How to Color with Colored Pencils

Colored pencils are different from the hard, lead pencils, used for writing. How to color with colored pencils is an entirely different question from how to color with pencils? Coloring with colored pencils and graphite pencils require different techniques. Most color pencils are available in sets of 12 to 120. The paper used for drawing is mostly white paper. Colored papers like printmaking papers or pastel paper can also be used. The paper should basically be tough and smooth.

How to Shade with Pencils?
When coloring, the initial layer is first filled in. The subsequent layers are added later on to obtain the correct color and shading. Many artists use mineral spirits or special blending pencils to blend the colors.

Always use sharp-pointed pencils when coloring. This makes the drawing look less fuzzy and blurred. You can use several layers of colors to bring life into your drawings. You should use a side to side shading motion, to create a smooth even layer of color.

Hatching is another technique that can be used, when sketching using a colored pencil. Draw rapid, regular and evenly spaced lines so that the underlying color or paper color is visible. Cross hatching is hatching drawn at right angles. This method can be carried out using different colors and is used for creating a textured effect.

Draw short directional lines following a contour or in the direction of other surfaces. Overlay it with colors for a rich effect. Scumbling is another method to build up a single color or different colors. Here overlapping circles are rapidly drawn to create effect. Incising is laying down two thick layers of contrasting colors. You can use a knife blade or comb to scratch out the top layer, so that the color underneath is just visible. Burnishing is coloring the same area, first using a light pressure and gradually increasing the pressure till a smooth, solid block of color forms.

How to Color with Pencils?
Use sharp-pointed pencils for drawings. However, blunt pencils are useful for drawing techniques. Use a softer pencil for drawing darker lines. You can vary the texture and weight of a line by lifting the pencil or pressing it harder. A grassy or fluffy effect can be created by lifting the pencil at the end of a stroke. Use back and forth strokes in the same area or in a circular motion when you color, using a pencil. This helps give a rich texture. Direction of the strokes direct the viewer's eye. When you shade a pencil drawing in one direction it creates an effective look. You can even use contrasting direction in two planes to describe your pencil sketch.

As you can see, drawing with colored pencils is very different from pencil sketches and pencil drawings. When drawing either with colored pencils or graphite pencils, note the various marks on the subject to create a more life-like picture. Critical observation of the finer points and expressing them in your sketch helps breathe life into the pictures. A sketch or drawing is born from your imagination, use the correct coloring techniques to bring it to life.