The Pencil

by Paul Calle

The official N.A.S.A. artist and award-winning illustrator surveys the histories and varieties of pencils and papers, explains the principles and techniques of drawing, and demonstrates various drawing projects, illustrated by his own work

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Drawing, Reference

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Sue Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Such incredible pencil illustrations - it will take your breath away. You just know how much he loves and understands the medium of pencil by his brevity of stroke work. Drawing is just not that simple, but he makes it look easy and regardless of the subject matter, takes you right to the heart of the matter.

His words at the end say it all - ".. the philosophical discourse about, and analysis of, the work is meaningless if, in the end, a drawing fails to stand alone and evoke some response from the viewer. That's what it's all about; art is always a visual experience."

Paul Calle's art is stand alone and it will make you respond. It's inspiring and it makes me realize that's there's a long way for me to travel before I can make my pencil scratchings look anything close to his!!

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have made a living as a graphite pencil artist for more than twenty years. Out of ALL the artists I've reviewed and studied that use the same media, Paul Calle, and this very particular book of his is the most inspiring, informative and inspirational.

[ShariB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Calle is famous for his pencil artwork; clients include NASA, multiple magazines, U.S.P.S. and the National park service. This book was previously published in 1975 and has since been revised by his son. Although, this book is 45 years old, the subject matter taught is timeless and who better to teach then a master in the art. Query Paul Calle and you will see his great pencilwork.
This book is a fascinating journey into the mind of a master pencil artist and how a simple line draw in a specific direction can render a dynamic, moving piece of art. Paul’s medium of choice is an HB pencil, and with this simple tool, he is able to evoke emotion and tell a story while creating a beautiful work of art.
The techniques taught are invaluable to any artist whether a novice or professional. I know, after reading this book, my artwork will improve.
I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Serge Pierro · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Pencil" provides an insight into Paul Calle's pencil drawings. He covers several basic topics, but nothing of any great length, nor or any tutorials included. However, what makes the book stand out is the incredible pencil renderings contained throughout. Unlike other artists who render in the graphite medium, Calle used a somewhat abstract means of rendering which produced a result that is somewhat reminiscent of an engraving. Lots of great examples of his work are included.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book by a fantastic illustrator.

[Jeremy J. Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago, but decided to check it out again, because I remember how incredible the illustrations were. They left a mark on me. And this was before all illustrators were on this trending kick of drawing everything realistically - they looked TOO MUCH like a photograph. I mean, what was the point if you're just going to make your drawing look like a black and white photograph?

Calle does this, yes to some degree, but you can still see his crosshatching technique, (one technique he uses) and take in the whole illustration, the grays, white and black areas, it blows your mind how real his drawings look. So much detail and superb craftsmanship. In my view, his work is unmatched.

[Witch-at-Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this book it has amazing artwork. A fantastic resource for learning more about the artistry of drawing. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. I highly recommend it.

[Andrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many great tips on graphite technique, and beautiful illustrations. I want to repeat & imitate many of those!

[August Schau · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational look at how art is not just a reproduction of an image, like a camera, but is imbued with the soul of the artist and all of their experiences as well.

[Art N · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect study ...

[Farhan]

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