How to Use Watercolor Pencils

For those of you who love watercolors but aren’t ready to take the plunge yet #punintended Watercolor Pencils are a wonderful beginning substitute. Even though I use watercolor paints and guouache all the time, I still love my them and wanted to share How to Use Watercolor Pencils.

Keep in mind that watercolor pencils are also wonderful for coloring! The paper can be an issue so make sure it’s designed to have water on it. Or just use the pencils and don’t wet them . . . but that’s only half the fun.

Or . . . OR! you could just buy my coloring pages that you can print as many as you choose right on 150 lb. watercolor paper. And, yes, I’m fully aware I promised to post new coloring pages each month and I’m seriously behind.

Supply List (some affiliate links included which means if you made a purchase I would make a small percentage)

• Staedtler Watercolor Pencils*
• Canson 9 x 12 140 lb. watercolor paper*
• round paint brushes – sizes 3, 8, 12 *
• flower pattern if desired
• paper towel
• water bucket
• pencil sharpener

Yes, the pencils aren’t cheap. But then, neither are watercolors, especially good ones. (which I don’t have many because I bought a set at the store that starts with wall and ends with mart.)

So let’s get started. I made a video *shock* but also did stills with instructions. I promised myself, like, 3 years ago I’d do tons of videos. They got lost along with the coloring pages, but I’m getting there.

If you’re like me and rarely watch videos, here are the step by steps.

First, draw the outline of your flower. In this case, a tulip.

Pencil in the tulip with color.

You can add other colors as well to blend. I used a dark fuchsia  in areas I’d normally add shading.

Now Release Your Inner Artist! I mean, dip the #8 round brush in water and blot it on the paper towel

The left side has been “painted and the right has only pencil strokes. And the blob of water because it was precisely at that moment I thought I should take a comparison photo.

After you’ve painted the first layer on the flower, allow it to dry and move on to the stem and leaf. I have penciled over a wet area and got mixed results so now I just wait for it to dry before I paint again.

You can see in the pencil colors of the stem and leaf I added yellow for highlighting and brown for shading, right in the first coloring. You could also wait til the second coat to highlight and shade because, like all watercolors, their look might surprise you.

But that’s why I love them!

Second pencil layer on the blossom –

Final version. Like any other paints, I find it terribly difficult to know when to stop. Especially when it’s just for your pleasure and not a client. (You try to get paintings to the client in a reasonable amount of time, is what I meant.)

Watercolor pencils are not only great for adults but also kids. They just are so engrossed in their art and I love it!

Let me know if you’ve tried watercolor pencils or not. I hear Derwin’s are really nice – but I’m not sure if they were referring to just colored pencils or watercolor pencils. No matter. I painted wall murals for years with the $1 craft paint with no complaints. Yes, you get what you pay for in paints, paper and brushes. But as much as I paint, I like to keep my bottom line a little lower than my own bottom, if you know what I mean.

I do hope you take a minute or two to watch the video and give ‘er a thumbs up if you like it. It’s just for me. Nobody pays me for thumbs ups. But it is very encouraging for me. And us artists need all the encouragement we can get, right?

What’s your favorite Spring flower? Have you painted it?

Colleen

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