DrawWithMike.net

USING WATERCOLOUR PENCILS By Linda Weil

Demonstration: The Feather

PDF version available

PREPARATION
Before you begin you will need to understand how your watercolour pencils work. If you have not already done so, you should create a test sheet showing how each pencil looks in the dry state and how it reacts with water.

Please refer to your workbook and complete the exercises there first. Remember, watercolour (aquarelle) colour pencils contain the same hues as in ‘regular’ pencils, the only difference is in the binder holding the medium. So, you can use watercolour pencils as your main colour pencil if you choose!

TO BEGIN:
First, set up your work area.

• Securely tape appropriate sized piece of 300gsm hot press paper to your drawing board. Note that it should be <b>taped securely and full length on ALL FOUR SIDES</b>.
• Place your feather subject on a clean sheet of white paper. (Remember earlier exercises on how different colours react when placed next to each other?) If need be, use a very small piece of Blu-Tack on the quill end to hold in place.
• Arrange your pencils, brushes, sharpeners all in a convenient manner.

START:
Choose a pencil with a light hue similar to the overall feather hue. Here I have used a yellow-orange pencil and a sky-blue.
Lightly sketch in the feather shape.

• DO NOT ERASE
• Do not press hard - use light strokes.
• Don't get fussy, work quickly and with confidence.

I have started with a red-orange pencil and the same blue pencil as previously.

• Use quick strokes and draw in the vanes. These strokes should be drawn in
  the direction of the vanes, from the shaft to the outer edge.
• Add a bit of definition in your complimentary colour to define the shaft. I used the blue.

Now comes the fun part!

• With an Aquash brush (or standard brush and water), gently wet the pencil, stroking in the same direction as the pencil lines.
• IMPORTANT: do not flood the paper. Do not over wet, just brush lightly to move the pencil into a tint. If some lines are left, do not worry about it, they will enhance, not detract.
• Let the drawing dry completely. You may wish to use the hair dryer.

[TIP: When using the hair dryer use the low setting and keep it well back from the paper. Don’t ‘bake’ the paper or get the tape hot as the tape will lift if the glue gets too hot.]

• Once your paper is totally dry, begin on the next layer.
• Use the next hue up in the palette and repeat the same stroking motions as previously until you have covered the entire feather area.

• With extreme care, wash this second layer.
• Do not flood the area with water, gently brush in the direction of the
  vanes, moistening and softening the linework. Don’t over-wash as this will muddy up the drawing.
• Again, dry completely.

BUILD UP THE COLOUR:

• Now you can start to build up the colour in the vanes.
• Here I have used a darker red and a yellow.
• Always stroke in the direction of the vanes.
• KEEP YOUR PENCILS SHARP.

• Continue to build up the hues in the vanes.
• Do not use black instead, use darker hues, blues and violets.

GENTLY BRUSH WATER INTO THE VANES: For a third time, gently, very gently! Brush water into the vanes, stroking
in the vane direction. This final wash will blend the last colours together.

Make sure your last wash is totally dry and start to stroke with darker hues as
required.

• Overlay a lighter hue on top of the dark for a glowing effect.
• Use a sharp 2H pencil to begin to add precise tonal linework into the vanes.

PULL OUT THE BIG GUNS

• Now pull out the big guns. Work into and over the drawing with a very sharp 4B pencil. Always working in the vane direction.
• You can also use some deep blue violet for more hue (pencil not shown)

ENLARGED VIEW
Enlarged view showing the 4B and purple linework. I could have left the feather like this, but decided to... …work over the entire drawing with a yellow-orange pencil in a circular fill as a blender.

AND FINALLY... The completed drawing!

PDF version available

© Linda Weil 2020

Thank you Mike!
Readers might be interested in seeing some other works using this technique of wash n' dry pencils with added graphite. Here are two works I have done previously as examples.

Thanks for sharing Linda. That last step made all the difference! It added an iridescence, almost a glow. Beautiful!