Drawing in Colored Pencil
Reigncloud
ambitious project. Since I don't want to risk/waste too much time, effort and
materials, I'm trying to get some final questions answered before I begin. (Or
is this just another excuse to put it off?) I've read some books on the
subject, but they don't tell all, of course. Am I using the right stuff? I
have berol prismacolor pencils and smooth bristol paper/board. I want deeply
saturated colors and well defined lines and shapes. I am illustrating my own
(child's) book and will have to repeat some characters....this is what scares
me most! Are there tricks to acheiving decent duplication? I can illustrate
just about anything I spend sufficient time on, but I don't want to "waste"
time where there may be shortcuts. Any other tips/comments that may ease my
fear would be appreciated. More questions in next post....
Reigncloud
in with colored pencil. Since some objects will be repeated from one
illustration to the next, what is the best way to achieve same coloring when I
use several pencils to get one color? Of course I can list them all as I use
them, but this seems pretty tedious.
Marilyn
What are you doing it for?
It sounds like you are making yourself a colouring book.
M.
mike...@my-dejanews.com
reign...@aol.com (Reigncloud) wrote:
> Am I doing this right? I will do illustration outlines in black ink, then
fill
> in with colored pencil. Since some objects will be repeated from one
> illustration to the next, what is the best way to achieve same coloring when I
> use several pencils to get one color? Of course I can list them all as I use
> them, but this seems pretty tedious.
Sounds like the kind of stuff best suited to a computer program like Corel
Draw.
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Reigncloud
>>
>> Am I doing this right? I will do illustration outlines in black ink, then
fill
>> in with colored pencil. Since some objects will be repeated from one
>> illustration to the next, what is the best way to achieve same coloring when
I
>> use several pencils to get one color? Of course I can list them all as I
use
>> them, but this seems pretty tedious.
>What are you doing it for?
>It sounds like you are making yourself a colouring book.
>
>M.
In my original post, I explained that these illustrations were for a children's
story/picture book. The fact that they will first be drawn in pen is because
that is what I am accostomed to. I *think* that this may work best because if
I make a mistake, I can re-draw the outlines much easier than I could redraw
the colored pencil drawing (not to mention less waste of the costly pencils).
I posted here because I'd like to know if there is another way, and perhaps a
better way. Also, I need to know if there is a method of duplicating a
multi-layered color, other than listing all colors used and the order in which
they were used.
This is a brand new medium for me, and one I've never even seen done well, so I
am in very confusing territory - even though someone who is familiar with it
may consider my issues elementary. Call it artist's temperament, but I am very
neurotic about such details. I tend to succeed more and be more creative when
I am confident I am doing it right. All help, even the simplest things, will
be much appreciated.
Larry Seiler
what it can do for you....it would be ideal for one stylistic approach to a
children's book.
I use Derwent colored pencils....both the designer and the watercolor.
I love to sketch, and do so often. Using a plain old medium Bic black ink
ball point pen. Of course you would use what you want. I sketch.....then
use a limited amount of color from the Derwent "water" colored pencils to
work warm and colds, contrasts and a source of light in. Then a small
round paint brush with clear water looses the pigment and creates brilliant
washes much like watercolor, yet keeps some of the "drawn" character of the
pencil. It creates a definite stylized looked. It works very very fast,
is colorful, and not nearly as time consuming as line hatching, shading a
whole image, etc; Also...once the image is dry, you can go back in and
build up stronger color where you want it, and wash over it again.
--
Larry Seiler
my art web site at- http://cwinc.net/larryseiler
"Art attacks can skill!"
Larry Seiler
For example if a character's shirt was red.....the leading edge of the
shirt facing the light has yellow + red....and where absence of light or
shadow is, cooler colors....so it would be red + blue and violet. Middle
values remain more or less red. This method creates depth....warm colors
coming forward....cool receding, creates a sense of 3-dimension, and is
exciting with color for children.
--
Larry Seiler
my art web site at- http://cwinc.net/larryseiler
"Art attacks can skill!"
Reigncloud <reign...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19990310025422...@ng-fb1.aol.com>...
Marilyn
>
> >Reigncloud wrote:
> >>
> >> Am I doing this right? I will do illustration outlines in black ink, then
> fill
> >> in with colored pencil. Since some objects will be repeated from one
> >> illustration to the next, what is the best way to achieve same coloring when
> I
> >> use several pencils to get one color? Of course I can list them all as I
> use
> >> them, but this seems pretty tedious.
>
> >It sounds like you are making yourself a colouring book.
> >
> >M.
