Layering With ONLY 12 Colored Pencils | Polychromos Tutorial

Summary

In this art tutorial, the focus is on color pencil layering techniques, particularly for those with a limited color set. The artist demonstrates how to create a rose bud drawing using only 12 pencils, emphasizing the importance of starting with light base layers and gradually building up to darker shades. Key tips include holding the pencil mid-way to avoid heavy pressure, using circular motions for smoothness, and keeping the pencil sharp for precision. The tutorial also touches on color theory, adjusting colors by layering complementary hues, and concludes with burnishing to blend and smooth the final artwork.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Layering with color pencils is about gradually building up color with light layers to create new shades.
• 🖍️ Start with light base layers using the closest color to each section of the drawing, keeping the pressure light to allow for multiple layers.
• 🌿 When working with a limited color set, use color theory to mix colors by layering, such as red and blue to create purple.
• 🔍 Begin with lighter colors and progress to darker ones, mapping out key shapes and gradually adding depth.
• ✏️ Hold the pencil mid-way down for lightness and control, and use circular motions for smooth layering.
• 📈 Sharpen the pencil to ensure a consistent application and precise control, especially for detailed areas.
• 🍃 For areas like leaves and stems, use the base layer to block in shapes and plan for color adjustments later.
• 🖌️ Use darker shades to define shadows and depth, but maintain light pressure to keep the layering process flexible.
• 🔄 Revisit areas with lighter colors to adjust and enhance vibrancy, using reference photos to guide color additions.
• 💡 Burnishing, or pressing firmly after layering, helps to smooth and blend colors, finishing the drawing with a polished look.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is about layering color pencils, specifically focusing on techniques for layering when you have a limited set of colors.

What does the term 'layering' mean in the context of color pencils?

In the context of color pencils, 'layering' refers to the technique of gradually building up color by applying a series of very light layers of pencil on top of each other, which blend to create new colors.

How does the artist suggest starting the layering process?

The artist suggests starting the layering process by applying base layers, beginning with lighter colors and working towards darker colors, using a light touch to map out the key shapes and areas of the drawing.

Why is it important to keep the initial layers light when layering color pencils?

Keeping the initial layers light is important because it allows for the application of multiple layers without the risk of over-saturation, enabling the artist to build up color gradually and make adjustments more easily.

What is the purpose of using a sharp pencil when creating base layers?

Using a sharp pencil for base layers helps in achieving a more consistent application of color and allows for better control, resulting in smoother and more precise lines.

How does the artist approach the layering of the rose bud in the drawing?

The artist approaches the layering of the rose bud by starting with a red base layer for the pink areas, then gradually adding other colors like magenta for shadows, and adjusting the colors by adding blues, greens, and browns to achieve the desired effect.

What role does color theory play in the layering process when working with a limited color set?

Color theory plays a crucial role when working with a limited color set, as it helps the artist to mix and layer colors to create new shades and tones that may not be available in the set, by understanding how different colors blend and interact.

What technique does the artist use to smooth out and finish the layered colors?

The artist uses a technique called 'burnishing' to smooth out and finish the layered colors. This involves pressing firmly with the pencil after all layering is done to create a smooth and polished appearance.

How does the artist adjust the colors to achieve the final look of the rose bud?

The artist adjusts the colors by comparing the drawing to the reference photo and identifying which colors are missing or need to be intensified. They then layer additional colors, such as blues, reds, and browns, to enhance the vibrancy and contrast.

What additional resource does the artist mention for learning more about burnishing?

The artist mentions a video on burnishing as an additional resource for learning more about the technique and when to use it, which is available for viewers interested in further understanding this aspect of color pencil layering.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Color Pencil Layering Basics

The paragraph introduces the concept of color pencil layering, emphasizing the technique of gradually building up color with light layers. It explains that layering is a method of mixing colors by applying one on top of another to create new shades. The speaker proposes to demonstrate layering using only 12 color pencils, starting with a drawing of a rose bud. The process involves beginning with lighter colors and progressing to darker ones, laying down base layers that map out the key shapes and areas of the drawing. The importance of applying light pressure and maintaining a sharp pencil for smooth, consistent application is highlighted. The speaker also discusses the approach to layering for different parts of the rose, such as using red as a base for the pink rose and green for the stem, with the intention of adjusting colors later.

