#Alyona Nickelsens New Book

[ukcps]

Claire Needham is one of my personal favourite coloured pencil portraitists. This beautiful portrait of her son can be seen in the 195th Annual Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition. Claire has kindly shared her process with us.

Claire Needham

The portrait is an exploration of my relationship with my son Max, who is on the Autism Spectrum. I have tried conveying the balance that is sometimes his sense of detachment from myself and his surroundings, alongside his very loving nature. This can be seen in some of his subtle traits such as the lack of eye contact and the distant gaze; while his passive expression, slightly hunched shoulders and lighting across his face introduce that sense of warmth and vulnerability.

This portrait has been one of my most successful works to date, it was selected for the July 2020 edition Ann Kullberg’s Color Magazine Pencil Box submissions, juried in the UKCPS Annual Exhibition 2020 and is currently in the 195th RSA Annual Exhibition 2021. I am by no means a master of the coloured pencil; in fact I still am very much a novice only starting to use the medium in the New Year of 2020. The portrait of ‘Max’ was only the third one I had done up to that point using coloured pencil and it was very much a case of learning what worked as I went. I followed all the advice I picked up from UKCPS forums/members, read the book ‘Colored Pencil Painting Portraits’ by Alyona Nickelsen, binge watched YouTube videos and had a go.

I paid attention to building up light layers, while also experimenting with Brush and Pencil blending powder. I tried to look very closely at his face to see the spectrum of colours in his skin tone. I found there were a lot of purples and greens, and by using these colours during the layering of the pencils I was able to create a depth and realistic tone to his complexion. I am also a big fan of chiaroscuro in artwork, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. In this instance I deliberately set Max against a dark background, framing his face, and making his features more prominent and adding a sense of drama to the piece.

Ultimately, I think the success behind this drawing is the emotive presence of the subject and I hope the fact it was labour of love really comes across to the viewer.

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Alyona Nickelsen's Colored Pencil Painting Portraits Book Review

Alyona Nickelsen's "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" Book Review

I would just like to start this review by thanking Alyona for asking me to write a review on her new up coming book, "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits". The book is not yet released and so I was incredibly fortunate and excited to get a copy months before the publication date in which to review. According to Amazon, the digital version of the book will be released on the 20th of June 2017 and the print publication is available now for pre-order but release on the 7th of July 2017. I would advise pre-ordering this book as soon as you can, as I have a feeling stock will move very fast once released.  

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I actually feel a tad embarrassed about writing this next section, an introduction as to who Alyona Nickelsen is and her previous accomplishments in the world of colored pencil art. I personally feel this lady really needs no introduction at all. Alyona's name and reputation is exemplary throughout the colored pencil community and indeed the art community in general. Not just for her vast wealth of information but her incredibly kind and generous nature makes people automatically gravitate to her. Good natured souls such as Alyona are in short supply and so when discovered are not only refreshing but comforting. 

Alyona Nickelsen

Alyona is originally from the Ukraine but now currently lives in the U.S. As a young child Alyona was always fascinated with art and it was when she moved to the U.S in 1999 that her passion grew, helped by the vast array of opportunities available to young artists in the States. Alyona has since won many awards and show cased her art at many prestigious events throughout her illustrious career.

Alyona has already published an outstanding book for colored pencil artists called "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" a book I personally purchased long before I knew Alyona and found it to be of enormous value in teaching me the correct methods and techniques for using colored pencils.

However, Alyona's most notable success to date has been the "Brush and Pencil" kit that has become the must have tool for all colored pencil artists and enthusiasts. The kit comprises of 9 oz spray can of Advanced Colored Pencil Texture Fixative, another 9oz spray can of Advanced Colored Pencil Final Fixative, a 10ml bottle of Colored Pencil Touch Up Texture, a 14 gram jar of Colored Pencil Powder Blender and finally a 14 gram jar of Colored Pencil Titanium White. Unfortunately I have not used this revolutionary new kit myself, so I am unable to expand further on this, except for the fact that every single colored pencil artist who has used it, absolutely swears by it and can simply not do without, once tried.

"Colored Pencil Painting Portraits"  

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" is the absolutely stunning visual feast laid out for the readers. Before jumping right into the book and learning the absolute wealth of knowledge Alyona has to offer, when you flick through the pages you will instantly be transformed to a visual paradise of remarkable and outstanding beautiful images from Alyona's own colored pencil art. Perhaps the first notion that will enter your train of thought will be along the lines of "are they really colored pencil paintings" on account of their beauty, realism and incredibly detail; but of course they are. 