>
> In my original post, I explained that these illustrations were for a children's
> story/picture book. The fact that they will first be drawn in pen is because
> that is what I am accostomed to. I *think* that this may work best because if
> I make a mistake, I can re-draw the outlines much easier than I could redraw
> the colored pencil drawing (not to mention less waste of the costly pencils).
> I posted here because I'd like to know if there is another way, and perhaps a
> better way. Also, I need to know if there is a method of duplicating a
> multi-layered color, other than listing all colors used and the order in which
> they were used.
>
> This is a brand new medium for me, and one I've never even seen done well, so I
> am in very confusing territory - even though someone who is familiar with it
> may consider my issues elementary. Call it artist's temperament, but I am very
> neurotic about such details. I tend to succeed more and be more creative when
> I am confident I am doing it right. All help, even the simplest things, will
> be much appreciated.
I love using prisma colours, layered, melted, shaved, blended over
with the white crayon for effect.
This is how I would do it,
first a pencil drawing,
then the first layer of colouring
then if satisified with it, outline with black.
I cannot think of any other way to keep track of the colours except
to keep a list. This may interfere at first with your spontenaity,
but I can't see any way out of it.
M.
Blue Moon
says...
>I have berol prismacolor pencils and smooth bristol paper/board.
First and foremost I would NOT use bristol board. You want
something with more tooth. Bristol board is too slick for
getting fully saturated results from prisma pencils. I
personally prefer the Rising Stonehenge paper. It is 100 percent
cotton and is the perfect paper for taking all the abuse of
scrubbing and blending that allows taking full advantage of Prismas
ability to be blended together. Because Prisma is a wax medium,
it can more easily be blended it you work under a heat lamp.
Or use some other means of keeping the paper very warm.
>I want deeply
>saturated colors and well defined lines and shapes.
You will not be able to use the ink over the Prisma successfully
but you should have no trouble with ink put down beforehand.
Good luck.
Gloria Heim
pencils, it's a very nice match. Prismas don't give me the control I
want.
Just my $.02
Gloria
Reigncloud
Thank you for your two cents. I hope to be able to use my bristol, as that is
what I have and money is tight.
One more question for you: do you get deeply saturated colors? Can you
explain what it is you like about bristol vs more toothy papers? I am just
curious.
Larry Seiler
is that color perception is a manipulation in the viewer's eye. It is an
intelligent application.
For example.....if I wanted a fall colored tree to look like an explosion
of color, by graying down the surrounding background....perhaps even using
some cooler colors to suggest distance...the leaves of the tree will by
comparison "seem" to be exploding in deep saturated color.
A trick I do out of doors when deciding on a color is look at the sounding
area.
For example, I look at the tree directly when deciding upon the color and
values of the background. I periphally perceived the area outside the
tree.
When we look at something more directly it appears lighter and we see more
detail, etc., but in painting and drawing.....pigments do not replicate
actual atmospheric effect. We have to induce that effect. So....I want to
know what the shadows or background appear like while looking at the object
to be stood out....and not by looking at the background. In such manner, I
can make sure the object indeed gets all the attention it will require to
get the emotional effect I want.
Your colors will "appear" more saturated for one thing by colors you place
outside and around the subject.
Also..the impressionistic method of attaining luminiscent color was not to
entirely mix the color through and through, but allow the eye of the viewer
to mis it. Yellow marks next to orange and red...versus all together.
From a step back, the eye mixes it and appears to carry brilliance and
depth.
Now....it also sounds as though you are limited or are limiting yourself by
that which you've already invested. If that is one of your demarcations,
you have to accept that this comes with some limitations. You cannot
imitate the effect another artist gets with an entirely different medium or
pencil with its binder, on a different type surface. You can only suggest
similarity. Thus....you have to prepare yourself for the fact that without
the willingness or ability to afford what it will take....the outcome will
necessarily be different.
peace....
Larry
Larry Seiler
my art web site at- http://cwinc.net/larryseiler
"Art attacks can skill!"
<snip>
Reigncloud
Thank you. How much do I owe you now, Teach?
S.
Larry Seiler
> Larry,
> Thank you. How much do I owe you now, Teach?
> S.
Just commit yourself to your work and find or make some sanity in the
world. Have fun!
peace,
Larry Seiler
my art web site at- http://cwinc.net/larryseiler
"It is our fate and our misfortune that we live in history. An artist who
doesn't know history paints like a cow, because cows have no memory." -
Aleksandr Melamid
Reigncloud
very interesting. I had been thinking the smooth texture would allow for
smoother blending and less "absorbtion" of the pencil. However, considering
the final appearance is my priority, that is obviously what I should focus on.
