Moores Art Gallery the History and Types of Colored Pencils

 

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

The History and Types of Colored Pencils

It's All About Colored Pencils!

Colored pencils are a relatively new medium. Colored pencils were first introduced in the early 19th century. However, it wasn't until the early 20th century that colored pencils were of a high-quality standard. For the longest time, colored pencils were not considered a serious art medium and were scoffed upon by prestigious art galleries and fine artists. Today, however, colored pencil art is becoming more and more widely accepted in galleries and winding up in the hands of many art collectors. Renowned colored pencil artists such as Vera Curnow, Ann Kullberg, Alyona Nickelsen, Gary Greene, Jeff George, Jeffrey Smart Baisden, and Jesse Lane have helped this medium find its way into well-known art galleries. Thanks to these and many other colored pencil artists, colored pencil art is now regarded as a serious art medium.

Historical Timeline of Colored Pencil Companies

• During the early twentieth century, the colored pencil core was developed. The core consisted of a combination of pigments or dyes and a binder.

• In 1761, a small factory in Germany began making the pencils Kaspar Faber, later to become the world-famous Faber-Castell company. Over time, the company has improved the quality of its colored pencil and has created "modern techniques of industrialization" of colored pencils. In the early 1920s, the A.W. Faber Company began selling over 60 different shades of colored pencils for artists. Faber-Castell is considered one of the most popular brands of colored pencils today.

• In 1806, the German company Lyra was established by the pencilmaker Johann Froescheis.

• In 1832, the British company, Derwent, began manufacturing pencils, and in 1932 they developed their first colored pencils.

• In 1834, Staedtler produced their first oil pastel colored pencil, and in 2005, they developed a protective Anti-Break-System (A•B•S) coating for colored pencils to keep them from breaking.

• In 1855, the Schwan-STABILO Company was established in Germany. In 1925, they developed and launched the first thin-lead colored pencil.

• In 1790, L. & C. Hardtmuth Company of Austria and Hungary introduced their Koh-I-Noor brand pencils. They named the pencils after the famous diamond. Their woodless colored pencils were later developed and sold under the “Progresso” trademark.

• In 1913, the Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. was established in Japan, and they began manufacturing colored pencils. They are known in the colored pencil world for the Tombo Irojiten Colored Pencils in which the company introduced in 1988. "Irojiten" is the Japanese expression for "color encyclopedia."

• In 1924, in Switzerland, the company Geneva Fabrique pencils changed its name to Caran d'Ache after a famous French cartoonist. In 1931, they developed Prismalo, the first water-soluble colored pencil. In 2008, they developed a high lightfast set of colored pencils called Luminance 6901. Caran d'Ache is one of the most popular colored pencil brands of today.

• In 1938, the Eagle Pencil Company introduced the Prismacolor Pencil. In 1969, the Eagle Pencil Company changed its name to Berol Limited. Later in 1995, Berol was purchased by Sanford. Sanford Prismacolors is one of the most popular brands of colored pencils today.

Types of Colored Pencils

There are many brands of colored pencils available in the art market today. Which colored pencil do you pick? Before selecting any colored pencils, there are several things to consider. 

First, there are four different types of colored pencil bases available: wax-based, clay-based, oil-based, and water-soluble-based.  Second, there are many pros and cons for each type of colored pencil. Last of all, each type of pencil can be applied in different ways, using various techniques. 

The wax-based colored pencils can tend to leave a build-up of wax or white film on the artwork, and they can require a few coats of fixative. However, compared to oil-based colored pencils, wax-based colored pencils are more affordable, creamy, smooth, and blend well. 

The oil-based colored pencils can be very expensive. In addition, oil-based colored pencils tend to smear or smudge easily, and they tend to have harder leads so, they are not as soft nor creamy as wax-based colored pencils. However, oil-based colored pencils do not require any coatings of fixative. In addition, oil-based colored pencils are water-resistant, and most brands are break-resistant. 

The clay-based type of colored pencils can be very dry but are great for details. 

Finally, water-soluble base pencils can be applied either dry or wet. They have a very rich assortment of colors. However, if the water-soluble pencils are going to be applied as a wet medium, they must be applied to durable paper. 