It is always difficult writing reviews on books, you don't want to reveal too much information, making people feel they don't need to purchase the book, however, on the other hand, publish just enough information to tantalise interest in the book. I do think that with Alyona's up coming book "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" the book really speaks for itself given how fabulous Alyona's work is and the fact that almost all colored pencil artists have struggled at one time or another on portraiture. 

Inside 

"Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" is divided into seven chapters, not including the Forward, Appendix and Introduction. As previously mentioned, throughout the book you are treated to an absolute visual paradise for the eyes, full size pages displaying Alyona's own outstanding colored pencil portraits, many would pay handsomely for a book of just such wonderful art or to view such art hung in a gallery, however, "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" is  182 pages of outstanding literature delight, detailing colored pencil methods. I almost wrote, tips and techniques, but this is simply not an adequate description of the concise and inspirational words delicately placed within these pages. 

Chapter 1 is Colored Pencil Revolution

Chapter One, goes through all the various stages of colored pencil art work, the pencils used, type of pencils, the various blending tools and the reasons you use blending techniques, the Brush and Pencil kit and a brief introduction to all aspects of the kit. Chapter one gently eases you into colored pencil art and the tools used by Alyona, the rest of the chapters start to get mind blowing after this. 

Chapter 2 is Rules of the Game

Some of you may think that Chapter Two is not relevant to you and skip it, which is of course your right, however, I would highly recommend reading it. I think, personally speaking, in order to become a good artist, at least a knowledgable artist, it is important to understand the great artists we all learnt about in school and the techniques they used. Chapter two also covers topics like color variation, color layers, color underpainting, all the important foundations of colored pencil art. 

Chapter 3 is Working The Medium

Chapter 3 goes into amazing detail regarding application of colored pencil, the various blending methods in much more detail, showing you exactly the type of results you can expect from using solvents after applying too much pressure of the pencil as opposed to an even application of light pressure. Alyona goes through dry blending and the purpose of layering with ACP textured fixative and the reasons why you might use this particular method.   

Chapter 4 is Controlling Colour

Chapter 4 really digs deep into the obstacles colored pencil artists face with regards to applying color, especially highlights etc. This isn't paint we are dealing with, were mixing color is relatively painless if you know your color theory, colored pencil art is a very different beast and Alyona explains this in perfect detail. Covering subjects such as color mixing, the light and shadows of color, the illusive subject of white pencils and black pencils and how they display various levels of opacity or opaqueness and utilising these abilities of colored pencil. 

Chapter 5 is Portrait Facts and Fiction

Chapter 5 is starting to get into the real detail of portraiture, covering everything from how to take amazing photographs of people for your subject piece, the lighting required, the correct posing positions, your camera settings giving you the best possible outcomes, aperture settings, ISO settings and shutter speeds.  Alyona also takes a look at well know portraits, briefly explaining them and of course your right to adding some artistic licensing.  

Chapter 6 is Practicing The Essentials

Chapter 6 also takes a look at some of the more well known portraits such as Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and others. Alyona also covers the subject of facial planes, the importance of backgrounds for your portrait, an area I personally struggle with, the actual skin tones and color combinations used for lighter skin tones, medium skin tones and dark skin tones. Chapter 6 also covers hair and all the complexities surrounding this subject, the various types of hair your are likely to encounter from old hair to baby hair. 

Eyes are also covered, but not just a generalisation on eyes, eyes from different cultures are covered, lips, ears, hands, feet and of course noses are also detailed. These complex and sometimes frustrating facial details are explained in detail like no other portraiture book I have read. 

Chapter 7 is How To Keep Freidns And Make Clients Happy 

Chapter 7 is like no other chapter you are likely to read in a colored pencil art book, however the importance of this chapter is so clear. Alyona talks about some of her own personal experiences which lead nicely into this delicate subject. How to deal with clients when they ask you to paint a portrait of a loved one and the importance of not just the reference image but also getting to know the individual you are painting, whether they are deceased or still with us, and their characteristics. All subjects that must be approached with compassion and delicately chosen words. 

Alyona takes you through step by step stages of her own work in this area, clearly showing the reader the process from start to finish. 

