Realistic Portraits in Colored Pencil: Learn to draw lifelike portraits in vibrant colored pencil
144
Realistic Portraits in Colored Pencil: Learn to draw lifelike portraits in vibrant colored pencil
144Paperback
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Overview
- hatching
- crosshatching
- shading
- blending
- layering
- burnishing
- and much more!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781633227279 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Walter Foster Publishing |
| Publication date: | 04/16/2019 |
| Series: | Realistic Series |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Sales rank: | 340,746 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.70(w) x 11.50(h) x 0.30(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Tools & Materials
PENCILS
Graphite Pencils
Graphite pencils are important for creating outlines for colored pencil work. They come in a range of grades from 9H to 9B, with 9B being the darkest and softest and 9H the lightest and hardest. HB sits in the middle and is the most commonly used graphite pencil. Graphite and colored pencils can be combined successfully, but when using lighter colored pencils over graphite outlines, the graphite can muddy the colored pencil pigment. For this reason, you may prefer to do your outline in colored pencils, using colors close to those you will use as you develop your portrait.
Prismacolor® makes Col-Erase® pencils, which are supposed to be easier to erase and are useful for drawing outlines.
Colored Pencils
One of the most common questions I am asked by artists new to colored pencils is which brand is the best. There's no simple answer to this question, because every artist favors different colored pencils for different reasons. I suggest that you buy a couple of pencils from each of the main brands and experiment with them to see which ones give you the desired look and feel. Things to consider include: the hardness/softness of the pencil, the pencil's ability to maintain a sharp point, the creaminess or blendability of a pencil, and, most importantly, the lightfastness rating of a colored pencil, which refers to the rate of fading or color shift over time as the pigment is exposed to light. There are a few different types of colored pencils: wax-based, oil-based, and watercolor pencils.
The binder in the core of wax-based pencils is made of wax. These pencils are usually softer and layer and blend well because of their high wax content. They are also generally easier to erase, but multiple layers rendered with a heavy hand can create a problem with wax bloom (see page 7). This can usually be prevented with a spray of fixative. Because wax-based pencils are softer, they can also be more susceptible to breakage.
Oil based pencils are created using an oil-based binder. These pencils are usually harder and are great for detail work, but they don't have the same softness or blendability as wax-based pencils. They are also less prone to breakage. There are far more wax-based pencil brands than oil-based pencil brands. There's also some overlap within these two categories — Caran d'Ache® Luminance pencils, for example, contain both oil and wax binders.
Because of the lower wax content, oil-based pencils are less prone to wax bloom. Wax- and oil-based pencils can be combined beautifully, but it's often best to use oil-based pencils for base layers and detail work, and save the softer wax-based pencils for the upper layers. Watercolor pencils have a binder that dissolves once water is added. Most watercolor pencils can be used wet or dry and give off less shine than wax- and oil-based pencils if they are used dry. These pencils work well for creating an underpainting when combined with waxand oil-based pencils, particularly on more textured surfaces.
PENCIL EXTENDERS
Pencil extenders are ideal for extending the life of your short pencil stubs, and there is a whole range of extenders available in all shapes and sizes. Some are single-ended and some are double-ended. Some have a screw-top that tightens around the pencils as you turn it, and others have a push-up top that squeezes two sides together around the pencils.
ERASERS
Kneaded Eraser A kneaded eraser feels like soft putty and can be molded and rolled into any shape you like for lifting small or large areas of pigment from your paper. This eraser is ideal because it won't damage the underlying substrate. Some artists also use poster putty, which is slightly firmer in consistency than most kneadable erasers.
Common Eraser
The common eraser category encompasses all those erasers that are labeled plastic, vinyl, or rubber. These erasers are the least effective at removing colored pencil pigment but can be useful for creating smudges and moving pigment around.
Tombow® Mono Eraser
These wonderful erasers resemble a pen and are fabulous for fine and precision erasing with very little damage caused to the underlying surface. They come in two different sizes, and refills are available for both.
Typewriter Eraser
There are several brands of typewriter erasers, and these are useful because they can be sharpened to a point; however, they're also abrasive and can cause damage to your substrate.
Battery-Operated Eraser
Battery-operated erasers are generally the most effective at removing colored pencil pigment without causing too much damage to the underlying surface, if used with a gentle hand.
A WORD ABOUT WAX BLOOM
Wax bloom is the white haze that can develop when multiple layers of pencil have been applied with lots of burnishing and blending. If this develops on your artwork, the best way to remove it is to gently wipe a tissue across your artwork, and then follow with an application of workable fixative. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times if the wax bloom returns. Shown here is an example of wax bloom on the left and how it looks after the bloom has been wiped away with a tissue on the right.
SHARPENERS
Handheld Sharpener
Handheld sharpeners are the cheapest option, making them economical to replace whenever the blades go blunt
Electric Sharpener
Electric sharpeners are the most expensive and least portable type of sharpener, but they are also the most effective and time-saving. If you go to the expense of purchasing an electric sharpener, do some research to ensure that it will fit the full range of your pencils.