05:01

🖌️ Building Up Color Layers

This paragraph delves deeper into the layering process, focusing on the application of additional color layers to enhance the drawing. The artist continues to work with light pressure, gradually adding more color to the rose bud and its stem. The process involves using different color pencils to represent various shades and tones, such as using a magenta pencil for the shadowed areas of the rose to introduce a hint of purple. The artist stresses the importance of layering as a forgiving technique that allows for adjustments in both color and shape. The paragraph also touches on the concept of color theory, suggesting that by combining colors like red and blue, one can create new shades, such as purple, even with a limited color set. The artist demonstrates how to build up the vibrancy of the drawing by adding more of the base colors and adjusting the contrast in the shadows.

10:04

🌹 Final Touches and Burnishing

The final paragraph describes the last stages of the drawing process, where the artist focuses on refining the colors and contrast of the rose bud. The artist adds darker shades to the shadows and adjusts the overall color balance by reintroducing colors that may have been lost under previous layers. Techniques such as burnishing, which involves pressing firmly with the pencil to smooth and blend colors, are discussed. The artist uses a white pencil for burnishing to achieve a lighter, pinker tone in the rose. The paragraph concludes with the artist making minor color adjustments and emphasizing the importance of comparing the drawing to the reference photo to ensure accuracy. The artist invites viewers to join a Patreon for more in-depth tutorials and ends with a prompt to check out another video for more details on burnishing.

Keywords

💡Layering

Layering in the context of the video refers to the technique of gradually building up color by applying multiple light layers of color pencil. It is a fundamental concept in color pencil art that allows artists to create a wide range of colors and shades even with a limited color palette. In the script, layering is used to demonstrate how to create a realistic rose bud drawing using just 12 color pencils by putting one color on top of another to blend and create new shades.

💡Base Layers

Base layers are the initial, light application of color that establishes the foundation for further layering. They are crucial for mapping out the key shapes and colors of a drawing. In the video, the artist begins with base layers using the closest color to each section of the rose, applying it lightly to allow for the addition of more colors and details later on.

💡Color Theory

Color theory is the study of how colors interact and the rules that govern their combination. In the script, the artist mentions the importance of understanding color theory when layering colors, especially when working with a limited palette. It helps artists predict how colors will mix and blend, such as combining red and blue to create purple shades.

💡Burnishing

Burnishing is a technique where an artist presses firmly with a color pencil, often after layering, to smooth out the colors and create a shiny, polished effect. In the video, the artist uses burnishing with a white pencil to blend colors and achieve a lighter, more vibrant pink tone in the rose bud.

💡Reference Photo

A reference photo is a visual guide that artists use to create a realistic representation of a subject. In the video, the artist compares the drawing to a reference photo to identify missing colors and adjust the drawing accordingly, ensuring accuracy and realism in the artwork.

💡Contrast

Contrast refers to the difference in color, tone, or intensity between different areas of an artwork. In the script, the artist discusses the importance of creating contrast by adding darker shades to the shadowed areas of the rose bud to make it more visually striking and three-dimensional.

💡Muted Colors

Muted colors are less vibrant or intense, often used as a base to build up to more vibrant colors. In the video, the artist intentionally uses muted colors for the initial layers to allow for the gradual addition of more vibrant colors without overwhelming the drawing.

💡Sharp Pencil

A sharp pencil allows for more precise and consistent application of color. The artist in the video emphasizes the importance of keeping the pencil sharp for base layers to achieve a smooth and even application of color, which is essential for effective layering.

💡Forgiving

In the context of the video, 'forgiving' refers to the flexibility and ease of making adjustments in the drawing process. Layering with light initial passes allows artists to correct mistakes or change colors and shapes without ruining the artwork, as the light application of color can be built upon or altered.

💡Vibrancy

Vibrancy describes the intensity and liveliness of a color. The artist in the video aims to build up vibrancy in the rose bud drawing by gradually adding layers of color, starting with lighter, less vibrant colors and gradually introducing more vibrant shades to achieve a lifelike representation.

💡Pencil Pressure

Pencil pressure refers to the amount of force applied while drawing with a color pencil. The artist explains that starting with light pressure allows for multiple layers to be built up without damaging the paper or applying too much color at once. As the layers build, the artist can increase pressure to achieve the desired intensity and finish.

