Color Pencil Sketch: Creative Art Within Your Reach

In any field, a sudden idea is expected. Hence, we need to immediately record it in a notebook or note it somewhere with a pencil color. This in design is called Color Pencil Sketch. So, in today’s blog, let’s learn about sketching and sketching with colored pencils immediately!

I – Color Pencil Sketches

1. Concept of color pencil sketch

A sketch is used to denote the act of sketching, drawing a rough draft of an idea you come up with, and then editing it into a complete work to make your work smoother and more logically accurate. A color pencil sketch is a rough sketch quickly recorded with colored pencils, so it is incomplete.

Color pencil sketches are expressed in many different forms, such as a record of objects and phenomena that the author sees and thinks are helpful for the work. A rough drawing with colored pencils expresses the initial idea to create a more complete work based on it.

You can sketch on paper, on a computer, or even as a sculptor; you can draw on the material you want to create a product.

2. Choose the right tools, materials

Like any other art form, it will be tough to draw if you use poor-quality tools (or the wrong ones). You can easily find tools at bookstores and stationery stores. Save a little money to buy yourself suitable items, including:

H-type colored pencils are the most complex type of pencil. It is used to draw thin, straight lines and not go back and forth. 

Colored pencils of the B type are the softest and are typically used to color sketches or make hazy lines. Like the H type, this pencil line includes 8B, 6B, 4B, and 2B (8B being the softest, 2B the hardest).

Practicing a color pencil sketch on regular printing paper is standard and relatively easy. However, the paper is a bit thin and does not have pencil adhesion. Use art paper with a slight texture to make the overall appearance of the drawing the best.

II – Classification of Color Pencil Sketches

1. Croquis

Croquis is a symbolic drawing method; you can see the hastily scribbled lines of the artist and quickly record the idea that flashes in their head. The color pencil sketch lines represent the shape and position of a person or something quantitative but not yet fully colored. Croquis appeared a long time ago; however, in recent years, fashion designers have preferred it more. This means they only sketch the basic shape of the model to keep the pose while they do not fully draw the costume and style.

2. Pochade

A pochade is a form of composition based on natural scenery; artists can take their work outside and sketch coloured pencils on a painting, then go inside the room and continue to complete the color art painting. Based on pochade, artists can easily use, often used in landscape paintings or recreating everyday life.

3. Portrait

This is a form of sketching portraits with colored pencils, it is considered the most challenging form in the art of drawing colored pencils. With this method, it can be temporarily considered an artwork after completion. It does not need to adjust the portrait sketch too much. Portrait sketching is also used to express the subtle emotions of the character, and you can rely on it to find the perfect angle on the character’s body.

Related topic: A Quick Guide On Outlining In Drawing

III – Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Color Pencil Art

1. How to color pencil sketches?

Knowing the importance of color pencil sketching, learning and practicing color pencil sketch is necessary. To learn color pencil sketch, we need to go through the following steps:

Step 1: Practice drawing skills

To start learning color pencil sketching, you need to practice drawing skills, if you are a “professional” or at least you have basic drawing skills, then it will be easy, but if you are a beginner, then you need to practice color pencil sketching skills from the most basic.

Step 2: Practice expressing ideas through colored pencil art

After you have the necessary color pencil sketch skills, you need to start practicing speaking your ideas on coloured pencil art; this is very important; it is a way to present your ideas through drawing.

Step 3: Draw the ideas on colored pencil art, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes!

To achieve perfect color pencil sketches, you must copy coloured pencils to any idea related to the design topic. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because whenever “everything” is “difficult to start”, and this is just the initial sketch step, there are adjustments in the following steps, so don’t worry!

2. Choose the subject to draw

It will be easier for beginners to use available images or objects; don’t start with what you imagine. Draw the things you like or the people around you. Spend a few minutes contemplating the subject before beginning to draw. Pay attention to the following things:

Find the light source: identifying the light source will help you draw the correct brightness of the subject.

Look for movement: whether it is the subject’s movement in real life or in a picture, determining their movement directs your drawing lines.

Pay attention to the main shape of the subject: all objects are formed from the essential combination of round, square, triangle blocks, etc. Identify the characteristic block shape of the object you want to draw first.

Here are some famous colorful sketches:

Iris Scott.  

Annemieke Mein.  

IV. Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Sketching Skills

1. Practice Daily and Experiment

Spend 10-20 minutes each day practicing sketching with colored pencils. Regular practice will improve your skills and flexibility in each stroke.

2. Feedback and Improvement Over Time

Ask your friends, family, or the artist community for feedback about your art. Their feedback will help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses and improve.

Record your sketching process by taking pictures or filming videos. This will help you evaluate and analyze your steps, learning and improving your skills.

Experiment With Different Genres: Don’t limit yourself to a specific genre of sketching. Experiment with different themes such as portraits, landscapes, or abstracts to expand your range and skills.

Participate in courses, workshops, or artist groups to learn from experienced people. Watching online tutorial videos or reading books about sketching techniques is also an excellent way to improve your skills.

Always keep the door to creativity open, and never stop looking for ways to experiment and develop your skills in sketching with colored pencils.

V – FAQ

1. What are the benefits of sketching?

Sketching is the first step to ignite creative inspiration and motivate project implementation. Ideas are no longer vague in the mind but are specifically expressed on paper. Therefore, designers can evaluate the feasibility of implementing the idea. From there, they gain more motivation to deploy that idea. The exchange and introduction to customers have also become more accessible and convenient. It makes collaboration between departments become easier.

Designers have an overall view of the design model. When having an overview, designers will understand more about the product. To choose a path and direction suitably.

Time and effort are not wasted. If you choose to draw directly into the detailed drawing, if the drawing is wrong, it will take a lot of time to edit. The process of editing and re-editing becomes more pressured, causing difficulties for the designer.

Discover and develop new ideas. Sketching ideas on paper concretizes the idea; conversely, it helps the artist not to be constrained or imposed. The artist can freely and comfortably draw on many ideas.

2. How many colored pencils should be used for a drawing?

Depending on the complexity of the drawing, 12 to 72 coloured pencils are appropriate. However, you can start with a basic set and gradually increase the number of colored pencils as needed.

3. What are the necessary sketching tools?

In addition to coloured pencils, you need high-quality paper, blending pencils, and soft erasers. These tools will help you create different effects and improve the quality of your work.

Color pencil sketching is an exciting process. It allows us to be free with ideas and to experiment and explore our abilities. However, preparation is essential for the color pencil sketching process to achieve the expected results. The famous works we are familiar with are created from detailed research, experimentation, and careful evaluation from hundreds of sketches. So don’t be discouraged if you keep doing it but still don’t have a satisfactory idea; sometimes, it’s just a few sketches away from us. Are you ready to create your colored pencil work? Start today and share your creativity with us!