Water color pencils are very similar to color pencils in that, they allow you to have precise control, achieve
great detail, are a very flexible, very portable and inexpensive.
The difference between regular color pencils and water-soluble pencils are their leads. Color pencil leads are either wax or oil
based whereas, water color pencil leads have a water soluble ingredient.
One thing to remember when working with water color pencils, is after you
have layered several layers of color, and begin to apply water, a solvent or use a blender, the results will not be the same, as if you were using
color pencil. The colors will be darker and can change to a color you were not trying to achieve. So experiment before you start layering to see if it is actually
the color you want for your project or portrait.
Ways to Apply water color pencils
• apply the color dry
• wet the paper first to produce a bleeding type effect and softer lines
• use various tools, such as a sponge, to create different effects
• after your wash has dried, apply dry layers of color for detail
• create transparent washes with either water or solvents
• use a colorless blender marker, such as Tombo's, to blend the colors
• to achieve a thick opaque look, dip pencil in water or solvent first
• try mixing with other mediums, such as color pencil, ink or graphite
