Video 18: Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are a drawing medium that consists of waxy shafts of pigment encased
inside of wood. There are a variety of brands of colored pencils that vary greatly in
quality and price. Not surprisingly, higher quality pencils will produce better results.
Because they are readily available, colored pencils are probably the most misused
drawing medium.
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To be successful with colored pencils, there are five things to keep in mind. The first is to
color heavily, which is related to tip two - layer your colors. By layering colors, a heavy
application of colored pencils naturally happens. Colors should also be mixed. Mixing
colors creates natural colors that have more depth and interest. Be prepared to spend
some time developing a colored pencil drawing. When executed properly, color pencil
drawing is a time consuming exercise. Lastly, hold off on the details until the base colors
have been established in a drawing. Because of the nature of the medium, details can be
layered directly on top of previous applications or layers of colored pencil.
The drawing is started
by using a dark brown
pencil on a toned
surface. Graphite is
avoided because it will
mix will subsequent
layers of colored pencil
and “muddy” the color.
The drawing begins as a
simple contour line
drawing of the subject.
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To create dark areas in the drawing, a
mixture of dark brown and dark blue
will be used. Black is a very strong
color and can tend to make drawings
appear flat. By mixing brown and
blue, a natural black is created. This
black is first mixed in the eye of the
turtle, by alternating applications of
blue and brown.
The spots of the turtle are addressed
by adding brown within the shape.
Next, a dark red is layered on top.
Naturally, these colors will begin to
mix as they are applied.
The layered brown and red is now
burnished using a cream color.
Burnishing is a technique in which the
waxy constituents in the colored
pencils aid in mixing and smoothing
previous applications of colored
pencils. Typically, lighter values are
used for this technique, however
some manufacturers produce
“colorless blenders” that are designed
for this specific purpose.
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The cream color is added to fill in The drawing continues by adding
the areas between the spots. cross contours lines on the neck
Shadow is added by layering of the turtle. These lines will be
brown. The brown is then weakened as layers of cream,
burnished with a layer of cream. white, and yellow are layered on
top.
After layering colors for the neck The cream color is next extended
of the turtle, details can be re- down the neck to the body of the
established using a sharp brown turtle. The same layering process
pencil. of cream, white, and yellow will
be repeated.
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To create realistic shadow under Next, cream is used to burnish
the left fin of the turtle, blue is first the layer of blue.
layered over the cream color.
Next, dark brown is added over Then, more blue is added before
the burnished area. the entire area is lightly burnished
with cream.
The process continues down
the body of the turtle. The
base color is established,
then colors are layered and
burnished. Lastly, details are
added.
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The patterns on the shell of the Blue is added to darken areas on
turtle are approached in the same the shell.
manner as the spots with brown,
red, and cream.
The patterns around the edge of To further the realism of the color,
the shell are addressed with green is added to mimic reflection
brown and blue of the color of the water.
The gray tone of the paper
creates enough contrast to
consider the drawing
complete.
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