semi-OT: Colored pencils

[cpg]

I broke out the Prismacolors and some red wine last night and had a
fine time, but I could use some technique tips. How does one get
smooth gradients using colored pencils? Is this just the wrong medium
to use or are there tricks I don't know about? I can get some nice
blends on very small scales but large background sections come out
really choppy. I was trying to do a sky at dusk and really wasn't too
happy with how it turned out. Burnishing helped somewhat but I'd like
it to be smoother if possible.

thanks....cpg

[Stan Wojda]

For colored pencils I work with a very light touch, building tones very,
very gradually. I try to do a 2-3" area at a time comming at it from a
number of directions. Let the areas overlap some. I always use at least a 4
ply Strathmore paper for pencil work with a buff finish. Very time consuming
but the results are worth the effort. What I do like to do is put a
watercolor underlay first, using the colored pencils for details and
rounding out the forms. I'ts possible to do very realistic work this way.
Not very spontaneous, but well worth the effort - Stan

cpg wrote

[Brian Mays]

In addition to watercolors I've also done large areas with pastels because they
blend more easily, and they erase more easily. I tend to add "flair" with
Prismacolors on top.

Brian

[Gem]

Hiya cpg,

Prismacolor makes a colored pencil blender to smooth gradient/hard edges and
blend tones. For larger areas, I like to use pastels, a good sized chunk, or
conte pencil and smooth it down/together with my hand.
Try using the side of the pencil point, in long smooth strokes, and varying the
pressure for color depth. As Stan says, layering the tones is a good way to
blend the colors.
If you're using watercolor pencils, then you can wash them together with a wet
brush or cloth.
Sounds like you are really getting into this! Soooo, you'll be participating in
this year's 14 days??? :)

--
Gem

cpg:

[cpg]

>Hiya cpg,
>
>Prismacolor makes a colored pencil blender to smooth gradient/hard edges and
>blend tones. For larger areas, I like to use pastels, a good sized chunk, or
>conte pencil and smooth it down/together with my hand.
>Try using the side of the pencil point, in long smooth strokes, and varying the
>pressure for color depth. As Stan says, layering the tones is a good way to
>blend the colors.
>If you're using watercolor pencils, then you can wash them together with a wet
>brush or cloth.
>Sounds like you are really getting into this! Soooo, you'll be participating in
>this year's 14 days??? :)

Hey Gem,

thanks for the tips. Layering sounds like something I need to
investigate more fully. Seems like a good way to add some depth and
character. I was also given the notion of using solvents to chemically
break down the waxes. May be worth a shot as well.

14 days, huh? I'm usually good for 4 or 5 days but not much more than
that. I did finally clear out a junk room in my house though and now
I've got big table with nothing on it where I can work/play a little
more easily. I'll have to buy a big tarp before I can break the
acrylics back out -- but I can fire up the colored pencils pretty
easily.

cpg

[cpg]

On Thu, 21 Nov 2002 15:22:18 GMT, Brian Mays <bm...@connectok.com>
wrote:

>In addition to watercolors I've also done large areas with pastels because they
>blend more easily, and they erase more easily. I tend to add "flair" with
>Prismacolors on top.

hm. Interesting. I may give that a try. thanks, cpg

[cpg]

So do people use colored pencils for drawing anything besides elves
and flowers? A quick google search tells me 'no'.

....cpg

[Gem]

cpg:

>thanks for the tips. Layering sounds like something I need to
>investigate more fully. Seems like a good way to add some depth and
>character.

http://www.portrait-artist.org/basics/realistic-portrait.html
This page has some good examples, especially the close-up photo, of some
techniques for adding dimension without smearing, such as hatching and
cross-hatching when using pencils.

http://www.howarddavidjohnson.com/pencil.htm
Some really beautiful pencil work.

>14 days, huh? I'm usually good for 4 or 5 days but not much more than
>that. I did finally clear out a junk room in my house though and now
>I've got big table with nothing on it where I can work/play a little
>more easily.