Appendix 

It may seem odd to be writing about an appendix of a book, however, this section in "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits", Alyona has included incredibly valuable tables of information. Each table has information relating to a wide range of artist quality colored pencils from Caran D'Ache Pablo, Luminance, Derwent Artist, Coloursoft, Lyra, Prismacolor and a few others. The information highlighted is regarding blending properties of each pencil, showing you the various results from various blending products, it is incredibly unique and valuable. 

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Conclusion 

As I have mentioned, it is really difficult writing a book review, especially one that has not been released yet. I am constantly conscious of not giving away too much information, to the extent people feel they do not need to purchase the book. Running the risk of destroying years of hard work and research on behalf of the author. There is so much to say about "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits", but to do so would spoil it for potential readers. 

However, I can tell you in great detail what I thought of the book and what I felt I personally gained from it. I fell in love with the medium of colored pencils, I found so much freedom and escape from severe clinical depression and PTSD with colored pencils and the creative freedom of expression they offer. My passion only stared approximately a year and a half ago and throughout this time I have purchased and read almost every book written on colored pencils, so I like to think I have a good understanding of what is generally available to colored pencil artists and enthusiast in terms of literature.

I have to say, that Alyona Nickelsen's "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits", is the single most concise book I've ever read regarding portraiture with colored pencils. So many colored pencil artists struggle with portraiture, whether it is portraiture in its entirety or just a specific feature of the face, however, this book helps to build you up, right from the very foundations of portraiture art. Guiding you through every area you have perhaps at one time or another struggled with.

Alyona is such a highly respected authority in the world of colored pencil art and for good reason. Her knowledge is limitless and her passion to spread such wealth of knowledge unsurpassable. Alyona's passion for the medium shines through in her work. Alyona's first book on colored pencil art, "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" is a must have reference for colored pencil artists and enthusiasts alike. To have both these books on your studio library is in itself like having your very own colored pencil Alyona guru at your side, just waiting to help you overcome any colored pencil related challenge you may face.

To have access to this amount of knowledge on behalf of Alyona is to have a serious tool in your arsenal. This is a must have book for all colored pencil artists and not just those interested in portraiture but those looking to really understand and master the art of colored pencils.  

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Why Are Colored Pencils So Popular?

Colored pencils are a wonderfully dynamic medium that is highly beloved by artists and hobbyists alike because they’re so easy to use — plus they’re a lot cleaner and require almost no set-up compared to most other art mediums!

Whether you’re completely new to colored pencils or looking to learn more about this versatile medium, in this article I’ll help you figure out which colored pencils to purchase by covering such important topics as quality, consistency, type, permanence, brand, and what I consider to be the best colored pencils. Read on to learn everything you need to know about colored pencils!

Colored pencils have been widely used in classrooms for many decades. You probably used them when you were a kid — remember those hard, gritty sets that were given out to students, with colors that were too pale or too dull to be satisfying? For this reason, colored pencils were long seen as a juvenile (in much the same way that markers were overlooked as a fine art medium).

Even when high-quality colored pencils emerged in the 1930s, they were mostly used by humble illustrators or graphic designers. Fine artists sometimes used them for sketching and planning, but not for creating finished artworks. This attitude began to shift from the 1960s onwards, as fine artists began to embrace colored pencils for their versatility and ease of expression. These days, they’re considered a legitimate art medium and are also hugely popular with colorists.

Colored pencils are capable of rendering art styles that are expressive and abstract, or detailed and photorealistic. While they’re slow to use compared to wet media like paint (in terms of laying down color), they’re almost unparalleled when it comes to controlling and detail.

Because colored pencils are partially transparent, you generally work from light to dark, gradually building up your colors. Colored pencils, like watercolors, are famous for their translucent quality, which can give your artwork a striking luminance, especially on textured paper. If you don’t press too hard, tiny crevices or valleys in the grain of the paper are left untouched by pigment and allowed to shine through.

With that said, the versatility of colored pencils also allows the application of bold, opaque colors, either by pressing harder or by layering and blending. For example, check out this colored pencil painting by Alyona Nickelsen, the author of the book “Colored Pencil Painting Bible”. Note on terminology: colored pencils are mostly associated with drawings, but if they cover the whole support/surface they are called paintings, and you can see why… they really do look like paintings!

