Forget those childhood memories of scratchy, pale drawings made with flimsy school pencils. Colored pencils, in the right hands and with the right approach, are capable of producing stunningly realistic artwork that can rival paintings in depth and detail. Achieving that level of realism isn’t about magic; it’s about understanding the medium and employing specific techniques consistently. It requires patience, observation, and a willingness to build complexity layer by delicate layer.
Many aspiring artists get frustrated because they try to get rich, vibrant color down in one go, much like using markers or paint. But the true power of colored pencils lies in the opposite approach: subtlety and gradual development. Think of it less like painting a wall and more like weaving a tapestry. Each stroke, each layer, contributes to the final, intricate picture.
Choosing Your Weapons: Pencils and Paper Matter
Before diving into techniques, having the right tools makes a significant difference. Not all colored pencils are created equal. Broadly, they fall into two categories:
Wax-Based Pencils: These are the most common type (think Prismacolor Premier). They tend to be softer, blend beautifully, and allow for rich saturation relatively quickly. However, they can be prone to ‘wax bloom,’ a hazy film that can appear over time on heavily layered areas, though this can usually be wiped away gently or prevented with fixative.
Oil-Based Pencils: Examples include Faber-Castell Polychromos. These pencils generally have a harder lead, hold a sharp point for longer (great for details!), and are less prone to wax bloom. They might feel slightly less creamy than wax pencils and often require more layers to achieve deep saturation, but they offer exceptional control and durability.
Many artists use both types, leveraging the strengths of each. Don’t feel you need the biggest set imaginable to start. A good selection of 24-36 quality pencils is more than enough to learn the ropes. Focus on quality over quantity.
Equally important is your drawing surface. The paper’s tooth – its texture – significantly impacts how colored pencil adheres and blends.
- Smoother Papers: Bristol board (vellum surface), hot-press watercolor paper, or specialized smooth drawing papers allow for fine detail and easier blending with solvents or colorless blenders. They require more careful layering to build depth as the tooth fills up faster.
- Textured Papers: Cold-press watercolor paper, pastel paper, or papers with more tooth grab the pigment readily, allowing for more layers and interesting textural effects. Blending might require more effort or specific techniques like burnishing.
Experimentation is key. Try different papers to see what suits your style and the subjects you want to draw.
The Cornerstone Technique: Layering
If there’s one technique that defines realistic colored pencil work, it’s layering. This is the process of applying multiple light layers of different colors, one over the other, to create complex hues, smooth transitions, and deep values. Instead of grabbing a dark brown pencil for a shadow, you might start with a light ochre, add a touch of lavender, layer on a medium brown, perhaps introduce a hint of dark green or deep red, and finally use the dark brown sparingly.
Why layer? Because it allows colors to mix optically on the paper, creating richness and luminosity that single colors often lack. It provides control over value (lightness/darkness) and hue. Apply layers with light pressure, allowing the paper’s tooth to show through initially. Each subsequent layer fills the tooth a bit more, gradually building saturation and smoothness.
Resist the powerful urge to press hard with your pencils right from the start. Building convincing realism with colored pencils is fundamentally a marathon, not a quick sprint to the finish line. True patience during the initial and middle layering stages is absolutely non-negotiable if you want to achieve those seamless transitions and that rich, believable depth.
Bringing it Together: Blending Methods
Once you have several layers down, you’ll often want to blend them for a smoother, more painterly effect. Heavy layering itself can achieve blending, but specific tools and techniques help.
Burnishing
This involves applying heavy pressure with a light-colored pencil (like white, cream, or a very pale version of a local color) or a specialized burnishing pencil over existing layers. The heavy pressure flattens the pencil layers, crushes the paper’s tooth, and forces the pigments to physically mix, creating a smooth, almost glossy finish. Use burnishing selectively, often in the final stages, as it makes adding more layers on top very difficult.
