By Matt Fussell
The video featured on this page is excerpts of an hour long live lesson that aired in the member section of this site on December 4, 2012. To see the video in real time, complete with commentary, visit Colored pencil drawing of a frog.
Colored pencils, as a medium, is another one of my favorites. The process of drawing with colored pencils is so closely related to drawing with graphite, but the results produced can be similar to a painting. I like to think of colored pencils as a transition medium for artists that are comfortable with drawing with graphite, but have not quite become comfortable with color. I was one of those artists. I found that using colored pencils helped me transition to becoming more comfortable with a colored drawing medium.
Because colored pencils are so readily available, they are misused often. But, if you keep a few things in mind while you work, you are almost guaranteed to be successful.
1. Build up color so that it appears heavy.
2. Layer colors (see number 1)
3. Mix colors
4. Take your time
5. Add details last
There are lots of brands of colored pencils out there. It's easy to get confused with all of the options. You can check out my comparison chart for colored pencil brands here.
Here are some more art lessons that you may like...