A little pencil drawing once a day, you can do it. Make yourself a set of
greeting cards, the family will think you're a creative artistic genius! :)

Cheers, Chris!
--
Gem

[Gem]

cpg:

>So do people use colored pencils for drawing anything besides elves
>and flowers? A quick google search tells me 'no'.

I've seen book illustrations, greeting cards, portraits, artist's rendering for
new buildings, interior design mock-ups, newspaper illustrations, some
courtroom depictions, and even some clipart, cartoons, and design graphics done
with pencil. I guess it depends on the look you want for a certain project.

[My daughter prefers colored pencils over crayons. I have been showing her some
shadowing and shading techniques and she's picked it up pretty quickly. I
prefer the look of charcoal and conte pencils.]

--
Gem

[Carol Ott]

I have a children's book that was illustrated with coloured pencils -- the
illustrations are *gorgeous* -- it's called "Bun Bun at Bedtime" and is
published by http://www.barefootbooks.com/

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
www.csott.com
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"Gem" <gemp...@aol.comFILE> wrote in message
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[cpg]

>A little pencil drawing once a day, you can do it. Make yourself a set of
>greeting cards, the family will think you're a creative artistic genius! :)

They already think I'm a genius. I drew a 6x8 picture of a hummingbird
using graphite a couple years ago -- Mom cleared off a whole wall of
the living room so she could showcase the "masterpiece". She hung it
by itself over the sofa so it looks the size of a postage stamp. Now
I feel like I have to make her something big to fill in all the rest
of that wallspace.

Maybe I'll scan the hummingbird and do a giclee. ;-)

cpg

[Dan]

Stan's right -- use a very light touch and build up slowly.

A smooth look comes out of keeping the paper's tooth intact. As soon as you
rub/smear/burnish you create an uneven surface and smooth gradients will be
impossible. Also, when the tooth is damaged, the art loses it's professional
snap.

Contrary to popular belief, keep a point on your pencil. You'll need to
learn to *roll* the pencil ever so slightly while you work. It's not hard to
learn, and you'll see immediate improvements in consistency.

This *is* time-consuming, so it's important to marry your patience level to
your technique. If you don't have time to get a large area ultra-smooth,
then you might develop a signature pattern (by changing stroke direction) so
the uneven areas look on-purpose.

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com

"cpg" <c_p_...@yahooooooo.com> wrote in message
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[Brian Mays]

If you try pastels use some sort of fixative before you go at it with the
Prismacolors on top. I've used fixative as cheap as Aquanet hairspray, but be
aware that fixatives can occasionally darken your pastel work up.

There is also some workable fixative, but I've never used any. Supposedly it puts
a bit of tooth into the pastel work for you to work from.

Brian

[Edward Wedig]

In article <jfaD9.2106$OZ4.2...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>,
cs...@NOSPAMcsottdesign.com says...

> I have a children's book that was illustrated with coloured pencils -- the
> illustrations are *gorgeous* -- it's called "Bun Bun at Bedtime" and is
> published by http://www.barefootbooks.com/
>

Not this Bun Bun, I hope (he'd be scary in a bedtime story).
http://store.sluggy.com/detailed-fear.html

;)

-Ed

--
****************************
Edward Wedig
Graphic Designer - Web Designer - Gamemaster - Nice Guy
www.edtheartist.com and www.docbrown.net
****************************

[cpg]

>Stan's right -- use a very light touch and build up slowly.
>

Thanks for your tips everybody. Looks like I've got lots to think
about. Sounds like I need to look more into papers too. My last effort
was on a toned paper, which added some nice character, but I'm
guessing it was not a real high quality paper.

cpg

[Brian Mays]

Canson makes a paper I've had some good results with. Good textures.

Brian

[cpg]

>Contrary to popular belief, keep a point on your pencil.

