How to Use Vellum Paper

Vellum paper is smooth and allows the use of pens, colored pencils and regular pencils for rendering quality artwork. It is transparent yet has a frosted quality as well, so you can see through it to use a ready made design you wish to draw, paint or color. It allows a background paper to be placed behind the finished artwork as a contrast for it.

Things You'll Need

• Ready made design or photograph
• Canson vellum paper (at art/craft stores)
• Waterproof pens, colored pencils, or sketching pencils
• (your choice)
• Tape
• Exacto knife (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose the design you wish to draw and place it on a flat surface. Tape it in place at the corners of the design.

2. Cut the piece of vellum to the size needed for the design. Make sure that it is a size that is easily framed should wish to do so. Center the vellum over the design and tape the corners down to secure it.

3. Draw the design onto the vellum using whatever medium you have chosen to use. Don't include detail lines, but simply place the outlines of the design onto the vellum.

4. Fill in the design with the colored pencils, regular pencils using varied strengths of lead, or by using the ink pens to create depth and texture to the drawing. Add all the shading now.

5. Add the final details of the design whether it is in the form of highlights or additional lines. If you need to remove any color to show light, use the tip of an exacto knife to gently scrape the color away from the paper. Erasures are difficult, so the eraser must be clean when removing any unwanted lines or marks. Wipe the eraser often on a cloth to remove the lead from it or you will place the lead back onto the vellum.

Tips & Warnings

• This paper is exceptional for pen and ink designs. Multicolored papers that are veined and textured look wonderful as a backdrop beneath this paper.