Watercolor Pencil

Preparation.
I used Arches cold pressed block for this project. I stretch the paper on a drawing board rather than use it on the block. This is so I can level the drawing board on my work bench. leveling the board is very important, because we are going to spray lots of water on the painting, and if the board is not level, it will run.

I level the board with a spirit level. I prop up the corners with plastic modeling clay. Once the board is level I tape it in place with Masking tape.

Step 1.
Sketch the outline of the figure. I use Yellow Ochre prismacolor pencil to do this. The yellow doesn't intrude into the final work like pencil does. The drawback is that you start to lose the lines during the painting, but hopeful we will have enough definition in paint by then.

Step 2.
A very light wash of lemon yellow is applied to the whole paper. Blot out the highlight areas of the figure with tissue paper while the wash is still wet so that the original white shows through. First time I did this I used masking fluid, but it creates hard edges that I didn't like. Wash some background color in around the figure. This is mainly so we can see the figure outline later on when we start applying watercolor pencil. We are now ready to get to work. This is what it looks like. (you will have to forgive the photo's... I did this at night and the photos were taken under artificial light, so the colors aren't exact... you should get the idea though)

Step 3.
This is where we start using the pencils. I use Derwent watercolors which seem pretty good. I would really like to find another brand that is softer. The Derwents are a bit hard. I use them as if I was shading...not the tips, but at an angle of about 30 degrees. This is early in the painting, so we don't add a lot of color.. that will build up as we go. I started with Naples yellow for the figure, and added some background colors.... This is what it looks like so far. I have included a close up of the face to give you an idea of the pencil work... notice that its not too refined. The water brings it together.

Step 4.
The fun part. Get your water bottle (with spray attachment.. you know, the one you do the ironing with), and spray the painting liberally... I have found that the success is dependent on the right amount of water.. You have to play till you get this right. Mop up the excess water with a tissue or cotton bud (for the small areas). Pay particular attention to the highlights. This is what we have so far (including a the face shot).

Step 5.
Now it becomes process... I just add more tonal values using the pencils.. sometime more of the same color, sometimes introducing another color.. In this step I added more Naples Yellow on the figure, and some ultramarine on the wrap. I push some of the color into the background to get some continuity. I added some sap green to highlight the facial features... I'm not sure if this works or not.. We can always mop it up when we spray if it doesn't. Notice in the Photos how we are starting to add color to existing color, and not the paper.. this gives it a shiny look, and the pencils don't hold as well because the paper has lost its teeth. Also notice the scratch marks on the close up... that's what happens when you don't keep you pencils sharp and the wood burns a track into the paper.. Pics to follow (full and face shot).

Step 6.
Wet it down.. here I use a mop head brush to help with the background blending... Keep the brush off the figure though. I dry the painting off using a hair dryer (cause I'm impatient).. The wetting takes away the shine you saw in the last pics.. This is what it looks like after wetting.

Step 7.
Samo, samo... add color with the pencils, and wet it down... Sometimes you will need to give it a good soaking to make the colors blend.. You can play and get all kinds of effects. Whenever you wet the painting down you lose definition... Here it is wet.

And Dry.. Notice dry.. after I have done more pencil work, that we have better definition, but more shine... A light spray will get rid of this... As we move toward the end of our painting, we use lighter and lighter wettings. Enough to get rid of the shine without making the paint run too much.

Step 8.
We are finished... sign it, frame it, and hang it on the wall.... here is our finished painting.