links to all the different brands and news/reviews
the 2011 Opinion Polls for Artist Grade Coloured Pencils and Watercolour Pencils
Coloured Pencils - Lighfastness Find out about to test the lightfastness of coloured pencils. The Colored Pencil Society of America has a Lightfastness Test Result Workbook which is extremely useful. I think it's essential for any artist who's selling their work. You have to be a member of CPSA to buy the workbook.
These are my coloured pencils which FAILED to make the grade in terms of lightfastness.
Which were the main offenders? Well there were a lot of reds, pinks, purples, and light blues. For more details click the link above
Paper, supports and other helpful products
My coloured pencil drawings are completed on a variety of media:
Arches, Fabriano or Saunders WaterfordHP - usually 300gsm.
Arches HP blocks are especially useful for travelling - the block replaces the drawing board.
Colored Pencil Painting Bible: Techniques for Achieving Luminous Color and Ultra-Realistic Effects by Alyona Nickelsen In her first book Alyona Nickelsen reveals her techniques and processes for achieving intense colour in her coloured pencil paintings. These include layering, the proper use and advantages of the translucent properties of the medium, as well as her use of odorless solvents to achieve rich, luminous color and ultra-realistic effects - all backed up with highly detailed step-by-step demonstrations.
The Colored Pencil: Key Concepts for Handling the Medium, Revised Edition by Bet Borgeson. The first book I bought and still a standard. This best-seller is a book which many professional coloured pencil artists read as they were starting out with coloured pencils. It provides the information on materials, lessons on color mixing and techniques, and demonstrations of various methods for drawing.
Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Artist by Bet Borgeson. This is a primer for those wishing to learn how to use coloured pencils by somebody who is an articulate teacher and author. This book is not for people wanting to learn how to draw - it's for people who have mastered the basics and now want to develop their art using coloured pencils
Colored Pencil Portraits by Ann Kullberg Ann Kullberg is a member of CPSA and a very popular workshop instructor. This is her first book and focuses on her particular area of expertise - creating portraits using coloured pencils.
Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil by Ann Kullberg Would-be portrait artists need to be able to draw backgrounds as well as people. This book is all about how to create the look of realism without actually working on every last detail to the nth degree. This book provides approaches to for both interior and exterior subject matter.
Colored Pencil Solution Book by Janie Gildow and Barbara Benedetti Newton. This book focuses on basic art concepts and answering lots of common questions asked by artists wanting to learn more about how to use coloured pencils - plus provides the answers to some questions people frequently haven't yet thought to ask.
Colored Pencil Explorations by Janie Gildow For the coloured pencil artist who wants to take the next step. Techniques incorporate the use of pastel, solvents, airbrush, watercolor, acrylic, ink and more. Each chapter clearly demonstrates how readers can re-create techniques in their own work.
These are my coloured pencils which FAILED to make the grade in terms of lightfastness. 
