Colored Pencils

I feel like I am obligated to do a post on colored pencils, seeing that I use it in almost all of my pieces. Like I said in my previous post, I never realized how much of an importance colored pencils were in the illustration field. I always looked at them as being for the younger crowd before I started my major in art in college.

When I first was told to get colored pencils, me being the poor college student, bought a cheaper brand of colored pencils. Don't do this! Finally when coming to R.I.T. my one professor made a polite demand that I must buy prismacolor colored pencils. I was annoyed and really didn't want too but did and I am so happy that I listened and followed through, prismascolor colored pencils is the way to go!

Materials in the art world are almost as important as the talent the artist has. The quality of the brushes to the quality of paint, canvas, board, paper, colored pencils... It all counts!

You can use colored pencils on illustration board, canson paper, regular paper, wood, whatever you like really. I prefer using canson mi teintes paper personally, try and chose a color that will help as good foundation for your piece. For example if doing a face portrait flesh colors work well such as tans and reds.

There are so many different techniques to go about when using colored pencils. I always start with a basic outline for the piece though, I start off with using a white colored pencil for the basic outline. From there i begin to build the piece layer by layer. Some people start with a dark color and work their way to the lightest but I kind of go all over the place, it's up to you on this one. When just using colored pencils for a piece I almost use a hatching technique. Which means my piece is mainly made up of small markings that build whatever it is I am drawing.

Colored pencils also really work well with less opaque paints like water color and a water downed gouache. It could be the underlaying portion of the piece and even an over layering part of the piece or both.

When handling colored pencils it is important to try and not to drop them. The wax lead that is inside the wood of the pencil can break up inside and it will decrease the life expectancy of the colored pencil and you'll have to keep buying new ones. Some artists use an exacto knife or blade when sharpening colored pencils, I personally feel it is a waste of time. I'm not saying to go and buy a cheap sharpener I like to use two different types of pencil sharpeners.

My favorite is my old school Boston vacuum mount self feeder that I use when I'm home. I couldn't find a website for the manufacturer but you can purchase them on amazon, ebay or even at an office supply store. Mine is over well over 20 years old and I love it.

My traveling pencil sharpener is just a simple hand held metal pencil sharpener with a no shavings holder. I guess I'm old school when it comes to sharpening pencils, I'm completely fine with that though. It does the job without destroying my pencils.

Gouache comes in handy for the highlights of a piece with colored pencils. Sometimes if you have too many layers it gives the piece a glossy look, a flat media like gouache helps break this up. For instance in a self portrait I did of myself I just used it on the eyes, which I did make glossy but the little marks of gouache breaks it up and brings the piece to life. Don't use just pure white though, it may be too intense, I suggest adding a little blue or black so the white isn't so severe.