In addition to their versatility, colored pencils are also practical and hassle-free! They’re light and portable, so you can travel with them and draw on location. They’ll also last a long time; you don’t have to worry about them drying out as you do with paint or markers. Colored pencils also don’t require a bunch of extra accessories that you’d need for a medium like oil paint, for example, you can achieve a lot with just a simple set, a sharpener, and a humble sketchbook.

While I also enjoy using other art media, like acrylics, few are as relaxing as colored pencils because you don’t have to worry about making a mess, inhaling something toxic, or staining your clothes, and afterward, there’s nothing to wash or clean up. With minimal equipment or preparation, you can settle in and lose yourself in a frenzy of creativity!

Colored pencil blending example Colored pencils can be blended to create smooth tonal gradations. This can be done easily with layering or burnishing, or with the help of solvents, blender pencils/markers, and even baby oil. You can create blends so smooth that the end result looks like an oil painting!

You can create new hues and tones by layering colors (called optical color mixing), but because you can’t mix new colors directly (like you can with paint by mixing one color of paint directly into another color of paint), many artist-grade colored pencils are available in a wide range of colors that can usually be purchased individually.

Colored pencils can also be combined with other media, such as graphite, markers, gel pens, watercolors, crayons, pastels, and gouache! My favorite combination is to use markers to lay down lots of vibrant colors and then draw on top with colored pencils to add detail and give the artwork a more organic feel.

Colored pencils are generally easier to remove than paint or markers, but less so than graphite or watercolors. The pigment does lift off, but some color will remain. If you press hard (burnish) or have applied many layers of colored pencils, then the pigment will be more difficult to erase and will likely not erase completely.

You can get erasable colored pencils, such as Prismacolor Col-Erase pencils (affiliate link) if your style requires a lot of erasing. They’re also useful for drawing construction lines and base sketches.

Quality

When purchasing colored pencils, there are many different considerations to keep in mind that we’ll discuss on this page, but the most important decision you’ll make is whether to get “student grade” or “artist grade” colored pencils (those are Blick affiliate links).

If your budget allows, my recommendation is to always favor artist-grade pencils, which are noticeably superior. They do cost more, but that’s because they contain a higher proportion of pigment, which yields richer, bolder colors.

Artist-grade pencils are also more lightfast (discussed below), and usually softer, which makes them easier to use and blend. They will also boast a wider color range, and you’ll be able to buy them individually as needed (referred to as “open-stock”).

Consistency: Soft vs hard One of the biggest factors that will affect your enjoyment of colored pencils is the consistency of the “lead”. This can vary across brands and pencil types, depending on the particular combination of ingredients the manufacturer used.

Colored Pencils buying guide In general, a colored pencil is just a long circular “lead” — made up of pigment, gum binder, filler (chalk or clay), and wax — that’s encased in wood (usually cedar). Manufacturers tweak this recipe to produce pencils that all perform somewhat differently.

Soft colored pencils are preferred by many artists, including myself, because they lay down color easily, and blend well. Some soft colored pencils are smooth and creamy, while others might be crumbly and grainy.

Most artist-grade pencils are on the softer side, which is partly because they contain less binder and filler, and more pigment, resulting in bolder, more vibrant colors. One downside with soft pencils is that they won’t hold a point as well and they’ll need sharpening more often.

Hard colored pencils can be sharpened to a very fine point that won’t crumble, allowing fine lines well-suited to detailed artwork and certain textures (like hair and fur). Most student-grade colored pencils are hard because manufacturers cut costs by adding more filler/binder and less pigment, which produces dull colors. Hard colored pencils can also be less fun to use because it takes more work to apply color, blending is more difficult, and they make you want to press harder, which can damage your paper and possibly cause hand fatigue.

In summary, your preferred consistency partly comes down to personal preference and the style of art you enjoy. Most people, especially beginners and colorists, will enjoy a soft colored pencil that lays down vibrant color smoothly and easily. Some might prefer a firmer, more versatile pencil that won’t crumble as much and is capable of being sharpened to a decent point when needed.

Types of Colored Pencils There are three main types of colored pencils: wax-based, oil-based, and water-soluble. You can also get color sticks and woodless pencils, which consist of the same “lead” material. I’ll also briefly address pastel pencils, but they belong in a separate category.

Note: you can mix these different types of colored pencils in the same artwork. They aren’t like oil paint and acrylics (which don’t mix), so you don’t need to worry about committing to a specific brand or pencil type.

Wax-based Colored Pencils

Most colored pencils are wax-based. The right amount of wax gives the pencil a smooth texture which helps the pigment flow across the surface. The wax also helps the mark adhere to the surface or to other layers of pencil, which means that you can put down multiple layers without having to worry about smearing or adhesion (a common issue with pastels).

Wax-based pencils are available in a wide range of consistencies: from the hard pencils made for students to the soft varieties designed for professionals. Because wax-based pencils are so common, there’s likely to be a particular set that fits your required combination of price, quality, and consistency.

The only downside to wax-based colored pencils is wax bloom, which is a natural oxidation process that can cause the wax to rise to the surface of your artwork, leaving a pale haze. It can take hours or days to appear, but it usually doesn’t occur unless you apply lots of heavy, dark colors, like in the example you see here from one of my artworks. When I first laid down the colors, I made the background a consistently dark violet-black, but over the years wax bloom has lightened some of those dark areas, as you can see in this pic, resulting in a “splotchy” look.

Don’t fret though! If you see some wax bloom, you can wipe the affected area with a clean, dry cloth before applying more color. Once the artwork is finished, you can seal it with a fixative, which will prevent wax bloom from returning.

Depending on your style, the wax bloom may never be a problem for you. But artists who use lots of dark colors and heavy layers should consider oil-based colored pencils, which don’t suffer from wax bloom.

Oil-based colored pencils use oil to bind the pigment and distribute it on the surface (but they still contain some wax). What this means in practice is they have a slightly different consistency and they don’t suffer from wax bloom.

Most oil-based pencils are medium-soft: a bit firmer than many wax-based pencils, but still softer than student-grade pencils. Although still quite smooth, they won’t lay down color as quickly as the Prismacolors, for example, but they’re better at holding a point and arguably more versatile. The firmer lead also means that they’re less likely to break, and won’t need to be sharpened as often. Some artists prefer a more restrained application of color because it gives them more control.

Oil-based pencils do have a few drawbacks, though. They’re more prone to smearing and are harder to erase. They also tend to be more expensive and may have a more limited color range (depending on the brand). Despite the bump in price, oil-based pencils are not inherently better or worse than their wax-based counterparts.

I personally don’t notice much difference between artist quality wax-based and oil-based pencils. When it comes to practical concerns, such as blending and color vibrance, I can happily work with both types. I’ve found other factors, like grade, brand, and consistency to be more noticeable than whether wax or oil was used in the binder. As if to illustrate this point, most manufacturers don’t make it obvious if their pencils are oil-based, indicating that it isn’t a crucial difference.

Unless you’re worried about wax bloom or prefer the consistency of oil-based pencils, I recommend a high-quality wax-based colored pencil that will likely offer a better combination of price and performance.

Although there isn’t a whole lot of difference between wax and oil-based pencils, that is not the case with watercolor pencils! They can be used dry, just like regular colored pencils, but the binder they contain is a water-soluble gum that allows the pigments to be thinned out with water. Artist quality water-soluble pencils are essentially dry watercolor paints in pencil form.

Watercolor Pencils In practice, this means they are fully capable of producing watercolor paintings by combining them with water and a brush or sponge to blend colors or create washes. Other effects are also achieved by drawing on wet paper or dipping the tip of the pencil in water beforehand (creating very soft strokes). Many artists also use them in combination with regular watercolors and other media (including regular colored pencils). They can be difficult to get used to, but if you’re fond of watercolors you should definitely give these a try.

Instead of wood encasing a lead of wax and pigment, pastel pencils contain the same stuff you’d find in pastel sticks. The only difference is that the pastel core is made a bit harder so that the “lead” doesn’t break or crumble.

Pastel pencils, despite their outward appearance, don’t really fall into the same category as colored pencils. While the latter are known for their transparency (discussed above), pastel pencils are opaque and therefore used very differently.

Color

Because you can’t mix colored pencils as easily as other media (like paint) to create new hues and tones, most artist-grade colored pencils come in a wide range of colors.

I generally like to purchase as many colors as I can get, but it’s also easy to go overboard. You don’t want to end up buying pencils that you never use. I recommend starting off with a 24-pencil set and then buying additional pencils individually as you need them.

Once you have your pencils, it’s a great idea to make a color chart. This will help enormously when you’re creating art. The nearby image is the color chart I made for my 120 Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils.

I didn’t design that color chart myself. You can find free, blank color charts that other artists have created by searching on Pinterest or Google Images. Some manufacturers, like Faber-Castell, also provide blank color charts that you can use.

Permanence All art media can fade over time as light and humidity break down the molecular bonds of the colors. The ability to resist this process is called “lightfastness” and it’s a major concern for fine artists who want their work to last.

If you’re using artist-grade pencils, and you’re not a professional artist, I wouldn’t worry about lightfastness. Because colored pencils use pigments (as opposed to dyes which fade more easily), artist-grade colored pencils will be sufficiently fade-resistant for most artists, especially if you plan to digitize your artwork for the web and/or print (which is where most of my work ends up these days).

If you’re especially concerned about permanence, be aware that it doesn’t just vary across brands, but also amongst pencils of the same brand, depending on the specific pigment used for each color. For this reason, most artist-grade brands provide lightfastness ratings for each pencil.

[mockingjaynfinch]

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits: Master a Revolutionary Method for Rendering Depth and Imitating Life by Alyona Nickelsen My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is a great reference tool for exploring the colored pencil medium. Alyona Nickelsen's portraits are gorgeous, and her techniques are broken down in an understandable manner. I majored in art, and I still found new tactics and information in this book that I'm excited to try out! View all my reviews

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Affordable Christmas Gifts For The Artist In Your Life

Affordable Christmas Gifts For The Artist In Your Life

Its that time of year again and we are all scrambling about to get our friends and loved ones the perfect gift, however, for our fellow creative ones, it is difficult to find the perfect affordable gift, with affordability the keyword in this instance. We want to get beautiful gifts that are actually going to be used and loved by the recipient, whilst trying to maintain a reasonable budget. 

Here is a list of 18 gifts I have mustered together hoping to give you a helping hand in choosing the perfect gift and if you don't fancy any of the gifts in the list, it may still spark some inspiration within you to go on and find that perfect gift. Or you may have been given your Christmas bonus early and just fancy treating yourself because you deserve to be pampered.

In the interest of full disclosure, all of the items below with the exception of one or two are linked to Amazon via my Amazon associate links. This does not cost you any money whatsoever, however, if you purchase via the links, The Art Gear Guide will receive a percentage from Amazon. I feel it is important to always be honest and transparent on matters such as this and if you'd rather not purchase via the links provided you can still search Amazon for the same items. 

Derwent ProColour 24 Set And Pencil Wrap 

As with a lot of these gift ideas, I have personally removed most of them, the ones I have personally reviews I will provide a link back to the review should you wish to discover more about the product before purchasing. 

This set from Derwent is a really beautiful and excellently priced set of their newest fantastic ProColour coloured pencils, 24 to be exact and along with the pencils is the ever popular Derwent Pencil Wrap. The canvas and leather wrap in total holds 30 pencils and once inserted the wrap rolls up into an easy to carry storage device for your pencils whilst protecting them. 

This set costs £32.99 and then delivery prices will vary depending on where you live, so make sure you check out the postage before purchasing. 

Pentel Water Brush Pen Set

For the watercolor enthusiast in your life, this excellent Pentel water brush set is an excellent affordable gift. I think the Pentel brush pens are among the most common water brushes used and with good reason. They sit well in the hand, do not leak, apply water to your painting with ease and the brushes are really nice quality. 

This Pentel water brush set will only cost you £7.20, as with all of these gift ideas, postage may apply depending on where you live and which service you opt for.  

Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 36 Set 

If you have a loved one or friend who has either expressed an interest in colored pencil art or perhaps has just got started and has not yet a full set of pencils, this may be the perfect gift for you. 

Koh-I-Noor is an absolutely excellent pencil, incredibly affordable prices but without sacrificing artist quality pencils and pigments. My review of the Polycolor pencils can been found at this link, however I always recommend getting the largest set of pencils you can as mixing and blending colors is not like mixing and blending paints. However, if you are unable or reluctant to buy a massive 120 or 72 set of pencils, I always recommend getting at least a 36 set, allowing the artist at least three grades of each prominent color, a light, mid tone and dark. 

This 36 set of Koh-I-Noor Polycolor will only cost £19.42, plus delivery depending on your location and the service you choose.  

Derwent Pencil Buddy 

This is a really simple little gadget, but incredibly effective and helpful for any colored pencil artist. The Derwent Pencil Buddy sits on the artists desk and holds pencils or pens in a safe and easily accessible manner. The pencils will not fall out or clink together, nor will they clatter as pencils do when you drop them into a jar, thus potentially shattering the core. 

The Derwent Pencil buddy looks really nice, not out of place on a desk. I have also reviewed this item should you wish to see the buddy in action and the material which holds the pencils in place. This awesome little gift will only cost you

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor 18 Pans

I personally love playing about with watercolors and the effects and art work that can be achieve with a nice set of watercolors can be phenomenal. 

If anyone you know is into watercolor or looking to try some watercolor, I have chose this set as they are something different, not the a typical watercolor set that you might give to a beginner to watercolor. Having said all that, the colors are so beautiful and when activated with water the magic starts. The Kuretake Gansai Tambi are a Japanese set and for 18 pans will cost you £11.35 which I think is excellent given their quality. I have a slightly larger set which I have used but I have not actually reviewed them yet.  

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits by Alyona Nickelsen 

So what do you get the artist that has almost every art supply under the sun, well books are an excellent way to go. This book, "Colored Pencil Painting Portraits" by Alyona Nickelsen is aimed primarily at colored pencil portrait artists, however the information in this book is all encompassing when it comes to colored pencil tips and techniques. 

The good thing about this book is that although beginners to the world of colored pencil art would benefit hugely from it, even the most advanced colored pencil artist would love and use this book. Alyona herself is a highly regarded and respected colored pencil artist and what she doesn't know about the medium, is not worth knowing.

I have actually reviewed this book, I was incredibly fortunate and honoured to have been sent a digital copy before the book was released, for more on the book check out my review. On Amazon this outstanding reference guide to colored pencils for life will cost £21.34 and brighten the Christmas of whoever receives it.  

Derwent Pencil Wrap 

I have already showed this item off in this list, however it comes with a set of 24 ProColour, this time the Derwent Pencil Wrap is on its own as this item itself is an excellent affordable gift for any colored pencil enthusiast. 

As with the pencil buddy, there is not much to this particular gift, however, it is incredibly useful and looks good as well. The Derwent Pencil Wrap is a canvas rolled out length with leather trim for protection. Along the canvas length there are loops where the artist can safely place pens, pencils, erasers etc. 

Once the wrap is filled, and it can hold up to 30 pencils, it simply rolls up on itself and fastens with a leather strap, wrapped round the item and closed tight using a brass stud. It is an excellent way to keep all your supplies safe in one place and when in use outside the studio, your supplies will not get lost or damaged. The Derwent Wrap will cost £6.99, but even for this small amount of money, the friend or loved one who receives this will be over the moon. 

Tom Bow Graphite Pencils 

Buying supplies for an artist as a gift can be a daunting process as most artists are set in their ways, know what they love and love what they know. However, all artists love to try new supplies and of course a new budding artist needs all the supplies they can get their hands on. 

If the artist in your life loves using graphite, this beautiful set of Tom Bow Graphite pencils will be a joy of any artist to open and use on Christmas morning. Tom Bow is a really well known name in the art community and produce very high quality products. In this particular set the graphite ranges from 6B all the through to 4H, including F, B, H and HB.

I was fortunate enough to have a set of these pencils sent to me by a lovely lady from The Art Gear Guide community and I fell in love with them the second I started using them. The graphite is smooth and covers the paper beautifully. In this set you also get a Tom Bow Mono Smart eraser and a good quality sharpener, so an excellent set for a beginner. This set will cost you £13.36.

Bird Art by Alan Woollett

If drawing birds is your thing or the passion of the artist in your life, then this awesome book Bird Art by Alan Woollett is a must have and is sure to plaster a smile all day long on your friend or loved ones faced. 

Alan Woollett is a highly respected and loved colored pencil and graphite artist specialising particularly in birds. His work is simply breath taking and this book takes the artist through the step by step process of how Alan delivers his amazing work. This book is a remarkably generous price of £14.48

A4 Tracing Light Box

I came across this item on Amazon and thought it was an excellent price for what it is, ordinarily they are much more expensive, however this is an excellent price. This A4 size Light Box used for tracing is perfect for the artist just getting started. 

