Occasionally, I like to dabble with new art products. At
Alyona Nickelsen’s Brush and Pencil http://www.brushandpencil.com website’s
store she offers some new products for colored pencil artists they are: Colored
Pencil Titanium White, Colored Pencil Powder Blender, Colored Pencil Touch-up
Texture, Advanced Colored Pencil Texture Fixative, and Advanced Colored Pencil
Final Fixative all of which are archival and non-toxic. For those interested, Alyona offers a paid
6-month membership you get access to various numerous resources for colored
pencil artists.
Before I show and explain my demonstration, I like to
give a little information about the products I purchased and received as a gift
to try from Brush and Pencil and the tools I purchased and used to apply the
materials.
The
Colored Pencil Titanium White is my
favorite product out of all Brush and Pencil products. It is a loose archival,
non-toxic, opaque powder, and can be combined with Brush and Pencil’s other
products. It is great for creating soft clouds, fog, haze, stars, other soft
effects, or highlighting the whitest of areas of your art project. You can
apply this product with a sponge applicator, paint brush, or a small sponge. It
is correctable by lifting it off the surface of the paper with a putty or
eraser. You can get so inventive and imaginative with using this product the
ideas are limitless.
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In a demonstration, artist, Lisa Lachri, from Lachri Fine
Art, mixed the Colored Pencil Titanium White powder with the Colored Pencil
Touch-up Texture to achieve a very white opaque mixture. I tried this
technique, and I applied it with a paintbrush. It really made areas very bright
where I applied it, and I was able to have far more control in applying the
product to certain areas of my subject. However, once I applied it in this
manner and the product dried, it was very difficult to remove. Yet, you can
apply colored pencil layers over the painted area to fix or conceal the area,
but it can take several layers of color to conceal the area. Check out Lisa's video below on this demonstration.
The Colored Pencil
Powder Blender is a loose translucent powder, archival, and non-toxic that
is used to blend colored pencils. This product works best on toothy surfaces
such as Canson Mi Tientes Touch Sanded Pastel Paper or UART 500 or 600 Grit
Sanded Paper. The product also works well on gessoed surfaces. It takes very
little amount to apply to the surface, and there are several ways to apply the
powder. You can apply and blend the product with a sponge applicator,
paintbrush, short stencil brush, sponge, makeup sponge, or wear a finger
protector and use your finger.
The Powder Blender makes it an ease to erase layers of colors. However, once you have applied spray fixative, you cannot erase the layers of color.
The Powder Blender makes it an ease to erase layers of colors. However, once you have applied spray fixative, you cannot erase the layers of color.
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In addition, I experimented with this product using several brands of colored pencils and watercolor pencils. I have discovered the Powder Blender seems to work best with the oil-based Faber Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils and the wax-based Prismacolor Verithins Colored Pencils.
When using oil-based colored pencils you do not need to apply the Powder Blender first to the surface of the paper. However, when using wax-based pencils you must apply the Powder Blender first before applying any layers of colored pencil to the surface of the paper. After you have applied the layers of color to the paper's surface, you need to apply the Powder Blender again.
When using wax-based pencils, it also can be difficult to blend and get a smooth even appearance, especially if you have applied any layers with heavy pressure. I really struggled with this and one thing I discovered quickly, is if you did not apply the powder blender first and/or if you applied the color layer with heavy pressure the pencil layer would bind up displaying a gritty appearance (see image below). I tried dipping my stump or stencil brush into the powder blender to blend this out, but the tooth of the paper really wore down quickly.
When using oil-based colored pencils you do not need to apply the Powder Blender first to the surface of the paper. However, when using wax-based pencils you must apply the Powder Blender first before applying any layers of colored pencil to the surface of the paper. After you have applied the layers of color to the paper's surface, you need to apply the Powder Blender again.
When using wax-based pencils, it also can be difficult to blend and get a smooth even appearance, especially if you have applied any layers with heavy pressure. I really struggled with this and one thing I discovered quickly, is if you did not apply the powder blender first and/or if you applied the color layer with heavy pressure the pencil layer would bind up displaying a gritty appearance (see image below). I tried dipping my stump or stencil brush into the powder blender to blend this out, but the tooth of the paper really wore down quickly.
The Colored Pencil
Touch-Up Texture is a fast drying, archival, non-toxic clear liquid. You
want to shake it well before you apply it. You can apply this product to small
areas to build up more tooth to the surface of the paper. You should allow the
area to dry about 15 minutes before working on the area.
