written by Erica Walker,  CPSC Secretary-Treasurer

Line & Colour – coloured pencil has it all!

This question was developed into one of the most famous quarrels in art by two of its greatest artists, J.-A.-D. Ingres (1780-1867) and Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).

Ingres, stupendous draftsman, severe advocate of classicism, Raphael, and dignity, maintained that line and line alone was the answer.  Delacroix, legendary colourist, founder of Romanticism and admirer of Rubens, insisted that the secret to great art was great colour.  Each stuck to his own position and detested the other’s work, opinions, favourite artists and probably everything else.  If only they had known about coloured pencil!  Capable of exquisite line, in equally exquisite colour – what more could either have asked for?

Blunt or sharp, soft or bold, delicate or powerful: coloured pencils offer tremendous control of line and shade.  All the subtlety of value that Ingres so loved is here, literally, at your fingertips – just vary the pressure and you can get anything from the faintest hint of a shadow to the deepest, richest darks.  While coloured pencils are not always easy to erase, there are many ways to change your mind and make corrections.

And then, . . . → Read More: Which is more important, line or colour?