Creating Textures and Patterns with Color Pencil

The following, are various techniques, for creating different textures or patterns, when using color pencil.

Use the side of the pencil lead.

Rub the pencil lead on fine grit sandpaper and apply rubbings to paper.

Scrape lead of pencil with exacto knife or other sharp object and apply to the surface of the paper with tip of pencil or other object.

Find a fairly flat textured object and lay beneath paper and do a colored pencil rubbing onto the surface (known as frottage) of the paper in areas needed. The heavier the pressure from the pencil the more visible the texture.

After layering many colors, try using an eraser, such as a Koh-I-Noor Cordless Rechargeable Electric Eraser, to make different patterns on the surface of the paper.

After layering many colors on the surface of your paper, try using an exacto knife to lightly scrape different textures or patterns onto the paper.

Try crosshatching - lay down an area of straight strokes, at right angles, and then overlay another area of straight strokes, at right angles. Try adding different colors or using complementary colors to add some spark.

Try scrumbling - a technique in which you apply light overlapping layers of color, in small circular motion.
Check out Ann Kullberg's Example here.

Try stippling - a technique in which you apply dots sparsely or densely and/or with multiple colors, depending on the effect you wish to achieve.

Tips From My Viewers

Here's a tip from artist Dustin Crenshaw - First turn the pencil lead into powder. You can shave it with a razor, break off pieces of lead and fold it up in some paper and crush it, or my technique; use a mortar and pestal. You want the powder as fine as you can get it. I usually also use a razor and chop it up really fine. Next put the powder in a small container. I use a short tupperware dish about 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep. Then you get some hand lotion and add about 2 or 3 drops to the powder and mix vigoruosly until it is completely blended. You can also use dishsoap but you have to be careful with the buildup of bubbles on your brush that can drip on your paper during the application of the technique. Next you add some water to the mix. The amount depends on how much surface area you are covering. The more surface area you cover the more water you need or you will run out and have to start the process over. It will basically be the consistency of water though, not like a paste. Mix it all up together till you get a good consistant color. Then get a brush, I use a toothbrush (haven't tried any other kind of brush). Dip the bristles in the mixture and you are going to scrap your finger accross the bristles and little dots of color will fly off. I played around on some scrapp paper to get the hang of it first. I found you get more consistant dots if you scrape the brush a few times into the bowl or scrap paper before you apply it to your actual drawing. This technique is great for coloring backgrounds. I just lay a piece of paper over my drawing and trace any portion I dont want splattered. Then cut out the shape and place it over the drawing and splatter away. It is also a cool way to make borders. My favorite is to cut out a big cirle or oval and center it on a blank piece of paper and splatter around the outside to make a border. I also like that you can fade the dots. You can put heavy dots in one place and fade to lighter dots in another or from one color to another. Just make sure you let one color dry before adding the next or the colors will mix.

Another technique I use, is to apply color onto a piece of cotton fabric, the smoother the fabric, the better. I use cotton boxers. Color a square about 2 inches by 2 inches. Then you wrap the fabric around around your index finger with the color side out. Then just rub the color onto the paper. It makes nice light coloring. You can use this to make nice background color, just like the splatter technique. And it works just the same with the cutout overlays, for the parts you dont want colored. I love this technique for making clouds.

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