# I need tips with colored pencils and acrylics.



## SkyeThing (Oct 6, 2010)

That sounded horribly grammatically incorrect. /shudder

Anyway, I'm trying to nudge myself into using traditional media. I got myself a bunch of new pencils and paper and inking pens, and I've been practicing with them. Thing is, I need a little help with actually coloring these things in.

I just have basic colored pencils, a 24-pack. I'm just wondering, any tips on using them? Do's? Don'ts? Any recommended brands for when I get more comfortable?

I also have a small pack of acrylics. I've only used them once or twice before a long while ago, and judging by how things came out.. yeah, I'd like some tips on using these as well. o.o;

Thank you <3


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## Zydala (Oct 6, 2010)

http://forums.furaffinity.net/threa...ring-Colored-pencil?highlight=colored+pencils <--- this thread wasn't made too long ago, had some really good tips and stuff in it 

http://forums.furaffinity.net/threa...torial-Introduction?highlight=colored+pencils <--- Arshes made a tutorial in this thread too

Some basic tips: PAPER IS IMPORTANT. Better paper = better tooth, which means you can layer more pencil down in it. Don't just color with one color - layer your colors, and layer them good, instead of pressing into the paper and blocking it in solidly. You get more variation in color this way - pencils are actually considered translucent! - and if you take your time, it comes out a loooot smoother.

Don't know much about acrylics unfortunately. They are very versatile though, as they can be treated sort of like watercolors in a way if you water them down. They dry fast, though, so you gotta be sorta bold about how you lay things down.


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## Valery91Thunder (Oct 6, 2010)

http://dongpeiyen1000.deviantart.com/art/My-first-colouring-tutorial-XD-25964612 <= This helped me a lot in my "early days" of traditional coloring. As time passed I've developed my own traditional colouring style, but I never did any tutorial my own and this is still close to what I do. It has also the basiscs of colour blending and colour layering.


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## Zydala (Oct 6, 2010)

adding to the tutorial list...

http://fav.me/d1ule85 <--- that's my favorite one


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## SkyeThing (Oct 6, 2010)

Zydala said:


> adding to the tutorial list...
> 
> http://fav.me/d1ule85 <--- that's my favorite one


 
That's very pretty. o.o Shall be trying out both that and the one Valery posted pretty soon. Thank you both! ^_^


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## lostfoxeh (Oct 13, 2010)

From what I understand from talking to other professional artist, there is no such thing as a true "don't" when it comes to traditional medium, better to look at is as what techniques are there and what else you can think up. 

On that note you can use a razor blade or other hard edged object to scrap layers of pencil off and expose the under layers. Or you can nick the paper to make white dots using the razor blade. Just as important as the colored pencil is the paper used. Know the section where one sheet of paper is like $5, that  pricey paper will act worlds apart from printer paper. Go out and spend some money on different papers, just the cheaper bristol and watercolor papers are good enough, save the hand made sheets of paper for when you have the basics down. I tend to find I can put much more fine details on smoother papers, but shading is easier on rougher or toothy paper. Try both out and also try different makers too. Prismacolors are good but over rated. The cheaper pencils are good enough in most applications in my experience with both. Crayola is crap cause the pigments are weak and the lead is not glued well and the wood it is made from are low quality thus prone to breaking when sharpening. Watercolor pencils are also great because the blend well, and when water is used on them it is very interesting but optional.

Acrylic is one part art and one part science. Oils require even more science lol. Anyways get your self a retarding medium if you like to blend on the painting. A spray bottle to spay your pallet while you work is nice. I like to use retardant mixed with water in my spray bottle so not only do I get to blend more but my pallet doesn't dry out. The other thing about acrylic is not all colors are equal. Some are transparent and others are opaque, this might drive you mad depending on the method you paint with. Just experiment, some manufactures tell you how opaque a paint is, especially on the higher end paints. Get only a few brushes, the less brushes you have to chose from the more creative you have to be. I work on 12"X14" or bigger and I find that a good set to start with is a 1inch flat or filbert, 1/2inch filbert, 1/4inch flat, a really small filbert, number 4 round and a rigger brush. If your work is smaller you brushes will be smaller and you can even get by with even less. I also like to stat with my biggest brush and try to do the whole painting with the that, only using smaller bushes when I have no other choice. Robert Simmons is the best brush maker I have ever used, but they come with a price tag, even there economy brush is great.

If you are just getting started with acrylic, buy a 3 cheap stretched canvas and lots of gesso and get use to gessoing over your old work. The reason is starting out your work isn't going to be your master piece, and is it important to lean that is is okay to make drastic changes to an artwork, even if that mean painting over half the work. You could use canvas paper (paper pressed to look like canvas), but it can warp on you and typically needs to be taped down and maybe even stretched. I personally haven't tried stretching canvas paper yet to see what happens. Plus I find just it cheaper to just gesso over my old work. If I think it is good i will set it aside, that is why you should have 3+ canvas. Oh and if paint is too thick or bumpy, use sand paper to sand it down then gesso.

All I can think of being a new artist my self from experience or from chatting it up with other artist. I think the biggest thing with traditional artwork is just be creative with what you have and not being afraid to mess up a picture or waste supplies.


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## Calypte (Oct 27, 2010)

High quality colored pencils, like prismacolors, tend to do this thing called 'wax bloom'. Like, say you put down a really thick layer of a dark color (black, perhaps). When it's fresh it looks great and crisp, but as time goes along it starts to get this milky look to it. I forget the specifics, but it's the wax that's used to hold the pigment together. When you're done with a piece that has a heavy amount of colored pencil in it, it is wise for you to use fixative to prevent the wax bloom from washing out your piece. If you wait too long before applying the fixative, you can usually carefully rub away the bloom with a soft cloth before spraying it.


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## Zydala (Oct 27, 2010)

Calypte said:


> High quality colored pencils, like prismacolors, tend to do this thing called 'wax bloom'. Like, say you put down a really thick layer of a dark color (black, perhaps). When it's fresh it looks great and crisp, but as time goes along it starts to get this milky look to it. I forget the specifics, but it's the wax that's used to hold the pigment together. When you're done with a piece that has a heavy amount of colored pencil in it, it is wise for you to use fixative to prevent the wax bloom from washing out your piece. If you wait too long before applying the fixative, you can usually carefully rub away the bloom with a soft cloth before spraying it.


 
Also good to know that's only for 'wax' based colored pencils, and won't happen with 'oil' based ones like faber-castell polychromos, or (most) watercolor pencils. :]


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## Calypte (Oct 31, 2010)

Exactly. If it doesn't have wax in it, then it can't "bloom". And it's only a problem if you're laying the color on really thick. This is also known as 'burnishing'.


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