How to Make Washes in Your Sketchbook with No Water

This surprising method will make washes in your sketchbook with no water…

Step by Step Directions to Making Washes with No Water 

1. First, quickly lay down a layer of water soluble crayons or watercolor pencils.  This doesn’t need to be neat, but if you mask off the edges with tape, they will be very crisp.
2. Then use a damp wipe to smear the crayon layer. 
3. Let dry.  Voila!

Even if your sketchbook pages are very thin, this method will work and won’t bleed to the other side.

 Wipes Make an Excellent Blending Tool

Water soluble crayons and wipes turned out to be a wonderful combination.  It would take many hours to get the same effect with colored pencil alone.  I am still happy that I stumbled on this.  At first I kept trying for a smooth and even blend of the water soluble crayons with a brush.  The effect was streak filled.  Once I used the wipe, the blending was very smooth and FAST.

Probably a damp paper towel would work just as well.

Actually if you count the water in the wipe, there is a teaspoon of water involved.  Still there is no need to carry water with you.  I pack one or two in a plastic baggie and put inside my travel kit. 

List of Pens That Will Work on Top of Water Soluble Crayons: 

The downside of this method is if you want to draw in ink on top of it.  I have found very few inks that will write or draw on this waxy surface. 

• Uniball vision elite
• Pilot Vball BG 05
• Marabu Fineliner Color Graphix
• Sakura Microperm Ultra fine

What I would like to try is the reverse order.  Draw in ink first, put the water soluble layer on top of the ink, then wipe with a damp wipe and see what the result is.  If I try this, I will report back.  If you try it before me, please let me know what happened.

The upside of this method is that you can work over the water soluble layer with regular colored pencils and give yourself a head start on all the layering involved.