My advice is to experiment and explore. Try them all! You may find you might like several.

Below are lists of Professional grade colored pencils and watercolor pencils available. I will be adding more as time allows.

Professional Grade Wax/Clay Based Color Pencils

• Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils (76 colors available, smooth, soft and lightfast, water resistant). Color Chart
• Derwent Coloursofts (72 colors available, soft, smooth, blends well, velvety, lightfast, little wax bloom, acid free, water-resistant). Color Chart
• Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils (150 colors available, blends well, vibrant, soft, smooth, creamy, lightfast, water-resistant, not break-resistant).
• Prismacolor Premier Verithins (36 colors available, hard thin lead, great for details).
• Tombo Irojiten Colored Pencils (100 colors available, many soft pastel colors, smooth blending, medium hard waxy leads, some colors are extremely light, great for detailed work).

Professional Grade Oil Based Colored Pencils

• Caran d'Ache Pablo Colored Pencils (120 colors available, dry lead, water-resistant, lightfast). Color Chart
• Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils (120 colors available, lightfast, smooth, break-resistant, water-resistant, smudgeproof).
• LYRA Rembrandt Polycolor Premium Oil-Based Colored Pencils (78 colors available, lightfast, blendable, water-resistant, no wax build-up, mixes well with Prismas, great for detailed work, hard lead).
• Marco Raffine Professional Colored Pencils (72 colors available, vivid colors, smooth, soft lead).
• Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils (100 colors available, soft to medium lead, smooth, velvety, vibrant colors, lightfast, strong points). Color Chart
• Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils (72 colors available, water-resistant, are wax-based but contain special oils in the pencil lead, smooth, lightfast, dense strokes, not break-resistant, great for detailed work). Color Chart

Professional Grade Water-Soluble Based Pencil Brands

• Caran d'Ache Supracolor Soft Aquarelle (120 colors available, water-soluble, lightfast, soft). Color Chart
• Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle (76 colors available, water-soluble, lightfast, soft). Color Chart
• Cretacolor Marino Watercolor Pencils (36 colors available, water-soluble, lightfast, soft, blendable).
• Derwent Watercolor Pencils (72 colors available, water-soluble, smooth, creamy, soft, lightfast, blends well).
• Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils (120 colors available, smooth, water-soluble, lightfast). 
• LYRA Rembrandt Aquarell Artists' Colored Pencils (72 colors available, lightfast, smooth, water-soluble, bright colors, blendable).
• Prismacolor Premier Water-Soluble Colored Pencils (36 colors available, smooth, creamy, water-soluble, blends well, lightfast).
• Staedtler Karat Aquarell Premium Watercolor Pencils (60 available colors, smooth, soft, water-soluble, blends well, break-resistant, vibrant, lightfast).

Discontinued Colored Pencils

Design Spectracolors was once a popular brand of pencils that were discontinued in the year of 1997. Design Spectracolors were first made by the Venus Pencil Company (established in 1956). In 1973, the Venus Pencil Company was purchased by the company Faber-Castell. Then, in 1994, Design Spectracolors were discontinued when the company Berol Prismacolors bought them out. The Prismacolor product line was expanded soon after the company acquired Design Spectracolors. I still have a partial set of these pencils that I continue to use. They are very rich, smooth, soft, and creamy. The only con of this brand was that the core pencil lead tended to fall out on some of them. From time to time, you can find them listed on eBay.

Berol Verithin Colored Pencils (manufactured by Berol) or Eagle Verithins Colored Pencils (manufactured by Eagle Pencil Co.) are a rare vintage find. In 1995, they were switched to Prismacolor Verithins when Sanford purchased Berol. I still have some of these pencils from when I attended art college back in the early 1980s. They certainly have improved color pencils since then. These tend to lean more towards the student/scholastic grade and are very similar to present-day Prismacolor Verithins with a wax-based firm hard lead.

References

CARAN D'ACHE. A Century of Know-how. CARAN D'ACHE, The House, Our History. Web.1 May. 2020.

Derwent. Our Story. Derwent, About, Company. Web.1 May. 2020.

Fila Group. History. Lyra, About Us. History. Web.1 May. 2020.

KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH. Quality Since 1790. KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH, About us. Web.1 May. 2020.

Prismacolor. About Us. Prismacolor, About, Eagle Prismacolor. Web.1 May. 2020.

STAEDTLER. STAEDTLER® and the Coloured Pencil. STAEDTLER, Company, Tradition and Innovation. Web.1 May. 2020.

Tombow. Company History. Tombow, Corporate, About Tombow, Company History. Web.1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Berol." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 Apr. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Caran d'Ache (company)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Mar. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Colored pencil." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Mar. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Cretacolor." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Oct. 2019. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Dec. 2019. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors."Faber-Castell." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Apr. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Feb. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Schwan-Stabilo." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Apr. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Wikipedia contributors. "Staedtler." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Apr. 2020. Web. 1 May. 2020.

Keep on Creating!

Mountain Goat Colored Pencil Work In Progress Update

Mountain Goat Colored Pencil Work In Progress

Well, I am nearly done with this work in progress. I have a little more work to do on the sky and the goat. The mat and frame should arrive this week. I plan on delivering this piece to the client next Saturday. 

Medium: Prisma Colored Pencils, Irojiten Colored Pencils and Copic Colorless Blender Marker. 

Size: 9 x 12

Paper: Artagain

In this step-by-step work in progress I started off  by layering with the Terracotta Prismacolor Verithin and then I began to gradually add other layers of color using Prismacolors and Irojitens. I used the Copic Colorless Blender Marker to blend the colors. For the white highlights in the clouds and in small detail parts of the goat I used Brush and Pencil's Colored Pencil Titanium White. 

Keep on Creating!

Have a blessed week!

Moores Art Gallery Colored Pencil Impressed Line Technique & Sgraffito

 

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Impressed Line & Sgraffito

It's All About Colored Pencils!

The impressed line technique is used to achieve fine white lines, such as whiskers, wispy hairs, details in flowers and leaves, and so on, by using a blunt object such as a wooden stylus to make indentations or impressions onto the surface of the paper. Once you start to apply layers of color over the impressed lines, the impressed lines of the paper will become visible.

Impressed Line tips:

• Be certain that the instrument you use has no sharp point, as it will tear the paper's surface.
• Make sure you mark the impressed line areas on your paper first before applying any colors.
• You can apply layers of a light color first, then make your impressed line over that layer of color.
• You may add light layers of color to the groove later if you wish.
• You can also create impressed lines with a white or light-colored pencil, revealing an impressed line of the colored pencil used instead of the color of the paper.
• Impress or indent your lines carefully, maintaining the same constant pressure throughout the length of the whisker or hair.
• Decrease pressure or indentation near the tip or end of the whisker or hair to suggest realism.

Sgraffito Technique

Sgraffito is a technique in which you carefully scratch the surface of the paper with an X-Acto knife or a similar tool to expose a layer of color beneath the first layer of color. To accomplish this technique, you must add several layers of colors, then take the X-Acto knife and scrape away the top layer to reveal colors underneath. Be very careful while scraping away the layers of colors so that you do not damage the surface of the paper. Brush away any debris from the surface of the paper so the debris doesn't smear onto the surface. This technique can be used to create whiskers, wispy lines of hair, other minute detail, and textures.

Keep on Creating!

Moores Art Gallery Blending, Burnishing and Layering Colored Pencils

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Blending, Burnishing, and Layering

It's All About Colored Pencils!

Blending 

Blending is the process of layering colors and merging the layers of colors together by using layering techniques and or using a combination of blending tools. As a result, you can achieve rich photo-realistic type works.

Some Tips On Blending

• To blend colors try using a stump or tortillion. Tortillions come in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large. Stumps are very similar to tortillons but are much bigger. Blend the colors in a circular motion. Make sure you keep the tips clean if you are using them to blend selective colors.

• A colorless marker can be used to blend layers of colors together. The colorless marker consists of a colorless solvent that dissolves and melds the colored pencil pigment. The results achieved when using a blender marker can be smooth, deep, rich, lush and vivid. The marker is great for making washes, or under-paintings in colored pencil paintings. Some top-rated brands are Tombow Colorless Blender Pen, Prismacolor Colorless Blender Marker, Finesse Colored Pencil Blender Marker, or Copic Colorless Blender Marker.

