Week 1: Colored Pencil Expert reveals Masters' secrets for choosing the right colored pencils to create stunning Realism.

World Renowned Colored Pencil Master Sandra Angelo is doing a series of free colored pencil lessons. Today, she shares the #1 secret for choosing the right pencils for each of your pencil projects.  And it's not about picking the right brand of pencils...  Sandra's secret will surprise you.

Plus - Sandra's demo shows you how to use soft leads to draw a dewdrop on a rose.

Prismacolor Premiere (Soft Density)

I love these soft lead pencils because as you layer them, they meld together to create rich, full bodied colors you could never get with just one pencil.

Using these soft leads, you can create pencil paintings that can simulate oils and acrylic painting. (without the expense and toxicity of paint)

Prismacolor Verithin (Hard Density)

These hard lead pencils  stay sharp and don't break when you are trying to put in details like fur, hair, whiskers, and any details where you need fine lines.

The Verithin hards leads are very inexpensive, so be sure you buy the full set of 36.

Derwent Studio Pencils (Medium Density)

These medium hard leads stay sharper way longer than soft leads and even though they are medium density, they still lay down succulent colors.

This Derwent Studio pencil is my go to workhorse for the majority of my colored pencil drawings. Because they aren't waxy, you can pile layer upon layer and emulate the rich, multifarious tones we find in nature.

Derwent Artists Pencils (Medium Density)

These medium hard leads are identical to the Derwent Studio pencils with two exceptions:

1. The wood casing is round but the pencils leads inside that casing are identical.
2. This set is available in 150 colors but you can't buy each pencil replacement in open stock like you can with the Derwent Studio pencils.

These medium leads stay sharper way longer than soft leads so they are a good workhorse for the majority of your drawings.

Derwent Drawing Pencils (Super Soft)

Derwent super soft colored pencils are wonderful when you want a buttery painterly feel. I call them Magic pencils because the whites will layer on top of other colors when other wax-based pencils just won't stick.

The 24-color set includes soft greens, blues, grays, and creams plus a wider choice of traditional sepia tones, making them ideal for a wide range of subjects on nature.

The super soft, thick, round leads have a creamy consistency, making it easy to produce a rich, velvety finish on the paper.

Join us again next week...

Sandra will reveal  methods Masters use to choose the right colored pencil paper so you can create stunning art!

Executive Director of 11 Annual Colored Pencil Symposiums Sandra Angelo reveals insider Masters' secret,tools, tricks and techniques that can take your art from amateur to amazing.

Dick Blick partnered with Sandra Angelo to bring you weekly lessons that reveal materials and methods Masters used to create art that walks away with top awards and commissions.

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