Moores Art Gallery Colored Pencil Pattern and Texture Techniques and Tips

 

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Creating Patterns and Textures with Colored Pencils

It's All About Colored Pencils!

When using colored pencils, one can create various patterns and life-like textures by using specific tools and applying various techniques. For example, some patterns or textures can be created by applying layers of colors and adding distinct details or you can create a pattern or texture by using an eraser. 

There are many wonderful resources out on the market today on creating various patterns and textures for colored pencil artists. One wonderful resource for your colored pencil library is a book by colored pencil artist Gary Greene, Creating Textures in Colored Pencil. The book goes into detail about how to create various life-like textures using colored pencils along with step-by-step demonstrations. Two other good resources for creating textures with colored pencil is 101 Textures in Colored Pencil: Practical step-by-step drawing techniques for rendering a variety of surfaces & textures and The Complete Book of Textures for Artists: Step-by-step instructions for mastering more than 275 textures in graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, acrylic, and oil  Both books are by artist Denise Howard and each is a great guide in learning how to use specific tools and techniques to create different types of textures using colored pencils. 

Tips and Techniques for Creating Different Textures or Patterns with Colored Pencils.

• To create a pattern or texture, try using the side of the pencil lead to create different patterns and or life-like textures.
• To create a pattern or texture, try rubbing the colored pencil onto fine-grit sandpaper to create some colored pencil powder, and then apply the colored pencil powder onto the surface of the paper.
• To create a pattern or texture, scrape the lead of a colored pencil with an X-Acto knife or other sharp object and apply the shavings to the surface of the paper with the tip of a pencil or another tool.
• After applying many layers of colors and a thick layer of color has been developed on the surface of the paper, use an X-Acto knife to scrape different patterns or textures onto the surface of the colored pencil layer. Be careful because if you scratch too hard, you can damage the surface of the paper.
• Find a fairly flat textured or patterned object, such as sandpaper, and lay it beneath the paper, and do a colored pencil rubbing onto the surface (known as frottage) of the paper in desired areas. The heavier the pressure, the more visible the texture will be.
• Try creating various patterns and textures using a textured rubbing plate under the paper.
• After layering many colors, try using an electric eraser, such as a Sakura Electric Eraser or a Pentel Clic Eraser, to make different patterns onto the colored pencil layers of the surface of the paper.
• To create a pattern, take a sharpened woodsy dowel, sand the tip to desired bluntness and use it to indent the paper with the desired pattern. Next, apply layers of color on top of the indented surface. The white of the paper or colored paper will show through revealing the pattern.
• To create a pattern, try crosshatching two different colors. First, lay down an area of straight strokes at right angles with one color, and then overlay another area of straight strokes at right angles with a different color. Try using complementary colors to add some spark.
• To create a pattern, try stippling, a technique in which you apply dots sparsely or densely using single or multiple colors.
• To create a texture, try "Scumbling." "Scumbling" is a colored pencil technique in which you lightly overlap layers of color in a small circular motion, forming tiny circles. It is also referred to as the 'Brillo pad' technique, as the texture resembles a steel-wire cleansing pad. The texture you create depends upon the size and pressure you use to draw the tiny circles. Try varying the size of the circles and colors to create interesting textures.

Video Resources

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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.

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Moores Art Gallery Watercolor Pencil Tips and Techniques

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Watercolor Pencil Tips & Techniques

It's All About Colored Pencils!

Watercolor pencils are very similar to colored pencils in that they allow you to have precise control, achieve great detail, are very flexible, portable, and inexpensive. The difference between regular colored pencils and water-soluble pencils is their leads. Colored pencil leads are either wax or oil-based, whereas watercolor pencil leads have a water soluble base.

When working with watercolor pencils, it is important to remember that the results will not be the same as if you were working with colored pencils. After you have layered several colors down and have applied water or a solvent of some type, you will notice that the colors will sometimes be darker, sometimes more vivid, or sometimes will become a color you were not trying to achieve at all. So experiment before you start layering colors to see if it is the color you want for your project or portrait. Also, try mixing your watercolor pencils with other mediums, such as Prismacolor colored pencils, Ohuhu Gel inks or Derwent graphite pencils. You will be surprised with the results!

