How to Use Colored Pencils with Watercolor?

You can effectively use colored pencils with watercolor by layering them after the watercolor has completely dried, adding details and texture.

Here's a breakdown of how to best utilize colored pencils and watercolor together:

The Order Matters: Watercolor First

The key to success is to apply the watercolor first and the colored pencils second. This is because:

Watercolor pencils are different: While watercolor pencils exist and are designed to be activated with water, standard colored pencils are not. Applying standard colored pencils before watercolor will likely result in the wax in the pencils resisting the watercolor and creating uneven or muddy washes.
Achieving Detail: Colored pencils excel at adding fine details, sharp lines, and textured effects on top of a watercolor base. The watercolor provides the broad washes of color, while the pencils refine the image.

Create Your Watercolor Painting: Begin by creating your watercolor painting as usual. Allow it to completely dry before moving on to the next step. This is crucial to prevent smudging or unwanted blending with the colored pencils.
Layering with Colored Pencils: Once the watercolor is dry, you can begin adding details and textures with colored pencils. Consider the following techniques:
- Building Depth: Use colored pencils to add shadows and highlights, creating a sense of depth and dimension.
- Adding Texture: Hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling with colored pencils can add interesting textures to your painting.
- Refining Edges: Use colored pencils to sharpen edges and define shapes.
- Adding Fine Details: Colored pencils are perfect for adding small details that would be difficult to achieve with watercolor alone, such as individual hairs, intricate patterns, or subtle highlights.
Consider Colored Pencil Type: You can choose wax-based or oil-based colored pencils. Wax-based are generally softer and blend more easily, while oil-based are harder and can hold a sharper point for fine details. Experiment to see which you prefer.
Light Pressure is Key: Use a light touch when applying colored pencils to avoid damaging the watercolor paper or lifting the watercolor paint. You can always build up the color in layers.

Combining watercolor and colored pencils allows you to:

Benefit from the best of both worlds: The fluidity and transparency of watercolor, combined with the control and detail of colored pencils.
Create depth and texture: Layering these two mediums allows for a wider range of effects than either medium alone.
Correct minor mistakes: Colored pencils can be used to cover up small errors in the watercolor painting.
Add a unique artistic style: The combination of watercolor and colored pencils creates a distinctive and visually appealing aesthetic.