Highlights

Layering color pencils involves gradually building up color with light layers.

Layering is a technique to mix colors by putting one color on top of another.

The tutorial focuses on layering techniques with a limited set of 12 color pencils.

A demonstration of layering is provided through the drawing of a rose bud.

The importance of starting with light layers for base colors is emphasized.

Holding the pencil halfway down helps in applying light pressure for base layers.

Circular motions are used to achieve a smooth and even application of color.

A sharp pencil is crucial for controlled and consistent application in base layers.

Different base layers are applied to various sections of the rose for accuracy.

The stem of the rose is initially layered with green, then progressively darkened.

Layering allows for adjustments in color and shape due to the light initial application.

Color theory and the color wheel are essential for creating missing colors with limited pencils.

Adding blue over red base layers can create a purple hue, demonstrating color mixing.

The use of darker shades like Walnut Brown is introduced to define the darkest areas.

Black is used sparingly for the darkest parts, with plans to overlay more colors to soften it.

Burning is a technique to smooth and blend colors by pressing firmly after layering.

The final steps involve comparing the drawing to a reference photo to fill in missing colors.

The video concludes with a summary of the layering process and a reminder about Patreon resources.

Transcripts

let's talk about layering color pencils

but not only how you layer them how you

layer them if you haven't got a huge

array of colors I want to focus today on

how to layer if you've only got a set of

12 first up what is layering layering is

where you gradually build up the color

with a series of very light layers of

pencil layering is essentially how you

mix up the colors you put one color on

top of another and they gradually blend

to make a new color now I think it's

going to be simplest if I talk you

through a drawing and show you how I go

about building up the different colors

so I'm going to show you by drawing this

Rose Bud now as I say I am drawing this

only with 12 pencils and in many ways I

think it makes it a bit easier to see

what I'm doing now before we get started

with the actual drawing if you would

like to draw this rose bud with me it is

available on my patreon my patreon is

full of a whole variety of tutorials in

both color pencil and graphite pencil

and for every drawing I include full

in-depth instructions all of the real

time footage sketch outlines details of

all of the colors I'll be using and of

course the reference photo I like to

include a mixture of some shorter

drawings so some drawings that can be

completed in less than 2 hours as well

as some much bigger more impressive

drawings but they do take a lot longer

do check out the link in the description

all right let's have a look at this Rose

whenever and whatever I'm layering I

always follow the same rough rules I

like to generally start from the lighter

colors and work my way towards the

darker colors and I begin doing this by

putting down what I call base layers so

what I want to be doing here is very

lightly drawing everything out mapping

it out and giving myself something that

I can work with now because I'm working

with the set of 12 I haven't got a huge

array of colors here so I'm just going

to look at each area of the Rose and

find kind of the closest color to each

section and put down a very light amount

of that color the rose itself is pink

the closest color I have to Pink is red

so what I'm doing is very very lightly

mapping out the lights and darks with

this red mapping out all of the key

shapes now the absolute key thing here

is it needs to be really light I like it

to not only be light but also be really

nice and smooth now there's a few ways I

go about making it as light and smooth

as possible to help me make it light

first off you'll notice that I'm not

holding the pencil really close to the

tip I'm holding it probably about

halfway down that is because if I hold

it back here it literally stops me from

being able to press too hard by holding

it back here I'm not able to be as

accurate but I don't need to be hugely

accurate at this point because I'm just

roughly mapping everything out and

roughly mapping out the key shapes the

other thing I'm doing is working in

small little circular motions so kind of

circular oval motions which is going

going to help get a really smooth even

amount of the pencil down which is all

part of making it as smooth as possible

and the final thing that I'm doing here

for my base layers is making sure that

my pencil is really nice and sharp the

sharper the pencil not only the easier

to control but I find the pencil just

goes down in a much more consistent way

so you'll notice that here because I am

needing to be a bit more precise about

my base layers I am holding the pencil

closer to the tip on this part but I am

still pressing as lightly as possible as

I say and I can't stress this enough the

key to layering is to be as light as

possible you want to be able to put down

a lot of pencil on the same area of

paper and you can only do that if you

press lightly if you go in really hard

with the pencil you're not going to be

able to build up the same amount of

color now I don't want to put the same

