#044 Wide Lines in Colored Pencils

2024 drawing techniques Jul 14, 2024

Summer is a wonderful time to gather photos of colorful plants and creatures like butterflies and other insects! Do you have a garden or flower bed where you can search for activity?

Gather materials and references for your artwork.

Materials:

Drawing pencil

Set of colored pencils

Plastic eraser

Drawing paper – 4 sheets

*A higher quality colored pencil such as Prism color lays more color onto the paper and will produce better results than cheaper brands selling for $3-$4 per set.

Reference:

Refer to photographs of creatures that begin to appear in the summer. These can be found from an image search on the internet, books, or photographs you take.

Step One: Local Colors

Before I began to draw, I find an area that I want to focus on for my picture. Remember that a photograph is just a tool and the artist should use that tool in whatever way is best for the composition of the artwork. It is rare that an artist will copy the photograph in its entirety. I chose to limit the number of flower stalks and focus on the butterfly by centering it on the page.

As you draw, look at the outlines. Avoid making heavy outlines that you will want to erase later. Next, look at the colors of each object. Select a colored pencil that is the local color that you see. A local color is the color with no shading or light source. Hold the pencil under your hand so that the side of the lead lays flat against the paper. Move your hand back and forth over the area that you want to fill with color. Here, I filled in the purple, yellow, and green color that I saw. The wide line that is made with each stroke, fills in the areas of color faster and with a more even tone. Use a light pressure on the colored pencil so that you can layer colors later.

Join me in the next step to see how to add color to your picture.

Step Two: Darker Color Values

In this example, I sharpened the colored pencils so that they all come to a point. Using a bit more pressure I drew the details of the flower stalks. I created circles on the stalks using more pressure on the green colored pencil so that it shows up. I made simple marks with the purple colored pencil that shows the darker areas of the flowers. To make the darker marks, more pressure is applied to the colored pencils. Now focus on your picture. Select a portion of it, such as the flower stalks here, and add darker color over the local color that you laid down. Join me in the next step to see how to add details that highlight the main object.

Week Three: Full Value Range in Color

Using the same color or a different one, go over the solid areas and apply more pressure on the colored pencil to fill in areas that appear darker. Look at the teacher example. You will notice that I focused entirely on the butterfly. I added the black details over the top of the yellow local color. Take your time at this stage. Once you press hard on the pencil in an area, you can no longer add or change the color with new layers. It is best to build up the layers of color on each other using a light touch. What a difference adding darker values makes!

Step Four: Wide Lines

Add sharp edges where needed. To create details, the colored pencils must be sharp. Sharpen the pencils often as you draw.

To make the spiky needles on the plant, I want a wide mark ending in a sharp point. The pencil was held under the hand so that the side of the graphite touches the paper (not the tip). Pull as you drag the side across the paper. This will make a wide line. Try moving your hand in any one direction as you hold the pencil in this way. To get a fine point on the opposite end, gradually lift the pencil lead upward until only the tip touches the paper. Each needle was created in this way. Now, add to your work of art using the underhand method to make wide lines.

Then, join me next week for another summer art lesson!

Your art teacher,

Brenda Ellis