to see that great artists just indulged in little sketches too.Included are chapters on drawing, coloring, ordering, and composing. A lot of chapter subheadings particularly call to me, like cloud studies and fixing mistakes. This is a lovely, rich resource. This Thanksgiving after supper I might just bring out the colored pencils and pass out the paper. Keep the TV turned off and the devices put away, and start turning over these pages/challenges with my loved ones.

This is a lovely book, nicely designed and full of great information. Would suit beginner or a more seasoned artist.... I haven't drawn for many years and have just taken it up again, I bought the book to give me some confidence and inspiration which it has done on both levels. It is very well layed out with lots of space to write note and for practice, nice size and quality.

I have three of these books by Jake Spicer. This being my most recent purchase. I recommend these books but in my opinion they aren't that easy for beginners. The sketch book is full of instruction and beautiful examples. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that I find it a little overwhelming and difficult to follow at times. I think it's because I can't draw but I feel like you'd get fantastic results if you stick to it.

I love how user-friendly this book is. The techniques are easy to follow and the overall feel of the book is encouraging and inspiring.I would absolutely recommend this book.

A great present for family member who loves art.

Informative, easy to use. Very good.