T

heres a lot to like about colored pencils. Theyre utterly convenient

a handful of colored pencils and a pad of paper are all you really need.
Prep time and cleanup are practically non-issues; the materials are light and
portable, and you dont need messy or toxic solvents. At the same time, col-
ored pencils lend themselves to highly refned and exquisite works of art
that rival those created with any other medium.
Colored pencils are relatively inexpensive, and the palette is extensive.
The color is pure, clean and bright. The medium is permanent, and colored
pencil drawings do not require elaborate care or storage. Along with hard
and soft colored pencils, watercolor pencils and oil-based colored pencils
offer more options.
Aside from their convenience and versatility, much of the appeal of col-
ored pencils is the control they offer. You can do loose work, tight work or
anything in between. You can use colored pencil to tint a drawing with light
strokes that let the color of the paper show through, or you can use colored
pencil to create a solid deposit of many layers of color. Because colored pen-
cil is primarily a dry medium, theres no drying time to worry about. You can
walk away from the work and come back and pick up right where you left off.
You can start and stop at any time.
Colored pencil offers the pleasures and rewards of both drawing
and painting. Whatever other medium you enjoy, youll fnd colored pencil a
worthwhile addition to your repertoire.
Mediapedia By Greg Albert
What is
Mediapedia?
Mediapedia is an encyclopedia of art
media. Te Artists Magazine will pro-
le a dierent medium in each issue
for the rest of . Next up: inks
and markers.
Greg Albert, author of Te Simple Secret
to Better Painting (North Light Books), lives in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
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F
A
Q
s
Chemistry
Colored pencils are stable and
permanent. Their cores are made of very
fnely ground pigment bound with hard
wax. Watercolor pencils are made with
water-soluble cores; oil-based colored
pencils have soft cores that are soluble
in solvents such as mineral spirits. Some
colored pencils are made without wood
casing.
How do watercolor pencils dier from other colored
pencils?
Watercolor pencils look and feel like wax-based
colored pencils, but the binder in the core is water-
soluble. Tis allows the artist to use a wet brush to
blend the colors and make colorful washes, soft edges
and many other eects. Watercolor pencils are an
exciting medium because they enable the artist to
switch from drawing to painting instantly.
Are dierent brands of colored pencil compatible?
Yes, but the hardness of colored pencils cores varies by
brand. Layering softer pencils over hard is easier than
the reverse. Wax-based colored pencils can be used
with watercolor pencils but wont react to water in the
same way.
How can I correct and prevent wax bloom?
Wax bloom is a whitish buildup of wax that comes
from a heavy deposit of wax-based colored pencil. To
remove wax bloom, wipe the surface of the paper with
a soft tissue. Ten to prevent wax bloom from reoccur-
ring, lightly spray the drawing with two to four layers of
workable xative. Keep the surface of the paper clean
by using a soft brush to sweep away stray particles of
color and dust, especially after employing a technique
such as sgra to (scraping away a layer of color).
How should I store and display colored pencil art?
Spray nished colored pencil drawings with a nal, non-
workable xative to protect them from smearing.
Drawings are best stored at in boxes or a at le with
sheets of glassine or white drawing paper between the
drawings. For better protection of your best draw-
ings, consider matting. Colored pencil art should be
displayed under glass to protect it from damage and
pollutants.
Are colored pencils permanent?
Colored pencils are very stable but are only as per-
manent as the surface theyre on. Creating your art
on acid-free paper will ensure that it lasts a long time.
Protect your colored pencil art from rapid changes
in humidity or temperature, and take special care to
store it away from heat.
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Tips and techniques

Shading: produced with an even side-to-side stroke that

creates a smooth even layer of color. A light touch will
deposit a faint amount of color for graduated shading.

Hatching: a series of evenly spaced, parallel lines that leave

a little white or color of the underlying surface visible.

Cross-hatching: hatching overlaid at an angle to build up

layers of color or value. Keep the pencil tips sharp to create
ne, even lines.

Burnishing: layers of colored pencil applied with strong,

even pressure so the colors blend or intermix, completely
covering the paper with a smooth solid color. A stump or
tortillion or a smooth metal tool applied with even, heavy
pressure in a circular motion will also burnish a deposit of
color. Burnish light-colored areas rst.

Blending: produced by applying heavy, even pressure with

a pigmentless blending pencil or a white or light-colored
pencil (such as cream or light gray), creating slick, evenly
blended color. A sti bristle brush can be used to blend col-
ors as well.
Burnishing or blending with pale ochre creates an aged
or antique look for metallic surfaces, or use cloud blue to
suggest atmospheric perspective. A colorless marker can
also be used to blend layers of color together. Permanent
markers are good for making washes or underpaintings in
colored pencil drawings.

Scumbling: an irregular or broken deposit of one color

over another allowing the underlying color to be visible
through the top layer.

Sgra to: produced by scratching through a thick upper

layer of color with a sharp instrument to expose underly-
ing color or paper. Tis is a useful technique to create whis-
kers, wisps of hair or other ne linear details. Be careful not
to damage the surface of your paper.

Solvent eects: using a solvent such as mineral spirits

applied with a cotton swab or brushsoftens the colored
pencil deposit and creates interesting eects.
cross-hatching burnishing
blending scumbling
sgra to solvent eects
shading hatching
Safety and cleanup
Colored pencils are probably the safest pro-
fessional art materials available. Teres
almost no risk of ingestion of pigments. If
you use solvents, ensure that your work-
space has proper ventilation. Observe nor-
mal safe studio practices, and take care to
dispose of pencil shavings neatly.
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hot-pressed
watercolor paper
bristol board, plate
bristol board, vellum
charcoal paper
Must-Have Tools
Good sharpener: A good quality hand-held sharpener is a must; an electric sharp-
ener saves time and energy.
Colorless blender: A colored pencil with a core made of pigmentless wax can be
used to blend colors or soften edges without adding more color.
Erasers: White plastic erasers will remove or manipulate colored pencil marks;
eraser pencils and sticks are useful for concise erasure.
Eraser shields: Tis small, at metal tool with openings of
various shapes can be used for precise, controlled erasure.
Cotton swabs: Tese can be used for burnishing or for
applying solvents.
Knives: Use these or other sharp instruments for
sgra to.
Spray workable xative: Use xative to
protect a nished drawing and prevent wax
blooms.
Sturdy storage box: Keep your pencils orderly
and protected.
Papers
Any good drawing paper is accept-
able for colored pencil, but a fne-
toothed, frm, durable paper or
illustration board is best for exten-
sive layering and burnishing. Not
all papers can stand up to the
pressure of the pencil, especially
if youre layering multiple colors,
burnishing and blending. Paper
with a rough surface can produce
interesting textures, but it makes it
diffcult to apply completely even
deposits of color. Experiment with
different papers until you fnd the
ones best for your work. Here are
some good surfaces to begin with:

Hot-pressed watercolor paper,

which has a smooth surface, is suitable to work on
because it will take many layers of color and give good
results when the deposit of colored pencil is blended.

Bristol board is a good, lightweight board with two

types of surfaces: plate, which is very smooth and is
excellent for layering and blending; and vellum, which
has a more textured surface and is less amenable to
blending and burnishing.

Charcoal paper, which comes in a variety of colors

with smooth and textured
sides, is suitable for various
techniques.
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