A water soluble pencil, also known as a watercolor pencil, works by using a special binder in its lead that dissolves when it comes into contact with water, allowing the pigment to spread and create effects similar to watercolor paint.
Water soluble pencils look much like standard colored pencils, but their core is formulated differently. Instead of the traditional wax or oil-based binder found in regular colored pencils, watercolor pencils are made with a water-soluble binder.
The Science Behind the Solubility
The key to a water soluble pencil's function lies entirely in its binder. This binder holds the pigment particles together within the pencil's core.
- Dry Application: When used dry, a water soluble pencil behaves much like a regular colored pencil, allowing you to draw lines, shade, and layer colors.
- Adding Water: The magic happens when water is introduced. As the reference states, when water is added to a dry drawing created with these pencils, the water dissolves the binder to create a watercolor-like paint. This dissolution process releases the pigment from the binder.
- Creating Effects: Once the binder dissolves, the pigment becomes free to move and spread with the water. This allows artists to blend colors, create washes, and achieve soft, painterly effects that are impossible with standard dry pencils.
How to Use Water Soluble Pencils
Utilizing water soluble pencils offers versatility, combining drawing and painting techniques.
Here are common methods:
- Drawing Dry, Adding Water: The most frequent technique is to draw or color on paper with the dry pencil, then use a wet brush or water brush to go over the marks.
- Dipping the Tip: You can slightly dip the pencil tip in water before drawing to create bolder, wetter lines directly.
- Picking Up Color: Wet a brush and rub it directly onto the pencil tip or a swatch of color drawn on a separate surface (like a palette) to pick up pigment and apply it like paint.
| Application Method | Effect Produced |
|---|---|
| Dry Drawing | Sharp lines, layering, shading |
| Add Water to Dry Marks | Blending, washes, soft edges, watercolor effects |
| Dip Tip in Water | Intense, bold, wet lines |
| Wet Brush to Pencil | Apply pigment like liquid paint from a palette |
Water soluble pencils are popular among artists for their ability to bridge the gap between drawing and painting, offering a convenient way to add luminous, translucent effects to sketches and illustrations.
