Learn how to make a colored pencil prelimi- nary line drawing at www.artistsnetwork. com/article/colored-pencil-layout.

Burnishing

All colors in this demonstration are Prismacolor.

lighter colors, the artist paints lighter areas first, using minimal pressure to layer lighter colors on top of darker colors. After all colors are layered, the artist mixes—or burnishes—all but the darkest color in a given color area, using white or any light color, depending on the desired effect. The same sequence of colors is then re-layered over the entire color area. This process is repeated until the colored pencil areas completely cover the paper beneath them, allowing no tooth to show.

A third technique is underpainting, which tints paper without destroying its tooth, so the artist can create textures and other effects. There are two underpainting methods: one with wax/oil-based pencils and a solvent (See Underpainting With a Solvent, at bottom) and the other with water-soluble pencils. To create a water-soluble underpainting, the colored pencil is layered on the paper surface exactly as it would be with dry pencils, and then water is added with a brush. Water-soluble underpaintings produce uneven, loose results, while underpainting with solvents produces an even color distribution.

Layer color areas in the following order. Starting with the petals, layer cool gray 30, 20 and 10; magenta; process red; hot pink; pink; deco pink and cream. Then layer the stems with grass green, olive green, apple green, spring green and cream. Finally, layer the leaf with grass green, olive green and cool gray 30 and 20.

Underpainting with a solvent

All colors in this demonstration are Prismacolor, except when noted as Faber-Castell Polychromos (FCP).

www.artistsmagazine.com ■ November 2008

Layer the pear’s shadow with warm gray 30 and 20.

Apply the solvent (Bestine rubber cement thinner) over the shadow areas with a round watercolor brush and then with a cotton swab.

Apply the color limepeel to the pear’s shadow area. Layer the pear’s body colors with gamboge (Prismacolor Lightfast), jasmine, yellow chartreuse and cream.