Crank Sharpener
A crank sharpener is a manual sharpener that is secured to your wall or desk and has a crank that you turn to sharpen the pencil. It generally has multiple options for pencil sizes. While slightly speedier than a handheld sharpener, crank sharpeners can chew up your precious pencils and are not as effective as battery-operated or electric sharpeners.
Battery-Operated Sharpener
There are many battery-operated sharpeners available. These portable sharpeners are convenient and easier to use than handheld sharpeners, but they do have drawbacks. Many have a single hole that only fits narrower pencils. Pencils with thicker casings may not fit in these sharpeners. When possible, it's best to purchase a battery-operated sharpener with a couple of holes in different sizes. Battery-operated sharpeners tend to go blunt more quickly than other sharpeners and will then chew your pencils. Some allow for replaceable blades, which is a good option.
CERAMIC PEN KNIFE
Depending on the surface you're working on, I find it can be helpful to have a craft knife on hand for lifting out highlights and fine hairs. This is particularly useful on surfaces like drafting film. I prefer to use a knife with a ceramic blade, rather than metal, because it's less damaging to the underlying surface.
PAPERS
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a fine-art paper and a favorite among colored pencil artists. It's quite soft and is most suited to waxier pencils, such as Prismacolor and Derwent® Coloursoft pencils. It comes in a range of neutral and pastel colors and in two weights: 90-lb. (250gsm) and 120-lb. (320gsm), and it's available in individual sheets and an assortment of pad sizes and colors. This paper is made from 100-percent cotton fibers and is acid-free. It's a good option if you prefer working with lots of light layers of Prismacolors.
Watercolor Paper
Watercolor paper, as the name suggests, is developed for use with watercolor paints, but it also makes an excellent surface for colored pencils. It's made via three different processes: handmade, mould-made, and machine-made, with handmade considered the highest quality. It also comes in three different textures:
• Hot-pressed is the smoothest of all the watercolor papers and most suitable for colored pencils if you want to avoid a lot of the paper texture showing through in your work.
• Cold-pressed (or "Not") is more textured and better suited for watercolor work than finely detailed colored pencil work. However, you can still achieve interesting results on this paper if you prefer to work in a looser style and like the texture of the paper showing through in your drawings.
• Rough paper has the most texture and isn't suitable for colored pencil work.
Illustration Board & Bristol Board
Like watercolor paper, illustration board comes in different surfaces and weights. Hot-pressed is the smoothest and is best for detailed work; cold-pressed has more tooth and is best for mixed-media work, or when you want to work with a more textured surface. Illustration board generally only has one workable surface and is not usually archival, so it's best for work that will be scanned, rather than artworks that are to be sold or kept for a long time.
Unlike illustration board, Bristol board has two workable surfaces, and the better-quality Bristol board is archival and acid-free. It comes in two surfaces: smooth, which is like a hot-pressed surface, and regular or vellum, which has slightly more texture.
Mat / Mount Board
All the tutorials in this book are created using different brands and colors of mat board. Mat board, or mount board as it is called in the United Kingdom, is a wonderful option if you prefer working on a colored surface and like a surface that can take quite a few layers while still allowing for fine detail.
Artists new to colored pencils sometimes find a blank piece of white paper intimidating; using a colored board enables you to have fun with color without worrying about how to handle the background. If you find it difficult to source mat board or prefer to do the tutorials on a white surface, Stonehenge, vellum Bristol board, archival illustration board, or even hot-pressed watercolor paper will yield similar results.
Mat board comes in a range of surfaces and textures. I mostly work with smooth mat board; however, some types are more receptive to colored pencil than others, so it's best to try to get a sample first before spending money on larger sheets. If you're a beginner looking for an affordable but hardy surface to experiment with, mat board may be the perfect option, because you can often purchase inexpensive cuts from local framers. However, if you plan to show or sell your work, it's best to ask your framer for acid-free and, when possible, museum-quality or conservation boards. Most colored mat boards are acid-free but are not completely archival because of the lignin content in the board. Museum-quality boards are often available only in gray, white, black, and ivory.
You don't need fancy equipment to cut mat board to size — I use a metal ruler and a craft knife with a cutting mat.
Drafting Film
Drafting film is the traditional surface used by draftsmen and architects to develop their plans. It is 100-percent polyester, translucent, archival, and non-yellowing. Drafting film doesn't accept as many layers of colored pencil as most paper surfaces, but this smooth surface loves colored pencil and makes it possible to achieve rapid laydown of color and crisp detail with minimal effort. Drafting film is a wonderful surface for rendering fur and doing line work, but it can be more challenging for rendering smooth textures, such as skin.
Canson® Mi-Teintes® Pastel Paper
Mi-Teintes pastel paper is a sturdy paper designed for use with pastels, but it also works well with colored pencils. It has two workable surfaces — a honeycomblike textured surface on the front and a smoother surface on the back. This surface is available in both paper and board weight and in a range of 42 colors. It comes in 98-lb. (160gsm) weight and has 66-percent rag content.
