Felt-Tip Pens and Colored Pencils: A Self-Study Guide

Print edition: EKSMO (in Russian), out of print. Digital edition: in preparation.

Continued in two expanded self-study guides: one on colored pencils and one on markers.

About the book

This self-study guide was published by EKSMO in 2007, in the series "Learn to Paint with Olga Shmatova."

After the success of the watercolor self-study guide in 2005, the series gained a unique book that brought two drawing media together.

It was the first self-study guide in Russia to explore in depth what felt-tip pens can do as an art medium. Until then, felt-tip pens were seen only as a tool for highlighting text or as a children's art supply. Olga Shmatova opened up new possibilities for this material by developing her own techniques for using felt-tip pens as a painting medium. Examples include "Lines with a half-dry pen," "Complex-shaped nib," "Spattering," "Drawing on a wet surface," and "Felt-tip pens as paint."

In the colored pencil section, the author didn't just adapt classic drawing techniques. She also introduced new ones, such as "Drawing on a textured surface" and "Drawing on sandpaper."

The book's success helped the art supply market grow. Professional refillable felt-tip pens with replaceable nibs appeared, along with sets in a wide range of colors and special types of pens (alcohol-based and watercolor). The range of colored pencils at different price points grew as well.

Edition history

2007: Felt-Tip Pens and Colored Pencils: A Self-Study Guide is published.
2016: A second, improved and expanded edition comes out as a self-study guide to colored pencils, in the series "Learn to Paint with Olga Shmatova." It is still being reprinted.
2021: A second, improved and expanded edition comes out as Markers, Fineliners, and Felt-Tip Pens: A Self-Study Guide, in the same series. It is still being reprinted.

Why colored pencils

Versatile:

Good for both line drawing and painterly work
Combine well with other media
Work on many different surfaces
Allow a wide variety of techniques

Practical:

Need no special working conditions
Need very few extra tools
Compact supplies
Easy to carry

Technical possibilities:

Precise control of the line
Color built up in layers
Fine, detailed work
Complex color transitions

Why felt-tip pens

Creative potential:

Bright, clean color
Painterly effects
A variety of lines and strokes
Surprising effects when you combine techniques

Easy to use:

Ready to work instantly
Even color application
Quick drying
No extra tools needed

Modern options:

A wide color range
A variety of nibs
Special effects (metallic and fluorescent colors)
Refillable

Who this book is for

Beginning artists who want to learn to work with colored pencils and felt-tip pens
Anyone who wants to use drawing media to create painterly effects
Artists who want to expand their technical skills
Anyone looking for new creative possibilities in familiar materials

What's inside

Art materials, p. 6

Colored pencils

Getting to know your pencils, p. 13
Strokes, p. 16
Hatching, p. 19
Blending one color into another in a single layer, p. 22
Toning and blending, p. 24
Layers in a pencil drawing, p. 26
Transparent and opaque colors, p. 30
Revealing the white, p. 32
Stencils, films, and tape, p. 34
Pencil dust, p. 36
Drawing on a textured surface, p. 38
Colored ground, p. 40
Drawing on sandpaper, p. 42

Felt-tip pens

Getting to know your felt-tip pens, p. 46
Thick and thin lines, p. 49
Lines with a half-dry pen, p. 50
Complex-shaped nib, p. 52
Hatching and toning, p. 54
Pointillism, p. 58
Stencils, p. 60
Layers, p. 63
Spattering, p. 68
Drawing on a wet surface, p. 71
Felt-tip pens as paint, p. 75
Strokes, p. 82
Monotype, p. 85
Drawing on a textured surface, p. 89
Colored ground, p. 92
Mixed media and corrections, p. 94

Let's draw together

A bouquet of daffodils, p. 96
Spring, p. 99
Andreyevsky Bridge, p. 102
Artists on the beach, p. 105
Strawberries and wild strawberries, p. 108

In the book

13 colored pencil techniques
16 felt-tip pen techniques
3 to 10 exercises in each technique chapter
5 complete step-by-step demonstrations of a finished picture

Features

Clear explanations with examples of finished work
Detailed step-by-step illustrations
Technique diagrams with practical tips
Common mistakes and how to fix them
A set of exercises for every technique
Advice from an experienced artist
A "Let's draw together" section that creates 5 drawings step by step

What you will learn

Skills and techniques for working with felt-tip pens and colored pencils
How to create smooth transitions of color and tone
How to draw fine lines
How to apply semi-transparent layers
Original techniques for felt-tip pens and colored pencils
How to choose materials and tools

Student work

The book features work by the author and her students, credited in the book. The author is grateful to all of them.

Edition details

Series: "Learn to Paint with Olga Shmatova" (in Russian)
Publisher: EKSMO
ISBN 978-5-699-25349-4
112 pages, illustrated
Format: 84×108 1/16
First published: 2007
No longer reprinted

The year printed in your copy may differ from the year of first publication, because the publisher updates it with every reprint. You can check which edition you have in the publication details on the last page of the book. The ISBN may also change with a reprint.