I've seen this advice in a few places but I don't really understand
it. Should I be drawing off the point? I use more of an angled stroke
that is pulling more from the side than the point. A sharp point
seems like it would tend to bite into the paper and leave occasional
unintended darker strokes. Am I doing something wrong?

cpg

[Stan Wojda]

cpg wrote

The paper is three-fourth of the problem with any dry medium (pencil or
pastel) 100% of the problem with watercolors. And don't forget to work on a
smooth surface. Nothing like picking up a hickey from a piece of dirt under
you sheet of paper to ruin your day.

[Limelight]

What's burnishing?

I'm thinking one way of doing it is shaving off the pigment and rubbing with
your fingers, although this method would produce pale results, and messy
fingers.

--
Helen (Limelight)
http://www.limelightpromotions.com

"cpg" <c_p_...@yahooooooo.com> wrote in message
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[Limelight]

>
> http://www.howarddavidjohnson.com/pencil.htm
> Some really beautiful pencil work.

Oh my god! This guy is a total inspiration...

[Gem]

>They already think I'm a genius. I drew a 6x8 picture of a hummingbird
>using graphite a couple years ago -- Mom cleared off a whole wall of
>the living room so she could showcase the "masterpiece"

Ain't Moms grand?? :)

>Maybe I'll scan the hummingbird and do a giclee. ;-)
>

Hey, why not?? It's surprising what people like and want to pay money for. I've
had some modest success with some of my efforts lately. Pretty cool. :)

--
Gem

[Gem]

Helen:
>What's burnishing?

Here you go, Helen:
http://www.glassgems.net/scribble/qa/qa.htm#Burnishing

cpg, check out this site, plenty of info:
http://www.glassgems.net/scribble/qa/qa.htm

--
Gem

[Matt Bostock]

Use paint! ;)

Matt

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[cpg]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2002 09:03:13 +1100, "Limelight"
<he...@limelightpromotions.com> wrote:

>>
>> http://www.howarddavidjohnson.com/pencil.htm
>> Some really beautiful pencil work.
>
>
>Oh my god! This guy is a total inspiration...

yeah, that's just crazy. Now that I'm out of the office, I'm going to
go back and check out the nudie ones in more detail. ;-)

cpg

[Limelight]

Nudie ones? Well, I obviously didn't stay around long enough to catch
those.... and I'm sure I'm not missing anything either!

--
Helen (Limelight)
http://www.limelightpromotions.com

"cpg" <c_p_...@yahooooo.com> wrote in message
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[Wizard of Draws]

cpg wrote:

Small crosshatching works pretty well.

http://www.wizardofdraws.com/lady1.html

--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

"Cartoons with a Touch of Magic"
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

[Carol Ott]

That's where the "light touch" comes into play. Remember when you were
little and would break all of the points off of pencils and grind your
crayons into the paper? Now it's time to do the opposite....feather-light
strokes are key to getting a smooth finish. It may look to light at first,
but once you go over the area a few times *ever so lightly* -- you'll start
to see a smooth blend.

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
www.csott.com
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[Carol Ott]

LOL -- no, this Bun Bun is a bit more friendly. I don't think Myles would
like that other Bun Bun.

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
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[Carol Ott]

I met a woman in an art store who uses pure pigment -- similar to what
you're suggesting, but it's a very fine dust...and she uses her fingers to
blend and shade. Her work was gorgeous, and I'm dying to give it a try.

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
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[Carol Ott]

That's beautiful, Jeff -- is that a portrait of a real person, or from your
imagination?

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
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[Wizard of Draws]

Carol Ott wrote:

>That's beautiful, Jeff -- is that a portrait of a real person, or from your
>imagination?
>
>Carol
>www.csottdesign.com
>www.csott.com
>REMOVE 'NOSPAM' TO REPLY.
>
>
>

Thanks Carol. She was a real person.
This drawing was one that took me to a new 'plateau' in a very
noticeable jump, in both style and ability.
I assume that most other artists are the same: moving from one plateau
to another every few years or so.
You continue on at the same level, absorbing the experience and
knowledge, until one day something 'clicks'
in your brain, and then you realize that you've made a breakthrough.

