Colored pencil & pastel drawings for beginners
Colored pencil and pastel: what is the difference?
The colored pencil drawing is somewhat similar to pastel painting in terms of color application. However, unlike colored pencils, pastel chalk can be easily smudged, but does not produce as fine color applications as colored pencils. The colored pencil drawing is usually shaded, which makes the paper structure visible and the typical colored pencil drawing is created.
Precise lines with a sharpened pencil
The colored pencil can also be drawn exactly with the tip, which makes the drawing look like it was painted. Large areas can also be covered with the water-soluble watercolor pencils. The colored pencil drawing is mainly used for illustrations in graphic design or as a mixed technique with watercolor paints.
Choosing colored pencils
The most important tool for a colored pencil portrait or drawing are of course colored pencils. A distinction is made between artist and studio quality colored pencils. High-quality pens for artists and graphic designers are characterized by their high proportion of color pigments, which ensures strong, intense colors. Although the pens are set rather softly, it still enables precise drawings.
Colored pencil - animal drawings
A sharpened colored pencil can show small details and individual hairs. Larger areas take more work; use lighter shading to build color while retaining the paper texture.
Abstract drawings with colored pencil
Colored pencils can be used for abstract subjects as well as detailed drawings of people or animals.
Colored pencil drawing techniques
There are many techniques, such as hatching. In crayon drawings, hatching is systematically arranged strokes that are usually drawn quite loosely from the wrist. The brightness of the surface can be determined and varied by the width and the distance between the lines. In addition, the effect can be controlled with the help of different superimposed hatchings.
Although the surface consists of individual lines, in the eye of the beholder they combine to form one surface. Black hatching on white paper, for example, gives the impression of a gray area. The most common hatching styles include parallel, cross, and quick hatching. In parallel hatching, the strokes are drawn in one direction and parallel to each other. Many colored pencils can also be blended into one another so that lines can no longer be seen.
What is pastel painting?
So, typically when painting pastel, you paint with pastel chalk on a rather rough paper or mostly handmade paper. Rough paper is used because when painting pastels, fine dust of color is applied to the paper, which simply sticks better to rough paper and is still super easy to smudge and mix with one another.
Production of pastels
When pastels are made, a binder is added to the pigments so that they can be pressed into a stick shape. Kaolin, resins and other substances are used as binding agents. Today's manufacturers do not disclose the exact composition of the binders. At least in earlier times, gruel, glue, gelatine, gum arabic, gum tragacanth, emulsions, soapy water or skimmed milk, honey and rock candy were also added to the pencils
The adhesion of the pigments on the paper is very weak, which is also the reason why pastels are very sensitive.
Pastel painting at Sketchus
Pastel color is applied in layers and can be blended with fingers or appropriate tools. A textured drawing surface helps hold the pigment, and the background color can influence the finished appearance.
Blending pastel colors
This makes it credible to apply delicate color transitions and self-mixed color nuances. If the pigment application is too strong, the adhesion of the subsequent color applications decreases. For this very reason, several applications of paint are only delicately superimposed. In order to ensure that the pigments adhere to the painting surface, the pastels are treated with a fixative that can also be made on its own. The fixation takes place after the completion of a pastel picture or after divided work steps with layered application of paint. Despite the use of fixatives, the photos are extremely sensitive and are therefore often glazed to prevent contact with the surface.
pastel technique
Pastels can be blended with fingers or a paper blending tool to create softer transitions. Apply layers gently so the surface can continue to hold the pigment.
Explore colored pencil portraits at Sketchus
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