I used this many times in areas where I needed more tooth because I tried blending out the wax-based pencil's gritty appearance with a stump. This worked great in providing more tooth to the surface of the paper.
I used this many times in areas where I needed more tooth because I tried blending out the wax-based pencil's gritty appearance with a stump. This worked great in providing more tooth to the surface of the paper.
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The Advanced Colored Pencil Textured Fixative
is archival, non-toxic, non-yellowing, UV-resistant and fast drying fixative.
It can be used on colored pencil artwork that has been applied to rigid
surfaces.
I
discovered, when you apply this to a non-rigid surface, your paper will end up
like a limp curling noodle. So, make sure to tape your paper down to a board to
prevent curling.
This
fixative is great in that, it provides more tooth to the surface of the paper
so that you can keep applying layers of color and it has minimal impact on the
colors. However, I have noticed, if you do not shake the can well and hold it
at least 8 inches from the paper’s surface, it will create little tiny spots on
the surface of the paper. You should allow the area you sprayed to dry about 15
minutes before working on the area.
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The Advanced Colored Pencil Final Fixative
is archival, non-toxic, non-yellowing, UV-resistant and fast drying. Once this
is applied you cannot erase. You should allow the area to dry about 15 minutes
before adding anymore fixative.The Final Fixative also provides a finish layer to the work and allows one to frame the artwork without glass.
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Colored Pencil Powder Blender Experimentation
This is the first experimentation using Prismacolors, Derwent Coloursofts, and irojitens on acrylic gessoed paper. The tools I used to blend with were the sponge applicator, stump, and brush. I applied the powder blender first for all wax-based colored pencils.
This is the second experimentation
using oil-based Faber Castell Polychromos, Albrecht Durers watercolor pencils, and Derwent watercolor pencils on acrylic gessoed paper. The tools I used to blend with were the sponge applicator, stump, and brush. I applied the powder blender first for all wax-based colored pencils.
This is the third experimentation
using Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils, Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Albrect Durer watercolor pencils, and Derwent watercolor pencils. To blend, I used a sponge
applicator on gessoed Stonehenge paper. I applied the powder blender first for
all wax-based and water-based colored pencils.
This is the last experimentation
using various wax and oil based colored pencils and a sponge applicator on
gessoed Stonehenge paper. I applied the powder blender first for all wax-based
colored pencils.
New Colored Pencil Work Using Brush and Pencil Products
First, may I
recommend to a beginning artist, never create a large piece of art when you are
experimenting with new art products. When experimenting with new art products, it is much easier to create a small piece
of artwork that way if you make any
mistakes you do not have a lot of time and expense invested into the art piece.
The image
below is my Colorless Blender Powder experimentation on Canson Mi Tientes Touch
Sanded Paper. The title of it is "Aurora". The paper size I used was 22.0” x 30.0”. The reference used is from http://darkmaiden-stock.deviantart.com/art/Sitting-Princess-4-18459797
I made many errors experimenting with these new products and attempting this new technique. It is definitely something you cannot master overnight. I did have the opportunity, since this was such a large piece, to experiment with all my colored pencil brands and various tools on this art
piece, as I wanted to see the effects of how each pencil blended with the
powder, to see how the pencils blended with each other, and to see which
blending tool worked best.
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| "Aurora" |
As I
explored and experimented, I learned that some blending tools worked better
than other blending tools. In addition, I learned that some blending tools can
degrade or damage the tooth of the paper quite rapidly. I also learned not all brands of colored pencils/watercolor pencils are powder blender friendly.
Tools I used in
experimenting with this piece: Paint brushes, stencil brushes, stump, sponge
applicators, electric eraser, stick eraser, and finger protectors.
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Step by Step using Colored Pencil Powder Blender, Colored Pencil Titanium White, Colored Pencil Touch-up Texture, Advanced Colored Pencil Texture Fixative, and Advanced Colored Pencil Final Fixative.
I must admit, in the end, I really liked how the Prismacolor Verithins worked with the Colored Pencil Powder Blender the best. Verithins are not the top of the line artist grade quality, nor do they have a huge color assortment, but they blended well with the powder blender. Faber Castell Polychromos ended up being my second favorite. I have much more to learn, experiment and explore using the powder blender. I am far from being a master at using these Brush and Pencil products, but I look forward with eager anticipation of using them on future art pieces.
The outcome and preferences will be different for each artist as they experiment and explore with these wonderful Brush and Pencil products and the artistic opportunities are endless in creating works of art with these products.
Keep on Creating!
Have a blessed week!
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