Colouring-in Books - A Fad?

Colouring-in books a fad?

What do you think of the recent surge in colouring books for adults. You might have tried them, I haven't. To me coloured pencils are just as good as any other painting medium. But is the use of colouring books a good thing or bad for coloured pencils?

Some coloured pencils users might think this is undermining our wonderful medium and hobby. It might be argued that colouring in someone else's design is not necessarily art in the sense creativity. There is no creativity if it is just a case of filling in the gaps. No thinking , planning, composition, working out lights and darks etc.

Think of it this way: those people who are using coloured pencils with colouring books are in fact spreading the word about coloured pencils, they could become fully fledged artists, they could become people who will appreciate art made with coloured pencils, and may even buy coloured pencil art. So its not a bad thing, coloured pencils as medium will benefit from the publicity. I just wish the media stop calling them crayons!

The only reservation I have is that the colouring books are a fad or craze, how long it will last your guess is as good as mine. What will happen when the fad has gone stale? Will people start to think of coloured pencils as an old fashioned medium? Or worse still as a beginners medium which should not be taken seriously? Or even the public might think coloured pencils are not a serious medium if people use it to colour-in books!

What do you, coloured pencils practitioners, think?

Guest blog post by Mo Awkati

Art in Action

Come and see us at Art in Action!

The UKCPS at Art in Action 16-19th July 2015:  10am - 5.30pm

Just a reminder that we will be at this prestigious visual arts festival and we hope to see you there next month.

If you would like to advertise your forthcoming coloured pencil workshops, exhibitions or events at Art in Action please send Pauline a digital flier by 10th July to pauline@paulinelongley.co.uk

A great opportunity to promote your event to a wider audience.

Members Only Exhibitions

Enter these members only exhibitions -

Keswick and our 2nd Regional Exhibition at Richmond, Yorkshire

Two more opportunities to exhibit your coloured pencil pictures at our members only exhibitions - we look forward to receiving your entries.

The Pencil Museum, Keswick
29 August - 3 October 2015
Closing Date 19th July 2015

Members may enter 1 picture free of charge.


The Station Gallery, Richmond, Yorks
2nd UKCPS Regional Exhibition
3-14 October 2015
Closing Date 10th August 2015

Members may enter up to 5 pictures - £5 per picture

Rules and Entry Forms can be found on our website.

13th 'World of Coloured Pencil' Exhibition 2015

 

Alan Jones -Beau
2014 Derwent Best in Show

Venue: The Cumberland Pencil Museum, Keswick, CA12 5NG
Saturday 29th August - Saturday 3rd October 2015

Free entry open to all UKCPS members only, 24 pictures chosen by ballot. Pure coloured pencil or mixed media with coloured pencil as the main medium.

Closing date for entries 19th July 2015.

Entry is online only. Please ensure you read the rules of entry before completing the entry form.
When completing your entry form you will need your image in jpg format, max size of file 5MB, ready to upload. You will also need following info:
Title of Picture
Price including commission
Dimensions: Height x Width in cm - framed and unframed
Information for label - materials used and brief description of why you chose the subject.

Rules of Entry - read before completing Entry Form

Online Entry Form

Awards:
Derwent - Best in Show and People's Award.
UKCPS - 'Reserve Best in Show' and 'Runner Up' plus award for a 'Best Local Group Member'.
Leisure Painter - 'Best Newcomer to Coloured Pencil'.
People's Prize based on votes from exhibition visitors

Thanks to our sponsors:

UKCPS 2nd Regional Exhibition

Art in Action

The UKCPS at Art in Action 16-19th July 2015:  10am - 5.30pm

Art in Action is a prestigious visual arts festival held each year at Waterperry Gardens, Oxford OX33 1JZ with 400 artists, craftsmen, performers and musicians.  There are also practical classes, art materials, a market and plenty of food stalls.

For the first time the UKCPS will have a stand in the Materials Marquee next to Jakar.  Please come and support us, we like to meet our members so do introduce yourself and get to know your volunteers.  We will be demonstrating with Caran d'Ache pencils and you will have the opportunity to try some yourself on our have a go table, friends and family welcome.

Demonstrators on our stand:

Suzy Herbert, Robert Strange, Morryce Maddams every day.
Malcolm Cudmore - Thursday and Friday
Judith Selcuk - Saturday and Sunday
and our President Pat Heffer - Friday and Sunday.

Other members and helpers will be stewarding too.  We thank everyone who has volunteered.

If you've never been you will be amazed at the size of the event, one day is hardly sufficient time to see everything it's well worth a visit we look forward to meeting you.