Colorless Blenders
These are essentially pencils made from the wax or oil binder without any pigment. They work similarly to burnishing by physically mixing the layers but without adding color. They offer more control than using a colored pencil for burnishing and come in pencil or marker form. Be mindful that they can sometimes slightly darken the blended area.
Solvents
Using odorless mineral spirits (like Gamsol) or specialized blending solutions on a cotton swab, tortillon (a tightly rolled paper stump), or brush can dissolve the pencil binder, allowing the pigments to flow and blend like paint. This technique works best on sturdy paper that can handle moisture. Always use solvents in a well-ventilated area and test them on a scrap piece first, as they can significantly alter the color appearance.
Mastering Pressure and Strokes
How hard you press and the direction of your strokes are vital.
Pressure Control: Varying your pressure creates different values from the same pencil. Light pressure is essential for initial layers, allowing subsequent colors to be added. Medium pressure builds color more quickly, while heavy pressure (burnishing) creates the deepest saturation and blends layers.
Stroke Types:
- Circular Strokes: Small, overlapping circles are excellent for creating smooth coverage, especially for skin tones or skies.
- Linear Strokes: Parallel lines (hatching) or overlapping lines (cross-hatching) build value and can follow the form of an object to enhance its three-dimensionality. Keep strokes consistent in direction for textures like wood grain or hair.
- Scumbling: Random, scribbled lines create texture and can be layered effectively.
Match your stroke direction to the form of the object you’re drawing. For instance, use curved strokes for a round apple, or directional strokes following the flow of fur or fabric.
Achieving Realistic Textures
Realism hinges on convincingly rendering different surfaces.
Fur/Hair: Use sharp pencils and directional strokes. Layer light to dark, preserving highlights. Consider indenting lines (see below) before adding color for fine light hairs.
Skin Tones: Build up many light layers of various colors – peaches, pinks, yellows, ochres, even blues and greens in subtle amounts for undertones and shadows. Blend smoothly using circular strokes or solvents.
Metal: Requires sharp contrasts between very dark shadows and bright, sharp highlights. Use smooth blending techniques and pay close attention to reflected colors from the surroundings.
Glass: Similar to metal, focus on contrast, reflections, and transparency. Render what’s seen through the glass accurately, distorting it appropriately. Highlights are often crisp and white.
Wood Grain: Use linear strokes following the grain pattern. Layer different browns, tans, and ochres. Dark lines define the deeper grain.
An Advanced Trick: Indenting
For fine light details like whiskers, light hairs, or scratches on a surface, you can use an indenting tool (or a depleted ballpoint pen, stylus) to press lines or dots into the paper *before* applying color. When you color over the indented area, the pencil skips over the depressions, leaving the lines white or the color of the paper. This creates very fine, crisp light details.
Bringing It All Together: Workflow and Final Thoughts
A typical workflow might look like this:
- Accurate Line Drawing: Start with a light, precise sketch. Graphite can sometimes smear or muddy colors, so consider using a light-colored pencil that matches your subject’s base tone for the initial sketch.
- Lightest Layers First: Block in the lightest colors and values across the entire piece using light pressure.
- Build Mid-Tones: Gradually introduce mid-tone colors, always layering lightly and considering color interactions.
- Introduce Darks: Begin adding darker values and shadows, increasing pressure slightly but still allowing for further layering.
- Refine and Detail: Sharpen pencils for fine details. Add the darkest accents and brightest highlights.
- Blend and Burnish (Selectively): Smooth transitions where needed using your preferred blending method. Burnish final areas for intense saturation or a polished look.
Creating realism with colored pencils is incredibly rewarding. It demands careful observation of light, form, and color in the real world. Don’t be discouraged by initial attempts. Every drawing is a learning experience. Embrace the slow, meditative process of layering, pay attention to your pressure and strokes, choose your tools wisely, and practice consistently. The potential locked within those simple sticks of color is vast, waiting for you to unlock it stroke by careful stroke.
