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Molly Reviews Books....................molly martin 4/21/2018 8:16:13 AM
Cynthia Knox’ Pencil Drawing Step by Step Master the art of drawing in graphite pencil. One of the highly detailed drawing books presented by the Artist’s Library Series is Cynthia Knox’ Pencil Drawing Step by Step Master the art of drawing in graphite pencil.
The Artist’s Library Series proffers educational works filled with serious instruction for serious artists per the inside front flap.
An elaborated Table of Contents starts out with an Introduction as the artist author informs Readers why she feels fundamental drawing skills are critical, Knox relates her early undertakings centered in drawing portraits, animals and buildings in addition to producing still lifes.
Next after the Introduction is the list of subjects Knox believes are paramount for refinement of budding artistic talent, followed with the culminating Closing Thoughts.
Subjects presented include:
Tools & Materials 5, Drawing Techniques 8, Lighting 11, Sketching & Transferring 12, Pear Still Life 14, Lion Cub Portrait 18, Foal Portrait 22, Window Box 28, Sunflower Still Life 34, Bike & Barn 40, Dog Portrait 46, Sports Car 52, Vintage Carriage 58
Closing Thoughts is found on page 64.
Tools and Materials opens with a display of pencils available for graphite artwork usage. Knox mentions that drawing skills can be learned easily through using a few lessons along with lots of practice.
Knox describes the pencils having hard to soft leads and includes noting which are used for specific work. She mentions that she favors using mechanical pencils. Advantages for mechanical pencil usage include; they lay down consistent layers of graphite, have textured rubberized section to help prevent fingers from slipping, no sharpening is necessary – mechanical pencils holds extra leads. Plus, mechanical pencils come in several widths to accommodate diverse sizes of lead.
Rounding out the Tools & Materials section are Paper, Blending Tools and Erasers, Drawing Boards and various pencil sharpeners for use with wooden and mechanical pencils.
Drawing Techniques presents pictoral examples of the strokes used for creating graphite pencil drawings along with methods re blending, lifting out, and the like. Negative Drawing is described. Value refers to shades light to dark present in a composition, shading is explicated.
Lighting is described and pictoral samples are included to exemplify the critical nature of lighting to insure success of the composition.
Methods for Sketching & Transferring are explained including Freehand with Transfer Paper, Grid Method, Projector Method, all are delineated in some detail, pictoral images help promote clarify the text.
Pear Still Life presented step by step with text and graphic to exemplify each step assists student to put into practice the basic drawing methodology presented to date.
First is shown the completed still life followed with text and graphics commencing with the first strokes on the paper, step 1, and followed with steps 2,3,4,5,6 and at last step 7 and the concluding blending and building of wood detail.
‘After blending all my edges and cleaning up the drawing, I spray it with workable fixative.’
The final graphical view is a nearly page large graphic of the Pear Still Life.
Each of the next projects regarding Lion Cub Portrait, Foal Portrait, Window Box, Sunflower Still Life, Bike & Barn, Dog Portrait, Sports Car and Vintage Carriage are each presented using the fundamental teaching format i.e. small finished product graphic followed with step by step instructions integrating pencils, mechanical and wooden, paper, tortillon and kneaded eraser as needed and chamois and fixative.
Knox, an accolade successful artist specializing in works of traditional realism, is a signature Member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, as well; she is a juried member of the International Guild of Realism, in addition to being an authorized portrait artist and infrequent instructor.
Artrist/Author Knox offers closing thoughts ‘once you’ve learned and practiced even a small set of techniques, there is no limit to what you can draw in pencil.’
It is the opinion that there is much to be realized as an artist when using pencils that drew me to buy this specific book.
I do not anticipate becoming especially adept at my age, nonetheless, during the last year I was in the classroom one of my duties was to work with grades K – 5 as their art instructor.
I had long used Ed Emberley’s uncomplicated techniques to guide K-1 students into producing recognisable critters, vehicles, and the like, however that cognition has long been the level of my personal skillfulness.
Knox presents her personal skillfulness in a straight forward manner with distinctly explicated text and pencil rendered illustrations.
Lamentably, I do not know whether I might have used Knox’ book to guide my grades 1-5 students toward producing some nicely detailed pencil creations.
I taught only 4 days, that last term for me, three years ago. Had fallen the day before the school year was to begin, landed on knees and palms, I do have osteoporosis, and began first a short term followed by a long term leave of absence until the close of the school year.
Much therapy, MRI, and all of the attendant situation surrounding my personal physical condition has convinced doctor, and myself, that want to or not; my retirement is here and my days in classroom teaching is done. Sigh.
I do use Pencil Drawing Step by Step a bit as I sketch, I like pencil artistry and, while I may never become an artist of renown, when Husband actually recognizes the rabbit and doesn’t have to apologize that he had thought it might be my sketch of our German shepherd; I feel pleased and will continue to use and recommend the Cynthia Knox’ Pencil Drawing Step by Step Master the art of drawing in graphite pencil.
I do like the pencil technique Knox presents in simple terms and illustrated, to solidify the instruction, to be a first-class methodology to use for helping build self-confidence, and guide a budding pencil artist of any age and stage of artistic evolution.
I appreciate greatly Knox’ Tools & Materials pages. I found there are so many pencils, papers and materials on shelves in our local art supply aisle at the mall, I had no idea which I might need, should buy, lay down money for, and the like.
By following Knox’ suggestions I have a nice supply of necessary materials, can add others now and then, and fill my sketch books with pencil strokes that please me whether any one other than myself ever sees them or not.
One of the Artist’s Library Series, happy to recommend Cynthia Knox’ Pencil Drawing Step by Step Master the art of drawing in graphite pencil.
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Reviewed by Molly Reviews Books molly martin
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Amazon About the Author
Cynthia Knox is an award-winning artist who specializes in works of traditional realism. She is a Signature Member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, a juried member of the International Guild of Realism, commissioned portrait artist, and occasional art inustructor. Her artwork is in shows, private collections, and on her website at www.cynthiaknox.com. Cynthia credits her passion and inspiration for art to a deep love for God and encouragement from her parents and family. She currently lives in Clifton Park, New York, with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters, Katharine and Abby.
Amazon Product details
TITLE - Pencil Drawing Step by Step Master the art of drawing in graphite pencil
AUTHOR Cynthia Knox
ILLUSTRATOR Cynthia Knox
GENRE How to
Series: Artist's Library
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing (February 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600583695
ISBN-13: 978-1600583698
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.2 x 9.5 inches
