Q&A for How to Use Watercolor Pencils

It can be difficult to get rid of pencil lines on a watercolor painting. To make it easier, use a hard pencil and apply the lines lightly so that you’re not getting as much graphite on the paper (or making grooves where the paint can settle in). Try to erase the lines as you go so that they don’t get covered up completely with paint, which can make them harder to erase. Choose a gentle eraser, such as a white vinyl eraser, to avoid damaging your paper and paint.

Unfortunately, no. Many colored pencils are formulated to be water-resistant, while others simply don’t react to water the way a watercolor pencil does. The pigments won’t dissolve and spread in water the way watercolor pencil pigments do, so you won’t get the same paint-like results.

Yes, watercolor pencils can produce beautiful, vivid results even if you use them without water. Simply use them like normal colored pencils.

You can use watercolour pencils in adult colouring books but it is not advisable for small details such as eyes and tiny designs. Also, watercolour pencils are not suitable for certain types of paper, such as printer paper because you are adding water to the colours.

Yes, just make sure that the paper is thick. If the paper is too thin or soft, then it will soak up too much water and tear.

It depends on the look for which you're going. If you do this, you will get a very strong/bold color that is hard to blend (but good for details).

Spray the piece with fixative. If you wish to add more color on the top, use workable fixative. Keep in mind that you will not be able to erase pencil or blend below the layer of fixative. If you do not want to do that, you could also put it inside a frame or archival/acid-free plastic sleeve.

If the pencils blend easily and are quite light. Test your pencils out on a separate sheet to see what method/pencils work best for you as all watercolor pencils are unique in texture and pigmentation.

Not really. They are very versatile and can be used for many different things (pencil drawings, soft watercolor pieces, vivid pieces, etc.). However, I would advise against using them as regular colored pencils, as the colors are very strong and it is hard to blend them without using water.

Shade a layer of the colour that you want for your background (if you want it to be light and soft, shade lightly, if you want it to be vivid, press hard, etc). Using a flat brush, brush water onto the background in a certain direction. Applying a consistent amount of pressure to the brush, using a consistent water and applying a consistent amount of pressure and pigment will obtain a flat background. This technique can be applied to gradient effects.

Try to make your strokes as lightly as possible in the first place, and color it with the water to kind of make a base color.

In general, there are three kinds of art supplies: kids, craft grade, and artist grade. The artist grade are typically the most expensive, but they also have the best quality. They will give you the most vibrant and beautiful colors due to the high amount of pigment in them.

You can use a piece of paper towel between the pages due to its absorbent quality. Equally you could use plain tissue paper. Once your work is fully dry you can remove it.

Yes you can. Use it dry, then with a small amount of water, then add a bit more water. When dry, put a towel over the area, and with a hot iron, press the canvas so the water colors are sealed in.

Yes, because watercolor pencils are typically only used for large areas. You could try buying a smaller brush and sharpening your watercolor pencil; that might help.

It is recommended to use watercolor paper with watercolor pencils. You may use any paper; just be careful, as the paper may rip because of the water. Watercolor paper is thicker than regular paper, and allows the artist to paint without the concern of ripping. Also, when regular paper dries, it warps and becomes crinkly.

No, as long as the water hasn't reached into the rest of the lead, it's fine.

No, printer paper is too thin and will not absorb water well. You will end up will soggy ripped paper.

With glass, because sunlight and light in general fades the colors.

If depends on the softness of the pencils. If they're further down the B scale, they tend to bleed a little. It muddies the colors noticeably if the watercolor is really sheer or light in color. Otherwise, it shouldn't be an issue for me.

Faber Cassell and Caran D'Ache are my favorites. Prismacolor is easier to find, and they are also pretty good. All of these brands have student-grade and professional-grade pencils. If you are just starting out, get the student grade. Bristol paper, or mix-media pads are good to draw on. Watercolor paper can be too bumpy (cold press) to draw on.

Draw as detailed as you can and use less water. The less water you use, the less 'blendy' the picture is. If you find that still doesn't help, try a different approach like pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, acrylics, etc.

The shading effect will not be as good as using the water; however, you can use regular colored pencils with a blender pen.

You can, but most hair sprays have conditioners that have oils, so this may not be good for the artwork you're trying to preserve.

If you add water after the initial spread, the color will be pushed out by the water. Clean your brush and dry it some, then go back in.

Yes, you can erase watercolor pencils. They're just a little harder to erase than regular colored pencils.

Yes, they can. The better quality of pencils you get, the harder it is to see the difference.

I find wetting the paper first before using the pencil works for the strongest color.

If you do not use too much water, it might not rip. Make sure it dries all the way before doing anything else to it. The paper might also become crinkly and discolored. It is best to use another, thicker type of paper.

Yes, but the colored pencils will resist the watercolor.