Tips and Techniques

• Apply the watercolor pencil dry.
• Wet the paper first to produce a bleeding type effect or to create soft lines.
• Try using various tools, such as a sponge or toothbrush or shaking the watercolor pencil, to create different effects.
• After your watercolor pencil wash has dried, apply dry layers of watercolor pencil for detail.
• Create glazed watercolor pencil washes (transparent layers of color over another) by using either water or solvents.
• Use a colorless blender marker, such as Tombow's Colorless Blender Pen, to blend the colors.
• To achieve a thick opaque look, dip your pencil in water or in a solvent, such as Turpenoid Natural (this technique tends to eat the lead of the pencil up quickly) and then apply it to the surface of the paper.
• To create detail using watercolor pencils, try using a small wet paint brush.
• Try creating a graded wash, from dark to light with water or solvents.
• Try a backwash technique by wetting your paper first then apply one color at one end, and then another color at the other end, watch the colors blend and bleed together.
• To create a cool effect, try dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and then dot the wet colored surface of your paper with the cotton swab.
• To create a sparkly effect, try applying salt to the wet surface of your paper and let it dry.

Best Papers

I have discovered the following papers work the best when combining watercolor pencils with colored pencils: Arches watercolor paper hot press, Strathmore watercolor pads cold press and Rising Stonehenge drawing paper. Rising Stonehenge works best with the dry technique, with colorless blender markers, or with minimal water. If you do use water, make sure to tape the paper down to the board to prevent buckling.

All three brands of paper are acid-free and Strathmore also has ATC/ACEO size watercolor paper.

Brands of Watercolor Pencils

The watercolor pencil brand that I work with the most is, Derwent Watercolor Pencils. They are super creamy like Prismas color pencils and they have a wonderful selection of colors. They are fine art quality water-soluble pencil. They are non-toxic with lightfast pigment. They are available in packaged tins or open stock at most art stores.

In addition, I like to use Stabilo Aquacolor Watercolor Pencils to work on skies and small details. They have leads similar to Prismacolor Verathins, but, unfortunately, they have been discontinued. However, from time to time, you can find them on Ebay.

Watercolor Pencil Example

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Moores Art Gallery Colored Pencil Tips

Colored Pencil Tips & Techniques:

Colored Pencil Tips

It's All About Colored Pencils!

Some Tips When Working with Colored Pencils

These are some tips I have learned over the years through books, magazines, articles and from other colored pencil artists. More tips will be added to this list as I learn and explore more.

