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2 Easy Ways to Save Time Drawing with Colored Pencils

April 12, 2016 By Rebecca LP Johnson   Leave a Comment

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A vintage colored pencil drawing and experiment with pointillism by Rebecca Payne. Two ways to save time drawing with colored pencils.

If you have tried colored pencils, you know they can be time intense.  Save time drawing with these tips

Some Drawing Techniques Are Extremely Slow to Develop

This is a vintage colored pencil drawing was an experiment in pointillism that I will never forget because it was extremely tedious and time consuming.

Pointillism is a technique of drawing or painting in distinct dots of color applied in patterns to form an image.  If you want to save time drawing, don’t consider this technique.  It was a literal pain in the neck and made an already time intense medium take even longer.

I remember being nearly done, my eyes crossing, and wanting to throw it away and forget I ever started it.  Although I do admire Georges Seurat’s work, I believe he had the same problems with slow processing.

Tulips are a favorite and I would like to explore this subject more, just not in pointillism.  Since time consuming work really affects the bottom line, I want to explore techniques that can be done in eight hours or less.  This could mean that colored pencils are not an option even though I love them to pieces.

Even though I don’t want to be that artist who can only finish 2 or 3 pieces a year, it’s true that a few pieces a year is all I have to show for the last few years anyway.  I am counting on this blog to change that.

Two Ways to Save Time Drawing with Colored Pencils:

  • Work smaller

Pieces that are smaller can be printed larger to the specification of the client with the proper scan in the right resolution.  Working smaller can allow for you to make a series of several drawings.  Since art buyers like to get pieces in “sets”, going smaller will help to have more sets available.

  • Start with a water soluble crayon layer as an underpainting

Water soluble crayons are an especially wonderful solution for an even toned layer that can be completed quickly and is compatible with colored pencils. After I tried a few brands, the ones I really prefer are Caran d’Ache Neocolor II.  They ROCK.  A little pricey, but SO worth it.

*Update 9-3-18:  Derwent Inktense water soluble pencils also rank at the top of the favorites list because they become a permanent layer of ink that are not malleable after it dries like other water soluble pencils.

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Filed Under: Art Techniques, Blog, Previous Drawings Tagged With: art, artinspiration, artinspo, artistonIG, artistoninstagram, artistontumblr, artistontwitter, colored pencil, coloredpencildrawing, drawing, paper, pointillism, prismacolor, stippling, vintagedrawing, worksonpaper

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