base layer down for every section each

section of the rows has a different base

layer so the rose itself as I mentioned

is pink and the stem is on on the most

part green I'd say some parts are green

and some parts are brown but for now

because I'm just focusing on base layers

I'm focusing on the leaves here I'm

going to block in and Mark in their

shape with this green pencil and that's

the whole point in layering is that we

can adjust the colors later this is the

closest color I feel I have to these

leaves now once again you'll notice that

I'm going about this in exactly the same

way I'm not holding the pencil really

close to the tip which is helping me

press really nice and lightly I have a

nice sharp pencil and I'm working as

smoothly as possible i' say that the

stem is green down to about this point

then from here I can think about moving

on to a slightly darker pencil to Mark

in some more of the shapes this still

isn't about getting the perfect end

color it's just thinking about which

color kind of is next so for example on

the leaf here it's a little bit darker

on either side so I can use this pencil

to just darken down each side still

lightly going over the top of what I've

already got to very gradually start

building up and layering up that color

do exactly the same for the leaf in the

middle and I just gradually work my way

around very lightly building up extra of

this color and then on the actual stem

the stem is more of this brown color I

would say than the green and it's darker

on the right hand side and lighter on

the left so I'm just going to build up a

little bit more color and put down a bit

more base layer on that right hand side

I'm still not pressing hard I'm just

going over it a few more times to build

up that color but this is all still very

much part of building up the Bas layers

you'll notice that it all looks very

muted in the colors because we don't

want to go in really hard with any of

the pencils at this point we want to

give ourselves a lot of leeway to build

up other colors I think the main thing

to take note of with layering is that

it's a very forgiving way of drawing you

get lots of opportunities to adjust what

you're doing either with the color by

adding more Colors Over the Top you can

really significantly change a color but

also you can change the shapes quite

easily because you're putting down the

pencil so lightly to start with so back

to the Rose at the top and I'm still

wanting to build up some of these base

layers I'm still working from the

lighter colors towards the darker colors

and here I'm using a this is the magenta

pencil it's kind of a purpley red and

I'm using it to go over a lot of the

shadowed areas so although the rose is

mostly pink in the more shadowed areas

of the Rose it has a little hint of blue

so using this color because it's kind of

purpley seems like a good one to use at

this point and then once I've gone over

and built up a little bit a lot of the

Shadows I can then again carry on

working towards the darker colors this

is still the base layers at this point I

can start thinking about adding in the

darkest Shadows so this is the Walnut

Brown It's like a very dark brown to

just put in those darkest areas now I

can't stress enough that I am still

working very very lightly and we will be

until the very end I can just gradually

build up this color now you'll see where

I'm putting the brown over where we've

put the green before and that lighter

brown is kind of looking like it's

covering a lot of that up it's looking a

bit kind of flatter but that's okay

because we can build up more Colors Over

the Top it doesn't matter in many ways I

think that the base layers are the

hardest part of layering and the hardest

part of any drawing because you're

mapping out the key colors and the key

shapes it's where it's kind of most

likely to go wrong I guess once you've

already marked a lot of it out you'll

really just building on what you've

already got I think it gets much easier

so the final thing for the base layers

is to go over the absolute darkest Parts

very lightly with the black I don't

generally like using the black

particularly for sort of natural objects

I think it's a bit harsh but we will put

more colors over the top of this which

will tone it down a bit so at this point

I would say that the base layers are

done now what we want to do is to keep

building up on top of all of these

colors and as I say I think from this

point it does get a lot easier so now I

want to focus on brightening everything

up and generally adding all of the

missing colors so I like to look at my

drawing compared to my reference photo

and think about which colors are missing

so right now I can see some elements of

purple quite a light purple in a lot of

the particularly the ends of the petals

so I can use this light blue to go

lightly over the top and you can see how

much it changes the color of the petal

even though I'm not putting a huge

amount down and I can just work around

all of the petals putting down the blue

anywhere I want to add a hint of that

purple so I guess the only thing really

to be focusing on when using fewer

colors like this is you need to think a

little bit more about color theory and

the color wheel so you have to bear in

mind that red and blue make perf purple

and you may not have an amazing purple

in your set but if you have a red and a

blue you can make a purple same goes for