• Try using makeup sponges, q-tips, or an Alvin Dry Cleaning Pad, for blending layers of color.

• Try applying a solvent, such as Gamsol mineral spirits, Turpenoid Natural, or Zest it with a q-tip or paintbrush to blend colors together. 

• Colored Pencil Artist Carlynne Hershberger has discovered a "new blending tool called the Crayon Eraser." It is similar to Prismacolor Colorless Blenders, however, it does not change the saturation of the colors as the blending markers and pencils can do.

• Colored Pencil Artist, Linda Lucas Hardy uses a dry brushing technique for blending her layers of color. She applies multiple layers of colored pencil gradually, using up to heavy pressure, and then takes a stiff-bristle paintbrush or pastel brush, no longer than 1/2 inch, and blends the colors together.

• Colored pencil artist Ester Roi has invented the Icarius Drawing Board. The board has a warm side and a cool side. The warm side of the board is used for mixing, blending, and burnishing layers of colors. You use the cool side of the board to work on the details and other layering techniques.

• The colorless blender pencil is a very effective and valuable tool for blending colors, creating rich, vibrant colors, or giving layers of color a polished look. The colorless blender pencil base consists of either a non-pigmented wax or non-pigmented oil-wax that blends and burnishes the colored pencil pigment. I have used the following four colorless blender pencils to blend colors and to help in completing finishing touches on detailed areas: Prismacolor's blender pencil (PC 1077), Lyra's Rembrandt Splender Blender, Derwent Blender, and Caran d'Ache Full Blender-Bright.

Burnishing

Burnishing with colored pencils can create a beautiful rich glazed look. Burnishing is the process of layering multiple colors and then applying heavy pressure with a light-color pencil or with an artist tool. The wax then melds together and causes the drawing surface to become slick, filling up the entire tooth of the paper's surface. 
For example, after layering several colors, apply heavy pressure with Prismacolor Cloud Blue . Repeat the process again if necessary until a polished or vivid effect is achieved. Burnishing is ideal for creating sparkling glass, polished surfaces, and metals. If you intend to burnish your drawing, make sure you wait until the end, as burnishing will take all the tooth out of the paper.

Some Tips On Burnishing

• Burnishing works best with a light-colored pencil, such as Prismacolor Cream, Prismacolor White, Prismacolor 10% Cool Gray, or Prismacolor Cloud Blue, apply heavy pressure over the layered colored area to be burnished. 

• By burnishing with specific colors, you can achieve various effects, such as burnishing with Prismacolor Pale Ochre, you can give the illusion of an aged or antique look.

• Try using a metal scoop part of a ceramic clean-up tool, a spoon, or any other smooth metal device and apply heavy pressure in circular-like motions to the colored layers to be burnished.

• Burnish light areas first so that the dark pigment fragments do not land on unwanted areas on the surface of the paper.

• Burnish colors by using a stump or tortillion. Blend the colors in a circular motion while applying heavy pressure. Make sure you keep the tips clean if you are using them to blend selective colors.

Layering

Layering is the process of gradually building layers upon layers of colors using light to medium pressure to create different colors, values and hues. It can give your works an illusion of depth, can deepen colors, can modify colors, and can even give your work an impression of light or luminosity.

Some Tips On Layering

• Layer colors using crosshatch, horizontal, diagonal, vertical, or circular strokes. Start with a single light layer of color, then keep adding different layers of color on top of one another, using light to medium pressure, until the desired results are achieved

Keep on Creating!

Moores Art Gallery Vertical Line Technique

 

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Vertical Line Technique

It's All About Colored Pencils!

The vertical line technique is a technique that colored pencil artist Ann Kullberg created by placing a vertical line stroke next to another continuously and consistently on the surface of a paper. A great technique for achieving photo-realistic skin tones and texture.

The Vertical Line technique example above was created using layers of dark green and applying light pressure to heavy pressure.

I completed the portrait above at one of Ann Kullberg's workshops. It was my very first attempt at drawing a portrait, using the vertical line technique. I didn't quite get a chance to finish it, but I was able to get more photo realistic than I have ever before in drawing a subject. I highly recommend her workshops - you will learn a lot!

