coloured pencil demonstration
COLOURED PENCIL DEMONSTRATION THE FOUR COUNTIES BOAT TRIP By Jane Lazenby
I took the reference image while on a canal boat trip in Staffordshire, UK (the Four Counties route). It was a very cold spring morning at about 7am with areas of ice on the water... It was so beautifully peaceful and still and I think this image really shows this atmosphere.
This is going to be quite a detailed picture, but if you’re willing to put the hours in, you’ll be astounded with what you can achieve.
www.ArtTutor.com
1
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Materials
Coloured Pencils Black, Loganberry, Persian Grey, Brown Black, Indigo, Brown Earth, Dark Brown, Mid Brown, Brown, Pale Brown, Grey Lavender, Cloud Blue, Bright Lilac, Green, Light Green, Lime Green, Pale Blue, Baby Blue, Peach, Cream, White. Other Materials • Indenting tool, electric eraser • Sharp point sharpener (or any sharpener) • Trace down paper • Heavy weight white paper
www.ArtTutor.com
2
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Structural Sketch This is a complex piece; I intend to work my way through it giving reference to my colour choices as I proceed... If you do not have the specific pencil colour, just substitute the nearest one in your selection. I am not going to create a full monochrome layer first, as the black pencil can mix and taint some of the colour layers that we need to remain light and soft. Please also note that I am writing 'in retrospect' and I will happily tell you of the difficulties that I created for myself in the hope that I can direct you to a cleaner and safer result throughout this step by step process... You will note that there are elements I omitted from my reference photograph, such as the half revealed building right of centre on the horizon - I felt that this construction did not add to my composition, so simply added a few trees instead! (On the next page there is an A4 version of this sketch if you want to print it off and have a go yourself.)
www.ArtTutor.com
3
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
www.ArtTutor.com
4
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 1: BACKGROUND
My first task was to create the soft background colours above the horizon... I placed a gentle white base down and added Baby Blue and Pale Blue. TOP TIP: You really need to push the colour here or it will look too light at the end of your piece. Next, using Grey Lavender, Steel Grey and Dark Brown I add in the central group of trees... TOP TIP: I used a paper template or guard to reserve the edge of the bridge – this allows me to create a fluent line without intruding into the bridge shape.
www.ArtTutor.com
5
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
You can see that our first layer in the background is now complete. In order to create depth, the colours we’ve chosen are much lighter that than we’ll be putting in the foreground, but we still need them to be quite strong otherwise the distance will look too distant!
www.ArtTutor.com
6
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 2: TREES I begin adding the trees in a monochrome layer - not too heavy as I will adjust the tonal balance later on. Try and follow the outline drawing, then observe closely and add your own additions of branches and twigs freehand.
Work slowly and with as much accuracy as possible... Think ahead and add any areas of indented line - think highlight on branches, dried grasses, top of bridge, edge of the hill's crest... www.ArtTutor.com
7
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Take care not to overload the rear trees with the black pencil remember our rules of tone and depth: the foreground trees can be as dark as we can make them, the mid and background trees need to recede and carry less density of tone... Add browns and greys into the rear tree trunks as they need to recede.
www.ArtTutor.com
8
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 3: INDENTED LINE AND REFLECTIONS
Create indents on the canal edges.... Look into the water surface to find any areas where the indented line can be used to create bright highlights.
www.ArtTutor.com
9
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 4: TONAL STRUCTURE Add in the tonal structure of the reflections lightly and start to block in the left hand canal bank and grass verge...
Softly work over the indented line to create the canal bank...
I have added the left canal bank (without using an indented line, just with careful observation and a sharp point). I continue adding the reflections on the water surface.
www.ArtTutor.com
10
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 5: BRIDGE Using the Baby Blue and Bright Lilac I create a base colour over the bridge.
Using Persian Grey, Royal Purple, Loganberry and Black I continue with soft layers over the bridge adding firmer pressure in little dashes to mimic the brickwork.
www.ArtTutor.com
11
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Use the same blue combination as before to fill in the area under the bridge, then I create a soft base layer of white into the highlights under the bridge, along the fence line and into the distant dry grasses then use Grey Lavender and Peach to softly build colour.
