Have Fun Learning to Draw with the New Book, Modern Colored Pencil

With the Holiday Gift Guide here at The Classy Chics in full swing, I have a great instruction book for you to consider for the artist on your gift list, or perhaps even for yourself. Allow me to present Modern Colored Pencil: A Playful and Contemporary Exploration of Colored Pencil Drawing by Chelsea Ward (Walter Foster Publishing, November 2019).

* Complimentary book received for review. This book is being featured in the TwoClassyChics 10th Annual Holiday Gift Guide. Post may contain affiliate links.

This book’s extensive introductory section has some of the best and most easily understandable explanations of tools, materials, and basic techniques I’ve seen. Rather than just giving a list of dos and don’ts, Chelsea Ward, the author, has a great knack for conveying the “why” of things, giving the reader a fuller understanding of the medium, how to get the most from their tools, and how best to achieve their desired results. She makes the whole process really interesting, in a fun way!

As you progress through the book, the drawing exercises get more complex, building on the skills and lessons along the way. First, Drawing Everyday Life focuses on individual items like fruit, glass objects, desk supplies, and houseplants, ending with an interior scene. The next section, Drawing Architecture & Landscapes, expands your view to encompass larger features with multiple elements. Once you’re comfortable with inanimate objects, you’ll move on to Drawing Animals. In this chapter, Ward describes how to capture movements through gesture drawing, as well as using a photograph as the reference when drawing your cat or dog, followed by step-by-step instructions for colored-pencil drawings of a pigeon and a giraffe. The final chapter covers drawing people, the most complicated figure to master. Using the tips and lessons in this chapter, you’ll learn to use proportion, as well as how to use colored pencils to recreate accurate skin and hair tones.

All in all, Modern Colored Pencil is packed with information, instructions, examples, and exercises to help and inspire anyone who wants to learn to draw with colored pencils. If your gift list includes someone who loves to draw, consider wrapping up a copy of Modern Colored Pencil for them. Add some supplies like a nice set of colored pencils, a sharpener, and a sketch book, and your recipient will be on their way to enjoying a lifetime of colored-pencil drawing!

Modern Colored Pencil is part of Walter Foster Publishing’s “Modern” series—you may recall that last year, we reviewed another book in the series, Modern Acrylic. The publisher describes this series as offering “a fun, contemporary approach to working with traditional art media, demonstrating that with the right type of instruction, encouragement, and tips, success can be achieved by any artist or creative type.”

P.S: If you like Chelsea Ward’s style, visit her website!

* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a copy of Modern Colored Pencil, thanks to Walter Foster Publishing, an imprint of the Quarto Group.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on December 3rd, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

Disclaimer: A. Bailey received a complimentary product for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. Please read the blog’s terms of service policy before entering any giveaways. The Classy Chics are NOT responsible for prize fulfillment or shipping of any items won from this blog. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may or may not make a small commission which helps to support this website. Thank you!!!