If you've ever considered adding color to your sketchbook drawings ~ but just never quite got the courage...or if you've gotten frustrated with using regular watercolors to make your sketchbook pages more vivid, you will be delighted with what you can learn in this Watercolor Pencil Workshop Workbook.
This workbook is also a good booster if you've tried watercolor pencils a few times but aren't really sure how to move ahead. And this book is for you if you would like to extend your skills to coloring flowers, painting animals with fur, and a myriad of other subjects.
It's amazing how much Irene has been able to cram into 27 pages. After a brief but fun whirl around the color wheel, step-by-step tutorials lead you through how to paint a conch
shell and an orchid in gorgeous detail, how to put sunshine and shadows on foliage, how to apply washes and masks to control how color goes onto your paper, and eight (yes, EIGHT!) different ways to make your watercolor pencil colors sing on your sketchbook page.
Did you know you can paint a white subject so that it reflects its surroundings and takes on a bright and exciting aspect? The easily understandable concept, complete with experiments in lighting and understanding color reflections, is clearly outlined with a project that helps you see how to enliven white subjects in ANY medium.
There is a tutorial on how (and why) to hold and use your paintbrush to get exactly the effect you need, from solid color with clean, sharp edges to gradual fading from intense color to white, with easy-to-follow instructions. In fact, you can even download that page here.
And speaking of paintbrushes, in this workbook, waterbrushes (those paintbrushes with hollow handles which you fill with water and use on the go with no muss or fuss) are explained in detail with clear instructions
on how to fill and use them. In case you have wondered, in Irene's experience they don't leak or dribble on airplanes, so tuck a handful of pencils, your waterbrush and your sketchbook into your carry-on luggage, and catch up with your sketchbook coloring on the plane trip home from your vacation!
This workbook doesn't dwell on drawing ~ it is concerned with helping you get beautiful and exciting color onto your pencil or pen drawings. To that end, some outline drawings are provided for you to practice your watercolor pencil instructions on (see the fawn outline and watercolor pencil rendering at right).
If you prefer, you can make your own sketches, or you could print the workbook out onto heavy paper (read the recommendations on page 26 before printing out) so that you can paint right in the workbook. Alternatively you can photocopy single workbook pages onto heavy paper which will withstand several wettings while you color them. Whatever works for you.
Supplies you'll need to complete the projects in this workbook include:
- sketchbook or journal with heavy paper pages (9"x12" min.)
- watercolor pencils (a 12-pencil set is suggested, with primary and secondary colors plus black, white, and other colors)
- waterbrush - small or medium
- .5 mechanical pencil loaded with HB lead
- kneaded eraser
- ballpoint pen with black ink, fine to medium point
- hair dryer to speed drying
Recommended, but not essential:
- disposable waterproof ink pen
- several small natural items to draw (acorn, seed pods, seashells, etc.)
- white items to draw (bones, shells, simple flowers, etc.)