The Brown Black carefully draws in the branches over the blue - be accurate and work with a really sharp point. Touch in the fence posts and put in the delicate branches showing above the bridgeline.
www.ArtTutor.com
12
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 6: CANAL BANK I start work on the far bank using a cream pencil to put a soft base over the light grassy areas. Check again for any places to use the indented line.
I next add the Grey Lavender into the banking and the reflection.
Next come the greens - Lime Green and Light Green, don't use too much pressure as we don't want these colours to become too bright and garish.
www.ArtTutor.com
13
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Next comes the Loganberry and dark browns before using the black again to define the structures.
www.ArtTutor.com
14
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
I now move my attention to the left hand canal bank... Let’s put Lime Green, Light Green and Green softly layer into the grassy areas. Can you spot the indented line providing us with fine detail?
Next come the Loganberry, Cream and Grey Lavender before the black returns to build in the shadows. (You can add dark blues and purples into the shadows also to create some really rich colour...)
www.ArtTutor.com
15
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
I add a warm brown into the pathway and continue soft layers of a selection of my darkest colours into the shadow on the banking.
www.ArtTutor.com
16
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 7: REFLECTIONS I complete mapping in the reflections with the black then slowly begin to add my colours keeping my marks horizontal in direction to create the tension of the water surface.
www.ArtTutor.com
17
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 8: BLENDING The water surface is now complete and ready for some vigorous blending with the white pencil. The image on the left shows the water unblended and the image on the right shows the effect of the white pencil to give a different texture to the surface.
Use the white pencil in firm, quick horizontal strokes - you will find that it picks up the colour layers and enhances the feeling of the ripples and reflective surface on the water.
Step 9: REFINING DETAIL Now we need to contemplate, adjust, correct and refine. • • •
Any areas that have too vibrant colour, simply softly skim over with a brown pencil. Any areas that are too dark, take them back to paper with the electric eraser and rebuild the layers with a gentle hand. Now is the time to sharpen the black pencil and add those beautiful twigs between your branches, darken any tree trunks and branches and look around for any detail or shadows that are missing...
www.ArtTutor.com
18
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
The Finished Outcome
We are now complete! Well done, you have made it through to the end!
www.ArtTutor.com
19
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
About Jane Lazenby I am an established UK equestrian and animal artist based in Yorkshire. My work is concerned with the capture of light over form be it human, equine, canine or feline. I am primarily an acrylic artist, but I am increasing using coloured pencil as I enjoy the ability to subtly build colour coupled with the precision of the pencil point. Thank you for joining me, I hope you find these techniques worthwhile. See Jane Lazenby’s full profile at: www.ArtTutor.com/artists/Jane-Lazenby
Find more guides like this one at www.ArtTutor.com/blog
Faithful Friend by Marion Dutton
Making Charcoal by James Wood
www.ArtTutor.com
Strawberries by Karl Fletcher
Floral Still Life by Lucy Somers
20
I took the reference image while on a canal boat trip in Staffordshire, UK (the Four Counties route). It was a very cold spring morning at about 7am with areas of ice on the water... It was so beautifully peaceful and still and I think this image really shows this atmosphere.
This is going to be quite a detailed picture, but if you’re willing to put the hours in, you’ll be astounded with what you can achieve.
www.ArtTutor.com
1
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Materials
Coloured Pencils Black, Loganberry, Persian Grey, Brown Black, Indigo, Brown Earth, Dark Brown, Mid Brown, Brown, Pale Brown, Grey Lavender, Cloud Blue, Bright Lilac, Green, Light Green, Lime Green, Pale Blue, Baby Blue, Peach, Cream, White. Other Materials • Indenting tool, electric eraser • Sharp point sharpener (or any sharpener) • Trace down paper • Heavy weight white paper
www.ArtTutor.com
2
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Structural Sketch This is a complex piece; I intend to work my way through it giving reference to my colour choices as I proceed... If you do not have the specific pencil colour, just substitute the nearest one in your selection. I am not going to create a full monochrome layer first, as the black pencil can mix and taint some of the colour layers that we need to remain light and soft. