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Ready to Take Your Coloured Pencil Art from 'Okay' to 'Wow!'?

Hi there, I'm Carol.

Welcome to Pencil Topics! Are you looking for fresh colour pencil art ideas and the skills to bring them beautifully to life?

If you love the idea of coloured pencils but often find yourself battling with muddy colours, unsure how to get those smooth blends, or wondering how to make your subjects look realistic and three-dimensional, please know you're not alone!

I've spent 15 years exploring the ins and outs of this wonderful medium, and here at Pencil Topics, I share everything I've learned.

My goal is to provide you with practical, easy-to-follow guidance specifically for UK artists, helping you master the core techniques and build the confidence to create coloured pencil art that shines.

  • Do you imagine gazing at an intricately shaded bird portrait... its feathers so soft and realistic... or picture a still life of juicy fruit... glowing with warm, inviting light?
  • Perhaps you've seen a coloured pencil drawing so realistic you had to do a double-take and wondered, 'How do they achieve such depth and richness with humble colored pencils?

But instead, when you try, perhaps your sketches feel flat and lifeless, lacking the richness and realism you admire.

Your Learning Hubs

But here's the good news: achieving that richness and realism is possible, and you don't have to figure it out all by yourself.

I've structured everything to take you step-by-step from feeling uncertain to confidently creating stunning artwork. My specially designed Learning Hubs are your clear roadmap.

Getting Started Hub

Five coloured pencils - essential art supplies for aspiring artists getting started

New to coloured pencils or wondering what you really need? Start here for my straightforward guide to essential supplies, setting up your space, and your very first confidence-boosting exercises.

Let's Get Started!

Foundation Skills Hub

A standard colour wheel used to explain colour mixing and selection for coloured pencil artists.

Build a rock-solid artistic base. We'll explore crucial drawing principles, understanding light and shadow (value), the basics of colour for coloured pencils, and how to compose pictures that look right from the beginning.

Build Your Foundations

Core Techniques Hub

Yellow coloured pencil layering over a blue base to demonstrate creating a green colour through optical mixing.

Ready to make your pencils sing? This is where you'll master essential coloured pencil techniques like layering, blending, and burnishing to create beautiful depth and texture in your drawings.

Master the Techniques

Simple Tutorials Hub

Coloured pencil drawing of a bowl filled with various types of fruit.

Put your new skills into practice! Follow along with simple, guided projects designed for beginners, helping you create lovely finished pieces and grow your confidence with every stroke.

Start a Tutorial

Beyond the Basics Hub

Detailed close-up of realistic fur texture in a wild cat coloured pencil drawing from an advanced tutorial

Feeling more confident and ready for your next artistic adventure? Here you'll find more advanced coloured pencil projects, explore other pencil mediums like watercolour and pastel pencils, and discover new ways to express your creativity.

Expand Your Skills

Explore More Ways to Enhance Your Art

Beyond our structured Learning Hubs, I also offer a wealth of additional information to support your artistic journey:

Tips & Articles: Looking for specific advice, in-depth explorations of techniques like using black paper, or insights into still life composition? You'll find a growing library of helpful articles here.

Browse for more specific articles

Resources: Need guidance on the best UK art suppliers, a glossary of art terms, or detailed paper and pencil performance tests? My resources section is packed with practical information.

Explore the Resources

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