if your green is looking not quite

yellow enough you can think about adding

a yellow to a green to slightly change

the color you should have to be a little

bit more imaginative I think so I can

keep going over the whole of the Rose

Bud adding in this blue and once I think

that I have added in everything I can

see in the reference I think it's lost a

lot of its kind of Pinky red so I can go

back to the quite bright red and fill in

a lot of the areas that I did with the

base layer but because is gradually

building up it is starting to look more

vibrant so I can go back over all of

those same areas again putting down more

of this red and that changes what we've

got here so at this point I think a lot

of the darker more shaded areas are now

not looking quite dark enough they

haven't got enough contrast to them so I

can switch back to that very dark brown

and start adding this in on just the

very darkest Shadows so particularly

around this petal here for example where

it folds over and in between a lot of

the folds at the top up here now doing

this I think is taking away a little bit

of the kind of ready pink tone but again

that's okay we can always add that back

in in a minute but you can see how

quickly the vibrancy does build up so

let's fill in some more of the darker

Shadows down the bottom as well with

that same darker brown and then I'm not

completely happy with the general color

down here I'd say I'm pretty happy with

the level of contrast but the underlying

color isn't right what I want to do is

add a lighter brown over the top of this

so I can once again add this brown over

the top of this area I have already

added this brown in on the base layers

at the very beginning but it all got a

little bit lost under the darker Browns

and the black that I added here now I do

find that the more colors I build up I

do have to start pressing slightly

harder just to get the pencil to show up

I'm by no means pressing hard just maybe

a bit harder than I was to start with as

that color builds so once I filled in a

lot of this brown I'm once again wanting

to think about the most obvious color

that's missing so now on these leaves

pretty much all the green has been lost

so I want to go back to that same green

we used before go over the top of these

areas and it's just slightly adjusting

the stem here and then actually I'm

thinking that the green doesn't look

like quite the right green it needs to

be made a little bit more yellow so I

can put some yellow over the top of that

and maybe add a little bit of a bright

red into the stem and then I can go back

to that lighter brown add some more of

that in slightly adjust and tone down

the green again and then go back to

really making the dark areas look a bit

darker I think that they're not looking

like the contrast has been lost a little

bit so I can go back to that Walnut

Brown fill in the same areas again and

you'll notice I'm really just flicking

through the colors and gradually

building them up now you will see here

that I am pressing quite a lot firmer

because I have mostly put down the

colors that I want at this point I can

press a little bit firmer just to kind

of smooth everything out and you'll see

me doing that a little bit more with a

different color in a minute so let's

tweak some of the contrast up the top

with this same brown as well before once

again going back to the red and

brightening things up again but then

maybe that's a little bit too red it's a

bit too much of a bright red and I want

to add a bit more of a slightly purple

tone to it so I can go back to the

reddish purple the magenta add some more

of that over the top before then

thinking maybe that's not quite blue

enough and all of that blue that I added

earlier on looks like it's been lost so

I can go back to that light blue and

once again add some of these cooler

tones back in now the more that I add in

the colors the firmer as I've said

before I need to press and when when I

am happy with everything I have got in

an area what I generally want to do is

blend it I want to smooth it all out and

blend it all together and I do this with

something called burnishing so

burnishing is where you press a lot

firmer with the pencil once you finished

all of your layering you press one much

firmer and it Smooths everything out and

sort of finishes it off now I'm using

the white pencil here to Bish because I

want this Rose to look pink at the end I

want to blend with the white so it

lightens everything up and once I'm

happy that everything's all smoothed out

and burnished maybe I want to add a tiny

little bit more color so maybe just

adding a little bit of red over the top

and maybe a little bit of brown as well

to slightly adjust that color but that

is essentially how I go about layering

starting off with some very light base

layers and kind of mapping everything

out and then comparing my drawing to my

reference photo and thinking about which

color is missing allowing myself to

gradually build up that color until the

very end when I want to burnish and

smooth everything out now don't forget

if you want to draw this rose with me it

is available on my patreon now I have

briefly touched on burnishing in this

video but I haven't g into a huge amount

of detail if you do want to learn more

about what banishing is and when you

should use it check out this video here

as always happy drawing guys and I'll

see you in the next one by