Clairefontaine® Pastelmat®
Pastelmat is another surface designed for pastel artists that also works beautifully with colored pencils. It has a cork-based surface that feels relatively smooth to the touch, but with enough tooth to really grab the pencil pigment, allowing for multiple layers, as well as fine detail. This surface is ideal if you like working with solvents or underpainting with watercolor pencils, and it can be used to seamlessly combine pan pastels and colored pencils, offering a quick solution to backgrounds in your portraits.
Sanded Surfaces
Sanded surfaces are papers and boards with primer applied to them (usually acrylic-based) that adds tooth to the surface of the paper, grabbing the pencil pigment and allowing for multiple layers. These surfaces can chew up your pencils quickly, but they accept far more layers of pencil than most surfaces. These papers and boards are also ideal for use with most solvents.
Velour / Suede Mat Board
Hahnemühle® velour paper and suede mat board are unique surfaces and ideal for pastels, but they also work well with softer brands of pencils, such as Prismacolor and Coloursoft. These surfaces are lovely for rendering soft portraits with smooth skin tones; however, your detail will be muted rather than clearly defined.
Wood
Timber makes a surprisingly receptive surface for colored pencils, and there are various ways to prepare the timber and achieve different looks. Colored pencil can be used on unprimed timber, such as cradled birch ply, but be aware that the lignin in the timber may interact with the colored pencil pigment, causing changes over time.
SANDED SURFACE BRANDS
• UART® comes in five grades ranging from 240 (the coarsest) to 800 (the finest) and is usually sold in single sheets.
• Ampersand™ Pastelbord™, Canson Mi-Teintes Touch, and Colourfix™: Colourfix comes in 20 different colors, is 140-lb. (300gsm), and is created using a toothy acrylic primer on watercolor paper. You can also buy Colourfix primer and apply it to other surfaces, such as timber, canvas, and metal, to create a surface that is more receptive to colored pencil rendering. The primer can be sanded once dry, but oversanding will remove too much tooth, making it difficult to achieve good adherence of pencil pigment; sand gently.
CHAPTER 2Basic Colored Pencil Techniques
PRESSURE
The pressure you apply with the pencil makes a huge difference in the outcome of a portrait. Applying excessive pressure early on might mean that you fill in the tooth of the support too soon, making it difficult to add further layers. It's very important when rendering skin to allow for multiple layers so that you can achieve a luminous, multilayered look, rather than making the skin a dull, solid color. The general pressure range for colored pencil artists runs from P1 to P5. P1 is the lightest, with the pencil just grazing the surface, and P5 is the heaviest and makes your hand start to ache from the application pressure. When creating a photorealistic portrait, you eventually want the entire portrait to have the look of P5 so that you can no longer see the underlying surface, but you mostly achieve this by building up multiple layers with a pressure of P2 to P4. The difference between a good portrait and one that looks like a photo often comes down to the number of layers applied. If you find that your portraits look like drawings rather than photos (even if you've rendered the colors and detail accurately), you may simply need to add a few more layers and burnish the earlier layers until the underlying surface disappears completely.
GRADATING
Gradating refers to the process of creating seamless transitions between different colors and tonal values. This is achieved by building up light layers and overlapping the colors so that it's difficult to tell where one color ends and another begins. This is particularly important when rendering skin, where you see subtle color shifts from one section to another, but you don't want any demarcation that indicates where these colors shifts have happened. Much of the depth and form of the face is suggested via tonal shifts; in other words, you add darker sections to indicate shadows and form, but they should transition seamlessly into the surrounding lighter areas.
LAYERING
Layering is one of the most important aspects of creating photorealistic portraits in colored pencil. It allows you to create interesting textures and multifaceted colors and fill in the tooth of the underlying surface to achieve a smooth appearance in your finished work. The other benefit of light layering is that it allows you to make color shifts and changes as you go. I try to avoid erasing if possible, because it can interrupt the surface texture of my substrate. By applying light layers and building them gradually, you can adjust as you go without the need to erase.
I am often asked how many layers I apply when rendering skin tones; for me, there is no magic number. Most areas require at least five or six layers, but sometimes there might be more, and other areas only need two to three heavily applied layers. This sample shows how I filled almost all the surface tooth by adjusting the direction and pressure of the pencil strokes. No other blender was used here, yet the color is still smooth and vibrant.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Realistic Portraits in Colored Pencil"
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Table of Contents
Introduction, 5,
Tools & Materials, 6,
Basic Colored Pencil Techniques, 12,
Capturing Human Emotion & Expression, 16,
Working from References, 18,
Creating Lifelike Human Textures, 20,
Facial Features & Hair, 22,
Transferring Your Line Drawing, 27,
Putting It All Together, 29,
Project 1: Capturing Childlike Innocence, 30,
Project 2: Rendering Aged Skin, 48,
Project 3: Using Color to Create Dynamic Skin Tones, 68,
Project 4: Developing Skin Tones, 94,
Project 5: Creating a Light & Bright Portrait, 118,
About the Artist, 144,