I have only been drawing for just over 12
months and using Colour Pencils (CP) for about 6 months, so I’m no expert! But, I have picked up some
tips and advice along the way, which I have developed into my own technique. While I have written this specifically for
beginners, I hope the following information is useful for those that are
interested in exploring the use of Odourless Mineral Solvent (OMS) with CPs.
Materials:
1. Colour Pencils
Materials:
1. Colour Pencils
- Derwent Coloursoft - Persian Grey, Orche Yello, Light Sand
- Prismacolor - Red Tuscan, Indigo Blue, Dark Green, Sienna Brown, Dark Brown, Pumpkin Orange, Dark Umber, Apple Green, Canary Yellow, Grey Warm 30%, White and Black
2. Cotton Buds and Cotton Pads. (I use make-up remover rounds)
3. Tissues
4. Kneadable rubber
5. Soft Brush (I use a stencil brush)
6. Langridges Odourless Mineral Solvent (OMS)
7. Canson Watercolour (WC) 200gsm paper 11x14"
8. Reference Photo - Pixabay CCO
STEP
1: Lay the Undercoat
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| Photo 1 - laying the undercoat |
Using Coloursoft Persian
Grey on Canson WC paper I sketch out the drawing, marking out any significant
shapes that may need highlighting or shadows. I try to erase anything that will
not become blended into the drawing.
Once I have my drawing ready to go, I start to lay down the colour
that will be the undercoat. Some people like to use watercolour or ink, but I
just use CP and set it by washing it with OMS. However, for very small areas,
such as the stems, I don’t use a wash – it’s too hard! I just press firmly and
lay down colour, later blending and burnishing with a lighter colour (as in
Step 3). I also do not do all the
undercoat in one go, but rather break it up into sections so it doesn’t seem so
overwhelming.
Pears – Using Canary Yellow as a base coat, I shade in the pears, but NOT the
stems, and then, using a cotton bud dipped in OMS, carefully wash over the
colour using the cotton bud like a paintbrush – stroking out the colour until
even. Don’t be afraid to be generous with the OMS. You will see the OMS wash
changes the colour into a more ‘solid and intense’ state; but be careful - the
colour will leach if you don’t control where you ‘paint’!
Stems – I lightly shaded with Dark Brown
and Sienna Brown for the undercoat. But,
I don't do a wash as the area is too small and fiddly.
Background – I start to put down Black in areas and lightly wash with OMS for the
undercoat. (I’m not too fussed about applying OMS if it is a small area)
You can see in Pictures 1
& 2 an idea of what my original
‘sketch’ starts off like; and you can see the Canary Yellow on the Pears before
and after the application of OMS; and that the undercoat for the Stems and
Background has been laid. You will also see, I am working in sections -
finishing one section at a time. I found this pays dividends, because you can
see the piece slowing developing and it stops you feeling like you have just a
‘big mess’ on your hands!
STEP
2: Layering & Washing the Colour
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| Photo 2 - Layering and washing the colour |
After the undercoat, I usually colour the
areas that are going to be ‘highlights’ in white, before I start to layer any
other colours. (Now, not to confuse you, BUT when I need a really bright, crisp
white to show through a dark colour I actually do this first, BEFORE the
undercoat!) Once highlights are done, I am ready to start the layering process.
This is a process that is quite time consuming as it may be repeated several
times until I get the depth and richness of colour I want.
Pears
– Using White, Apple Green, Light Sand, Yellow Ochre,
Dark Green, Sienna Brown, Pumpkin Orange, I layer the key colours first (the
Greens) and then add patches of other colours. I then dab a cotton bud in OMS
and lightly ‘blend’ all the layered/patches of colour, blending LIGHT to DARK.
You will need to change cotton buds several times in this process, as it will
‘pick up’ the colour. (if you haven’t
gone through a lot of cotton buds, then you are doing something wrong!) Also, at
this stage, be careful not to turn it into a ‘muddy’ mess or strip out the
colour. If it does become muddy, don’t
despair – just get a cotton bud soaked in OMS and DO strip it all out and start
again!
Once I have the main colours down and
washed, I now focus on building up the layers for shadows using the same process.
However, I always use darker tones and contrasting colours to achieve this, I never
use black to create depth or shadows because it a ‘dead’ colour and very hard
to blend!
Pears – Using Tuscan Red, Indigo Blue and Dark Green – I lightly layer
combinations of contrasting and darker shades of the main colour colours (i.e.
– Tuscan Red and Dark Green layered on Apple Green). I blend together with an OMS wash to create
shadow and depth. But, if you are having trouble doing this - as it can be very tricky - use a little
Persian Grey to help deepen and blend in your shadows. Be careful though once
again not to ‘lift’ the colour with the OMS!
Stem – I add Dark Umber to develop the shadow.
Background
- I layer Tuscan Red, Indigo Blue and Dark Green on
the black base coat to get what will eventually be a deep black background. I
usually only lightly do the background using one or two of these colours as a
starting point to ensure it doesn’t get ‘smudged’ into the foreground.
In
Pictures 3 (and in 2 &3!) you can see how I have started to layer
different colours on the Pears before an OMS wash. You will notice my shading
is pretty terrible, but it doesn’t seem to affect the end result - because as long as there is enough CP the
OMS will smooth and even out the colours.
STEP
3: Dry
blending & Burnishing
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| Photo 3 - Dry blending and burnishing |
Once I am happy with the depth and tones of
colour, I start to add in the fine details and finish the background for the
section I’m working on. I then burnish everything to get a nice smooth and shiny
finish. When you burnish you are ‘pushing’ the colour into the paper and this
‘seals’ the colour, so once you do this it becomes harder – but, not impossible
- to add more layers of colour. I will repeat this process for each section I’m
doing. Once again, by doing it in sections I don’t feel too overwhelmed by the
amount to be done.
By this stage, I also am now using a Tissue
under my hand to stop the work from smearing and brushing ‘crumbs’ away with a
soft stencil brush!
Pears – I
use Persian Grey Sienna Brown, Grey, Dark Umber to add features such as the ‘dots’
etc; and then apply more layers of Apple Green, Yellow Ochre and Light Sand in
patches. I then very gently and lightly blend with a DRY soft cotton pad. I
repeat this process until I am happy with the colouring. I then add highlights
using White. Then using a firm pressure and with a very sharp pencil, I burnish
the whole pear with Canary Yellow; and then reapply Apple Green. Lastly, I
sharpen or blend the outline of the pear using a very sharp pencil in either Tuscan
Red, Indigo Blue and/or Dark Green depending on the edge or shadow required.
Stem – I add highlights with White, and then burnish the browns, again
using White.
Background- To create the illusion of ‘light’ shadows in the background, I
‘strip” out some of the colour using OMS.
I then burnish over background section with Black.
You can see in Picture 4 I have
started to add fine details and stripped out the ‘light’ shadows. I have also burnished two pears. And, you can
see patches of colour on some other pears just waiting to be worked on! I think
you can also finally see why working in sections helps.
STEP
4: Touch up & Polish
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| Photo 4 - Touch up and polish |
To complete my drawing, I take a scan of it
and look at it on the computer screen to see if there are any ‘bits’ which look odd or need touching
up. Once I am happy with any final
adjustments. Now, this may surprise you,
but the very last thing I do is very gently rub the pears with a soft, dry
Cotton Pad in a circular motion– this helps give the ‘wax’ a really nice shine.
Yes, really!
Picture
5 – And here it is polished and finished!
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| Photo 5 - FINISHED! |
And, one last thing . . . just so you know, it took me about 6 hours to complete this drawing.
Diane McWhirter
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