[Carol Ott]

I hope that 'click' is a really loud one.....my brain has been mighty quiet
lately. ;-)

Carol
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[Gem]

Stan:

>And don't forget to work on a
>smooth surface. Nothing like picking up a hickey from a piece of dirt under
>you sheet of paper to ruin your day.

heh, I almost mentioned this too! This can also work in your favor if you are
after a nice texture for your background. Color with sandpaper, screen, rough
wood, or cement floor under your paper for some interesting results.

--
Gem

[Dan]

>>>A sharp point seems like it would tend to bite into the paper and leave
occasional unintended darker strokes.<<<

Well, sure, there's that! What's meant by keeping a sharp point is
*avoiding* a large, ever-growing flat area on one side of your pencil. That
creates sharp corners, and when you flip the pencil over or sharpen it, you
can't match what you were just doing with the flatter lead. By rolling the
pencil, you are able to work from the same relative lead shape and same
surface contact. It eliminates a lot of variables.

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com

"cpg" <c_p_...@yahooooooo.com> wrote in message

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[cpg]

>Nudie ones? Well, I obviously didn't stay around long enough to catch
>those.... and I'm sure I'm not missing anything either!

It was a joke, Helen. Half the guy's work is of scantily-clad women.
And it's all very good work.

cpg

[cpg]

>Thanks Carol. She was a real person.
>This drawing was one that took me to a new 'plateau' in a very
>noticeable jump, in both style and ability.
>I assume that most other artists are the same: moving from one plateau
>to another every few years or so.
>You continue on at the same level, absorbing the experience and
>knowledge, until one day something 'clicks'
>in your brain, and then you realize that you've made a breakthrough.

Yeah, I know what you mean. For me, my application of pigment to
subtrate doesn't seem to change all that much over time but my ability
to "see" my subjects improves in a stepwise fashion -- it just clicks
and I see things that I couldn't see before. It's a real motivator
that keeps you coming back -- today could be the day that you make
that big jump.

cpg.

[cpg]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2002 07:30:54 GMT, "Dan" <D...@FreelanceWorkshops.com>
wrote:

>>>>A sharp point seems like it would tend to bite into the paper and leave
>occasional unintended darker strokes.<<<
>
>Well, sure, there's that! What's meant by keeping a sharp point is
>*avoiding* a large, ever-growing flat area on one side of your pencil. That
>creates sharp corners, and when you flip the pencil over or sharpen it, you
>can't match what you were just doing with the flatter lead. By rolling the
>pencil, you are able to work from the same relative lead shape and same
>surface contact. It eliminates a lot of variables.

ah. *That* I get. thanks....cpg

[CutterJon]

Hey cpg,
Have you tried the Prismacolor stick things? "Prismastix", maybe?
They're sticks of Prismacolor "lead" without wood-they're a little
fatter than conte crayons. You can get some pretty good surface-area
out of them for faster coverage.

--
CutterJon

[Wizard of Draws]

Carol Ott wrote:

>I hope that 'click' is a really loud one.....my brain has been mighty quiet
>lately. ;-)
>
>Carol
>www.csottdesign.com
>www.csott.com
>REMOVE 'NOSPAM' TO REPLY.
>
>
>
>

You do have the volume knob turned up, right Carol? ...Carol? ...CAROL!!

[Carol Ott]

There's a volume knob? Oops.

Carol
www.csottdesign.com
www.csott.com
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"Wizard of Draws" <je...@wizardofdraws.com> wrote in message
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[Limelight]

Ohhh I see! Sorry, didn't detect the humour tone in the post....!

--
Helen (Limelight)
http://www.limelightpromotions.com

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