Colored pencils work great for tinting photographs, especially black-and-white photos and vintage photos. You will need to scan and print out the photos onto drawing paper for the best results. You may need to manipulate the photo a bit, such as lightening the tones or bumping up the contrast, to get the best workable photograph. Tinting … Read more
Colored pencils also work very nicely on wood surfaces, especially wood-burned pieces. You can also stamp images onto wood to use as your image. It’s important that you start with a very smooth and clean wooden surface for this technique. Here are some important tips to remember when using colored pencils on wood: Start with a very … Read more
Working on colored paper is what colored pencils do better than markers! The shading, blending, and layering are the same as on white paper, but the finished drawings have a different dynamic to them. I usually add a halo around the colored image to make it pop off the page—light, dark, or matched to the paper underneath, a … Read more
I like to use book pages and collect ephemera with the subtractive stamping technique. Most ephemera are too fragile (and too valuable) for the technique, so you will need to transfer the image onto heavier paper. To do this, scan the ephemera and print them out onto smooth watercolor paper with your inkjet printer. You will need to … Read more
This technique involves making impressed lines on the paper with an embossing stylus before applying the color. The impressive result is a whimsical drawing that gives you permission to color outside the lines! The traced design is impressed into the paper using a heavy hand. You can shade with light or dark colors and the impressed lines will stay … Read more
Strike strokes are fashioned by striking the paper with a heavy landing and a smooth takeoff, using a flicking motion. This results in a varied stroke and is excellent for rendering grass, feathers, or fur. Look closely at the sphere sample: the bottom of the stroke is darker than the top. You need a strong, sharp point for this … Read more
These are old techniques, favored by the masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer. Hatching involves drawing values with parallel lines that follow the direction of a selected plane. Crosshatching involves lines that are layered at cross-angles to create darker tones and texture. For both of these methods, you need to keep your pencils sharp to … Read more
Basically, scumbling is circular strokes. It is used by colored pencil artists to render smooth textures, such as skin. The strokes are very tiny, and you can’t easily see them in the finished piece. I use it as a decorative stroke, as my go-to shading around a motif, and to add texture. You need to make sure … Read more
Follow the instructions here to practice the basic method for blending and layering color before proceeding with the other techniques for colored pencils. It will give you a good start. Take a look at the finished samples here to get inspiration for your next project. Stamp the image, then choose your colors. For this image, I selected three … Read more
Basic Shading The violet circle shows shading with one color from dark to light with no blending, just the pressure placed on the pencil to create the values. This is the best technique to learn shading with the pencil only, rather than always depending on a blender. Always start with a light pressure and gradually add more … Read more
Deciding what colors to use is one thing every project has in common. It is also an area in which many of us have the least amount of confidence. Color surrounds us and plays a major part in our lives; it creates impressions and elicits responses. The average person can see 1 million different colors and the trained … Read more
You can find colored pencils in two forms: oil based or wax-based. We will be working with wax-based pencils. Traditional colored pencils, like the ones used here, are also not water-soluble. (Water-soluble colored pencils, or watercolor pencils, are very different, and utilize different techniques.) Use good quality wax- based colored pencils you will be disappointed with the results … Read more
Color has taken possession of me; no longer do I have to chase after it. I know that it has hold of me forever… Color and I are one. I am a painter. The art of watercolor has been around for many years. The fundamental practice of mixing water with color and using it to bring images … Read more
INVITE SOME FRIENDS TO JOIN YOU AT YOUR HOME, QUILT SHOP, OR FAVORITE MEETING SPACE FOR A FUN EVENING OF COLORING! Adult coloring parties offer an ideal way to relieve stress while you mix and mingle with others. Coloring is approachable for everyone, and it’s really inex- pensive to get started, making it a great choice for a … Read more
Theory For me, coloring presents the opportunity to explore color palettes without com- mitting to a large project. Thus, I’m willing to make risks I might not take when working on a large quilt or even a painting. And it is usually the mistakes that hap- pen along the way that spur on our most vibrant artistic pieces! A … Read more
Your colored pencils are painted with a color that is very close to the color of the lead inside the pencil. But the color on paper looks much different from the paint on the body of the pencil. You will never get that thick, hard, shiny paint color on your coloring paper. Before you can choose the perfect … Read more