• To help your drawings stay crisp and clear, keep your pencil points sharp.
• To add some interest, spark and life to your drawings, try layering several different colors together.
• Beware of over saturating your paper's surface with too many layers of color. The color will start to no longer adhere to the paper's surface because the tooth of the paper has completely filled. As a result, the surface of the paper will start to wear down and possibly tear.
• Always keep the surface of your paper clean by brushing debris away with a drafting brush, make-up brush or tissue. Be careful when applying heavy pressure, such as when you burnish, sometimes pencils tend to flake debris upon your paper.
• To prevent wax bloom (a white film that builds up on the surface of the paper), wipe the surface of the paper with a soft tissue and then lightly spray the drawing with 1 to 3 layers of Krylon Workable Fixative Aerosol Spray. The workable fixative will protect your artwork while you continue to work on your artwork. Once you are done with your artwork you can spray 1-3 layers of a final fixative on your artwork to protect it and to prevent wax-bloom. In order to make sure there is not displeasing color changes to your artwork, make sure to test before you spray any fixatives. 
• To create vivid intense colors, try applying a solvent to the layers of color such as Turpenoid Natural, liquin, colorless blender markers, bestine, mineral spirits or baby wipes.
• It is important to add a good range of values throughout your drawing. Remember the more layers of color and the heavier the pressure, the darker the colored area on your drawing will become.
• To add life to your colored pencil artwork, try varying the color intensity, saturation and or hue in your artwork.
• Try creating different moods by drawing on different colored papers, such as Canson Mi Tientes or Art Spectrum Colourfix.
• When working on a tonal drawing, work from dark to light.
• Keep your pencil strokes even, consistent in pressure and in the same direction, so the lines of your strokes will be less visible and will blend into the layers of color.
• When adding layers of color, start off with light pressure and gradually increase your pressure.
• To create, a rich dark black, try layering Prismacolors indigo blue, crimson, sepia and black grape.
• To keep areas on the surface of your paper white, try using frisket film, liquid frisket or a frisket masque pen.
• Keep a color key of your drawing for future reference in case you decide you need to take a break from your artwork.
• For fine or small detail, try using Prismacolor Verithins. Rex Art has an open stock of them available.
• Practice using only a single color to help improve your blending, layering, and graduating skills.
• Practice using different pressures (light, medium and heavy), to achieve different depths of color and tones of color.
• Try using a light colored pencil to draw out your sketch and then blend the sketch into the layers of colors you apply.
• When your pencils become too small to sharpen, try using a pencil extender for your pencil stubs, or try gluing pencil ends together with superglue.
• To prevent smearing, smudging of debris and dark spots, wipe off the tips of pencils with a tissue or cloth before applying color.
• When working with colorless blender markers you have to be careful to wipe off the nibs of the pencils after blending, or colors will mix.
• Try purchasing several blender markers for each color, so there is not a constant need to wipe off colored areas on the nibs.
• Be careful of over-blending and over-saturating your paper, you will not be able to add any more layers of colors or blend with a blender.
• Allow your drawing to dry from the blender marker before adding any more layers of colors.
• To create an illusion of depth, try using complementary colors in dark valued areas of your artwork.
• To help hide a stain on your drawing: try using a color similar to the stain color or use an opaque medium such as white or cream to cover it.
• Colored Pencil Artist, Barbara Newton, has a wonderful tip on how to conceal a scratch mark or indent on your drawing: first apply a little color over the area, then blend the color into the area with a clear colorless blender marker and then add some more color till the mark is no longer visible.
• Try making your own colored pencil wheel using specific brands of colored pencils to use as a reference tool while creating your works of art. Two great tutorials on creating a colored pencil wheels are located at the Empty Easel and at Wetcanvas.

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Work in Progress, Colored Pencil Tip of the Week & Resource of the Week

Hello Everyone!
Today is a beautiful day outside. So, instead of working on my current work-in-progress, I am going to work outside in the garden.  But, I am nearly done with this art piece; I have only a few more touch-ups to complete. Originally this piece was supposed to be for a ceiling mural I was going to paint for our church, but due to the age of the building and other matters, the church board decided against it. This piece was done with colored pencils on Rising Stonehenge.

Colored Pencil Tip of the Week

This week I am going to share with everyone how I layer my colors to achieve another color. For this example, I start off using light to medium pressure, applying a layer of Greyed Lavender as shown below, then on top of that layer, I add a layer of Caribbean Sea. Next, I add a layer of Slate Grey, and then I add a layer of Cool Grey 70%. I repeat the process of the same layers of colors. Sometimes I will apply as many as 3 to 4 layers of the same colors until I get the value and color I need. I always use light to medium pressure. I never use hard pressure unless I am burnishing with a light color over the top of these layers of colors. I always start with the lightest colors first and work my way up to the darker colors by building up my layers.

After I have applied these layers of colors, I usually leave them as is or apply a solvent, colorless blender marker, or pencil, depending on the subject I am creating. But as you can see, the greyed lavender shows through the other layers of colors. It's a lot like mixing paints to achieve the color you want, but you are layering different colors instead to achieve a particular color.

Resource of the Week

Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/

A social network site that has been getting more views than google+, linkedin and youtube combined.
Some huge controversy over Pinterest in regards to copyright issues though, and I can see the concerns, when artists are not given credit. I have a Pinterest account and I am using it to share my artwork and photography and to share some of my favorite artists works with credit. Pinterest is also a great way to gather some ideas and inspirations for creating some new works. Add me if you like  http://pinterest.com/mooresart/

I hope you all have a great weekend and happy creating!