So many people say that tracing or using light boxes is cheating and shouldn't be used, however, if you actually talk to the professionals, the artists who hold classes and teach students, they will tell you that a light box is an excellent tool to aid in your drawing skills. This method will help your memory muscle and so eventually push you into drawing free hand, but to begin with, tools such as the light box are absolutely fine to use. At £15.29, I think whatever your stance on using a device like this it is too good a price to miss. 

Stabilo CarbOthello Pastel Pencils 12 Set 

If the artist in your life is looking to get into pastel painting or has dabbled a bit with this medium, you will not go wrong with the Stabilo CarbOthello Pastel Pencil Set of 12. So many of the professional pastel artists that use pencils use the Stabilo Pastel Pencils and for good reason. 

Whilst the pastel pencils of Stabilo are more along the lines of chalk, these pencils are incredibly good at laying down color, the pigments are rich and vibrant, but the pencils themselves also feel good in the hand, well balanced and not too fragile. I personally love the Stabilo CarbOthello Pastel Pencils and for this set of 12, it will cost you £18.99, which may at first seem a bit pricey but you are dipping your feet into high quality supplies with these. 

Unison Soft Pastels 

Keeping with the pastel theme, if perhaps pastel pencils are not the gift you are after, how about these absolutely gorgeous Unison Soft Pastels. Every single pastel is hand made in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside here in the UK, delivering to the artist the most amazing quality pastel. 

I have added here one of the starter sets from Unison however on their site they have an absolutely amazing selection of colors available and some outstanding sets from starter like this one all the way up to the full range set. This set will cost you £28.99 for 16 half sticks, to see these wonderful pastels in action check out my YouTube video review.  

The Art Of Colored Pencil Drawing by Cynthia Knox

Another outstanding book for the colored pencil artist in your life and in particular someone just getting started. This wonderful book by the highly respected and loved Cynthia Knox, "The Art Of Colored Pencil Drawing," is perfect for those just getting started or wanted to learn more tips and techniques in this wonderful medium. 

This wonderful book will sit well in any artists collection of literature and will cost only

Faber Castell Polychromos Gift Box 36 Set

If you want to push the boat out and have a little bit more to spend, any colored pencil artist would absolutely love to get their hands on this 36 Gift Box Set of Faber Castell Polychromos. Almost all colored pencils artists use these pencils and love them.

Although this is perhaps the most expensive item in the list, these pencils really are the gift that will keep on giving to the artist in your life. For this beautiful 36 set it will only cost you £39.95 which I know may be more than your budget will allow but I had to include this set just incase. Check out my review of Faber Castell Polychromos pencils if you are unsure of their quality. 

Leather Sketch Journal 

With all these amazing art supplies, you are going to want a really nice sketch pad to draw in and I have found this beautiful Leather Sketch Journal that will make any artist feel special out and about sketching. This journal will only cost £25.95, however as you can see the detail on the leather is beautiful and is ket closed with a leather strap. 

Strathmore Watercolor Pad 

If on the other hand, watercolor is more your loved ones thing, this excellent watercolor art journal from Strathmore may be just the gift you are looking for. Strathmore are experts when it comes to art paper and their journals are no exception. This beautiful gift will cost £23.74 and allow the artist in your life to fill the pages with color and love. 

12 Colored Pencil Techniques by Cindy Wider

The last book in the list is another excellent book for the colored pencil artist who is just getting started with the medium. This excellent book by Cindy Wider "12 Colored Pencil Techniques" is an excellent reference for any colored pencil artist to have on hand. This was another book I reviewed just before it's release and know how fantastic the techniques are and how easy they are to follow. This wonderful book will cost you £22.87. 

Colored Pencil Magazine Subscription 

Last but by no means least, if you want to give your loved one a gift that keeps on giving all year round, check out the subscription packages for the ever popular COLORED PENCIL Magazine. I have only added a link to the site here and no prices simply because excellent deals are available at COLORED PENCIL Magazine .

At COLORED PENCIL Magazine, you have the option of either just a digital issue or having a paper issue being posted out to your home every month or both. Check out the deals at the links provided and see which option suits you best. 

Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays 

This was a simple list of 18 last minute Christmas Gifts for the artist loved one in your live or even if you have been given your Christmas bonus early and perhaps looking for a cheeky wee gift just for you because you are awesome and deserve to be cheered up.