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Learn How to Use Watercolor Pencils
Techniques
How To
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Posted by Aubrey Santana
Having traveled to practically every corner of the world, I draw inspiration for my art from the people, foods, and traditions of many different cultures.
Learn How to Use Watercolor Pencils
#pencil
Time to Read: 9 min
Level: All
Table of Contents:
What’s So Special About Watercolor Pencils?
What Supplies Do I Need?
How to Get Started
Techniques to Try
Time to Try It Out
What’s So Special About Watercolor Pencils?
There’s something magical about adding a dab of water to drawn lines and watching them turn into painterly strokes of color. This is the beauty of watercolor pencils and is why they’re popular with urban sketchers, art journalers, watercolor painters, and home crafters alike. So, if you’re wondering what are watercolor pencils and what’s so great about them, get ready, you’re going to love what they can do!
Just like their cousin, the color pencil, these pencils also come in a far-reaching assortment of colors. And, just like color pencils, they can be used for blending and layering to create depth, dimension, and details. Where they differ is that they are water-soluble. When touched with water, your mark diffuses into a soft stroke of color. It’s like creating a watercolor painting without paint!
If you’re thinking about trying out watercolor pencils, don’t hold back on the number you start with. We recommend you get a larger set to get the most value for your money and the most colors for your creativity, such as the Arteza Professional Watercolor Pencils - Set of 72. These premium-grade pencils are all you need for any project knowing you have the most vibrant colors right at your fingertips. They are break-resistant and come in a convenient tin, making them easy to take with you anywhere you choose to paint or draw.
What Supplies Do I Need?
Because these pencils are activated by water, it’s important to use thicker paper that can handle moisture without buckling. For this reason, you should consider the density of the paper. The higher the density the better, with most professional watercolorist using 90lb. (200 gsm) and up.
Get help
Get help from our experts
6 am - 10:30 pm ET every day
+1 (888) 905 0706
Message Us
Contact Us
Order Look up
FAQs
Return Info
Account
Sign In
New Customer?
Start here
Account
Orders
Profile
Rewards
Cart
Your cart is empty
Something missing? Sign In to see items you may have added from another computer or device.
Holiday Gift Guide
Paint
Drawing Tools
Crafting Supplies
Paper & Books
Canvas & Surfaces
Tools & Cases
Art Sets & Bundles
Office & Studio
Kids
Shop All Holiday Gift Guide
Stocking Stuffers
Gifts Under $25
Gifts $25 to $50
Gifts $50 & Up
Gifts for Kids
Gifts for the Painter
Gifts for the Illustrator
Gifts for the Crafter
Our Favorite Gifts
Seasonal Gifts
Back
Learn How to Use Watercolor Pencils
Techniques
How To
Top Picks
Share
Avatar
Posted by Aubrey Santana
Having traveled to practically every corner of the world, I draw inspiration for my art from the people, foods, and traditions of many different cultures.
Learn How to Use Watercolor Pencils
#pencil
Time to Read: 9 min
Level: All
Table of Contents:
What’s So Special About Watercolor Pencils?
What Supplies Do I Need?
How to Get Started
Techniques to Try
Time to Try It Out
What’s So Special About Watercolor Pencils?
There’s something magical about adding a dab of water to drawn lines and watching them turn into painterly strokes of color. This is the beauty of watercolor pencils and is why they’re popular with urban sketchers, art journalers, watercolor painters, and home crafters alike. So, if you’re wondering what are watercolor pencils and what’s so great about them, get ready, you’re going to love what they can do!
Just like their cousin, the color pencil, these pencils also come in a far-reaching assortment of colors. And, just like color pencils, they can be used for blending and layering to create depth, dimension, and details. Where they differ is that they are water-soluble. When touched with water, your mark diffuses into a soft stroke of color. It’s like creating a watercolor painting without paint!
If you’re thinking about trying out watercolor pencils, don’t hold back on the number you start with. We recommend you get a larger set to get the most value for your money and the most colors for your creativity, such as the Arteza Professional Watercolor Pencils - Set of 72. These premium-grade pencils are all you need for any project knowing you have the most vibrant colors right at your fingertips. They are break-resistant and come in a convenient tin, making them easy to take with you anywhere you choose to paint or draw.
What Supplies Do I Need?
Because these pencils are activated by water, it’s important to use thicker paper that can handle moisture without buckling. For this reason, you should consider the density of the paper. The higher the density the better, with most professional watercolorist using 90lb. (200 gsm) and up.
TIP: A good rule of thumb is the more watery you paint, the higher the density paper you need.
Another thing to think about when choosing your paper is its texture. Both smooth and textured surfaces have their advantages, depending on your approach and/or the look you’re going for. To get the best of both worlds, we recommend the Arteza Expert Watercolor Pads, 9x12”, 32 sheets - set of 2. Each page gives you a choice of a smooth side and a textured side. It comes in a convenient glue-bound pad to keep your art work together and protected from wear and tear. At 140lb. (300gsm), it’s ideal for projects that use watercolor pencils.
So how do you apply water once you’ve drawn with the watercolor pencil? The best tool for this is the water brush. This brush has a barrel that can be filled with water to moisten marks to create blurred, smooth, transitional, and thin clear-cut lines. You use it the same way you use a traditional paintbrush. The Arteza Water Brush Pens - Set of 6 come with both fine-tips and broad-tip to produce a variety of stroke sizes.
An eraser is a handy tool to have, but not necessarily for getting rid of a line. Erasers can also be used to lighten areas by lifting small amounts of color. If you do need to erase a line while drawing, try not to bear down too hard on the eraser or you might damage the paper. Consider using the Arteza Eraser Pencil Kit, which has an eraser on one end and a handy brush on the other to whisk away erasures without affecting your artwork. This kit also comes with a sharpener to preserve the tips of both your eraser and pencils.
