Mediapedia
T here’s a lot to like about colored pencils. They’re utterly convenient—
What is
Mediapedia?
Mediapedia is an encyclopedia of art
media. The Artist’s Magazine will pro-
file a different medium in each issue
for the rest of 2009. Next up: inks
and markers.
■ Greg Albert, author of The Simple Secret
to Better Painting (North Light Books), lives in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
59_TAM0709Mediapedia.indd 59
■ By Greg Albert
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 don’t need messy or toxic solvents. At the same time, col-
ored pencils lend themselves to highly refined 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.
July/August 2009 ■ www.artistsmagazine.com
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, there’s 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, you’ll find colored pencil a
worthwhile addition to your repertoire.
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4/24/09 2:15:13 PM
 Chemistry
Colored pencils are stable and
permanent. Their cores are made of very
finely 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.
FAQs

How do watercolor pencils differ from other colored How can I correct and prevent wax bloom?
pencils? Wax bloom is a whitish buildup of wax that comes
Watercolor pencils look and feel like wax-based from a heavy deposit of wax-based colored pencil. To
colored pencils, but the binder in the core is water- remove wax bloom, wipe the surface of the paper with
soluble. This allows the artist to use a wet brush to a soft tissue. Then to prevent wax bloom from reoccur-
blend the colors and make colorful washes, soft edges ring, lightly spray the drawing with two to four layers of
and many other effects. Watercolor pencils are an workable fixative. Keep the surface of the paper clean
exciting medium because they enable the artist to by using a soft brush to sweep away stray particles of
switch from drawing to painting instantly. color and dust, especially after employing a technique
such as sgraffito (scraping away a layer of color).

How should I store and display colored pencil art?

Spray finished colored pencil drawings with a final, non-
workable fixative to protect them from smearing.
Drawings are best stored flat in boxes or a flat file 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
July/August 2009

displayed under glass to protect it from damage and

pollutants.

Are different brands of colored pencil compatible? Are colored pencils permanent?
■

Yes, but the hardness of colored pencils’ cores varies by Colored pencils are very stable but are only as per-
www.artistsmagazine.com

brand. Layering softer pencils over hard is easier than
the reverse. Wax-based colored pencils can be used
with watercolor pencils but won’t react to water in the
same way.
manent as the surface they’re 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 hatching

■ 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

fine, even lines.
■ Burnishing: layers of colored pencil applied with strong, cross-hatching burnishing
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 first.
■ 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 stiff bristle brush can be used to blend col-
ors as well. blending scumbling
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.
■ Sgraffi to: produced by scratching through a thick upper sgraffito solvent effects
layer of color with a sharp instrument to expose underly-
ing color or paper. This is a useful technique to create whis-
kers, wisps of hair or other fine linear details. Be careful not
to damage the surface of your paper.
■ Solvent effects: using a solvent such as mineral spirits—

applied with a cotton swab or brush—softens the colored

pencil deposit and creates interesting effects.

Safety and cleanup

July/August 2009 ■ www.artistsmagazine.com

Colored pencils are probably the safest pro-

fessional art materials available. There’s
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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Papers
Any good drawing paper is accept-
able for colored pencil, but a fine-
toothed, firm, 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 you’re layering multiple colors,
burnishing and blending. Paper
with a rough surface can produce
interesting textures, but it makes it
difficult to apply completely even
deposits of color. Experiment with
different papers until you find the
ones best for your work. Here are
some good surfaces to begin with:
■ Hot-pressed watercolor 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: This small, flat metal tool with openings of
various shapes can be used for precise, controlled erasure.
Cotton swabs: These can be used for burnishing or for
applying solvents.
Knives: Use these or other sharp instruments for
sgraffito.
Spray workable fixative: Use fixative to
protect a finished drawing and prevent wax
blooms.
Sturdy storage box: Keep your pencils orderly
and protected.

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.

hot-pressed
July/August 2009

watercolor paper
bristol board, plate

charcoal paper
■
www.artistsmagazine.com

bristol board, vellum

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