How to Draw With Colored Pencil

A lot of artists are wary when it comes to using colored pencil. It is a challenge to master colored pencil technique. The wrong paper, pencils or drawing approach can leave your artwork pale or unblendable. Read on to discover the tricks of a colored pencil artist.

Instructions

1. Use colored pencils with a large amount of pigment. These will be more expensive, but brighter and will blend better than the cheaper brands. Less expensive colored pencils contain fillers to cut down on pigment costs and result in washed out colors and layering.

2. Learn the correct colored pencil technique. Crosshatching, hatching, burnishing and scrumbling all play important roles in drawing with colored pencils. Knowing when and how to use these and other methods is half the battle when using colored pencils.

3. Minimize wax bloom. Wax bloom appears when your drawing surface is overworked or heavily burnished. This layer of wax will rise to the surface and cloud your drawing, tarnishing its original brilliance. To fix, simply wipe off the layer of wax and apply a coat or two of fixative.

4. Master the art of blending. There are many different methods to blend colored pencil, all of which can be used to create different effects. Solvent markers, blender pencils and blending stumps are all useful in colored pencil technique, and provide interesting textures.

5. Choose the right paper. Depending on how smooth or grainy you want your art to be, choose a paper with a fine to medium tooth. The quality of the paper is also important as cheaper paper will not hold layers and color as well as more expensive paper.