Rose Lissa
pencil lately, so here's what I've learned. Regular finish bristol board (hot
press isn't so great in my experience) gives a soft fuzzy watercolor look which
is very nice if that's what your looking for, but you have to be careful not to
press to hard into the paper or you'll leave indention marks which risist your
color pencil and leave white spaces...although an interesting technique for
branches and such. You can also easily damage the surface with braclets,
rings, etc. if you don't watch it. A cold or soft press paper(I prefer at
least 300 pound cause it takes more abuse), will give you the saturated color
you are looking for. You can use heavy pressure and build light over dark more
easily if you need to make corrections. You'll have more room to make mistakes
and corrections while you are still learning. You can blend with a colorless
blender marker or solvent like turpenoid. This way you'll use up less pigment
(pencil) to cover more space. You do have to press pretty hard with your
pencils to fill in the surface off the paper...really layer it heavy or you'd
just get a "crayola" looking effect with lots of paper surface showing on a
heavy texture paper (unless you want that crayon look and I think you don't).
But it almost looks like rich oil paint finish to me if you do it right...can
take a little while though ( you can highlight it with acrylic or gouache,
also). Mylar is another option in surface. It gives a very smooth rich finish
and has enough tooth to hold several layers...very nice. Have you seen Mary
Engelbreit illustrations? She's wonderful, but has no painting experience, so
she inks in her sketch, uses markers (berol-prismacolor) to "color" in, and
then does the shading with color pencil. It's a quick simple method, and she
does use bristol board. The marker gives that rich color you'd want, and the
pencil gives lovely soft shading. I bet you'd do wonderfully well with that.
It's all expensive, I know, but some say it takes money to make money. A harsh
reality, yes, but I believe $ really can grow on trees if you can find the
right trees :). Someone who knows told me you can use any material in art
provided you take the time to develop the skill to use it correctly. They're
right. You do have to have a little patience. Art supply catalogs have more
selection and bigger discounts sometimes than local stores, Dick Blick, etc.
Invest in one or 2 really good materials and papers, do a great cover artwork
(if you work twice as large as you want the final cover to be, it will have a
nice tight finished look when it is reduced), and sketch out your ideas quickly
and more simply for the rest of the book in sketchbook paper, and go ahead and
send it off to your potential publishers (be sure to copyright it). Take
charge of your destiny, friend! You can do it! :) Follow that dream! Oh, and
have a nice day, too! Feel free to ask more if ya like and check out
www.maryengelbreit.com . Sorry so long...I'm just answering most of the
questions I would have had when I was in your place :).
Larry Seiler
> Engelbreit illustrations? She's wonderful, but has no painting
experience, so
> she inks in her sketch, uses markers (berol-prismacolor) to "color" in,
and
> then does the shading with color pencil. It's a quick simple method, and
she
> does use bristol board. The marker gives that rich color you'd want, and
the
> pencil gives lovely soft shading.
Hhhmmmm.....this sounds inviting to try. When I'm not artist'een,
(painting in studio or outdoors), I'm subteaching in the public
schools....and I take a sketchbook to draw, sketch students, etc; (btw,
kids are intrigued with it, brings a respect which adds to discipline, and
encourages them as goes the arts).
One thing I've done..which I suppose is similar then to Mary's
markers....was to use the watercolor pencils in the way she uses the
markers.
I sketch with a plain Bic medium black pen....then add "some" Derwent
watercolor pencil (for much laying down of pigment at this stage is not
needed), then use a small watercolor brush and clear color to wash or bleed
the color out. Over this I use regular Derwent designer colored pencils to
build up or add where needed.
I can sketch something in only minutes, and with just a few minutes more
add color and washes which suddenly pulls the whole thing together to look
quick appealing.
I find myself pulling down all the skeletons in science classes I sub,
birds, cats, etc; or drawing the power metal machines in tech ed, etc; its
fun! I may have to try the marker thing. Although...I have done this with
Crayola markers... slight pigment laid down with washes of a brush and
water over them. Also good.
Gloria Heim
everything I do. I don't want teeth to get in the way. For some things
a good toothy paper is good but for the pieces with extensive detail I
have to use the smoothest paper that will take a beating that I can
find.
gloria
Reigncloud wrote:
>
> Dear Gloria,
> Thank you for your two cents. I hope to be able to use my bristol, as that is
> what I have and money is tight.
>
Reigncloud
Wow, thank you! Every tid bit of info you gave me is priceless. Also, thanks
for the inspiration - the stress of wanting to do this ever-so-perfectly is
actually becoming an obstacle I'm trying hard to overcome, and your words help.
Mary Englebreit is exactly the look I seek, as far as color depth and shading
go. Just a week or so ago, I thought I might write her to ask her method.
Ironic.
Regards,
Sheri