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 smooth, flat, and light-colored wood piece that has been kiln-dried and is ready for use. The pieces I used were from Walnut Hollow and were ready to work on after simply wiping off the dust with a tack cloth.
Stamp the image carefully using a black ink pad. You can also use stamping techniques such as the masking technique to design the area. If you make a mistake, you can remove the image by sanding the piece down. Make sure not to sand too much, as you could make the surface uneven and difficult to successfully stamp on.
Test your chosen colors on the back or bottom of your wood piece before beginning to make sure you are going to get an effect you like.
Use all the same techniques for coloring as you use on paper. Start with light pressure, and then layer and press harder for deeper tones. Use the sand eraser to bring back highlights and to tone down the coloring where needed.
To protect your finished piece, cover it with several coats of water-based acrylic varnish. Always do a test on the back or bottom of the piece over the colored pencil. The first coat of varnish should be very light and thin to seal the color.