Ann also has some great portrait tools and kits to get your started on learning the vertical line technique.

A must have tool is Ann's Portrait Tool Set - Multimedia Instruction

In addition Ann's book Colored Pencil Portraits Step by Step is a must have to add to your colored pencil library collection.

Keep on Creating!

Fern Hill and New Colored Pencil Wildlife Work In Progress Portrait

 A glorious morning out around Fern Hill this morning. It's a short hike, but I love all the wildflowers, native plants, birds, and wildlife that are at this little sanctuary.

The flowers are starting to bloom. Wild Rose, Valerian, Chokecherry, Pacific Ninebark, Dogwood, Wild Rhododendron, Bluebonnet, and Western Wallflower are just to name a few.

It was awesome watching these two mallards. It was almost like they were putting on a show for me.

Swallows hanging out at home.

A multi-family of  Canadian Geese.

Canadian Goose posing.

My site is down temporarily. I have moved it from the Arvixe hosting to Wordpress.com. I hope to have it up soon. So, I will be sharing my current work-in-progress on my blog.  It has been nearly 2 years since I have picked up colored pencils. I hope I can remember how to use this very versatile medium. I just started working on this commission of a Mountain Goat this week. Stock photo reference is by Pixabay.

The piece is in colored pencil on Strathmore Artagain paper. I am starting off first with a complementary grisaille technique using a terracotta  Prismacolor Verithin. I got this idea from artist Carrie Lewis' article on  How to Draw a Complementary Grisaille

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Happy Creating!

Update on New Colored Pencil Commission Donation

New Work

New commission donation of a fairy dragon. Presently working on the rocks, wings and dragon. Done in colored pencil and watercolor pencil.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Keep on Creating! 

Graduation and New Commission Donation

Graduation
What seemed an eternity, I finally graduated from college in June with an A.A. degree in Computer Information Systems. It was a difficult journey, but with God's help I succeeded.

 

I am now working on my web design portfolio and hope to start applying for jobs next month sometime or working on starting up my own web design business. While I am working on my portfolio, I am working on commissions and new art pieces.

New Commission
I started a new commission donation piece yesterday - a fairy dragon. I will be posting the step by step on my blog here and on my Facebook page.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!!

Happy Creating Everyone!

Creating White Using Colored Pencils

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Creating White Using Colored Pencils

It's All About Colored Pencils!

The white-colored pencil is much like a colorless blender in that it can be used to blend and burnish colors. But should colored pencil artists just use only a white pencil to achieve white in their works of art? When working on colored paper, the white-colored pencil is a very effective tool for creating a base layer, and the white-colored pencil is effective in bringing out the highlights and wispy hairs within a subject. However, when working on white paper, defining white can be quite deceptive and challenging, especially for beginning artists. White is very much like black and can be made up of many colors in the spectrum, depending on the time of day, surrounding subject(s), and colors reflected upon the subject you are creating.

Below is a list of tips and techniques to create subjects that are white.

• Analyze your subject and determine what colors you see and are present before you begin.


• Use a paint shop program to determine what colors to use for white in your reference photo.


• Use a value/color finder to determine colors and values.


• Lyra Rembrandt and Derwent Coloursoft white pencils work best on colored paper.


• Build your white or brightest areas up using light layers of colors.


• In creating a white subject, pick colors reflected from surrounding subjects.


• Use light greys and soft pastel colors for creating your white highlights and light areas.


• Use soft pastel or light colors for snow.


• Use white only for highlights, whispy hairs and whiskers.


• Use opposite colors for shadows and darks to make your work pop and glow.


• Focus on creating the highlights and mid-tones, when working on colored paper.

Helpful Resources

A video on using white colored pencil on black paper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_lh11AM0yE

Drawing fur in colored pencil on black paper
http://sidneyeileen.com/tutorials/art/fur-colorpencil-black/

Drawing feathers on colored paper
http://www.squidoo.com/Colored-Pencils

Wet Canvas Colored Pencil Forum
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1302213&highlight=white+color+pencil

    

    

Keep on Creating!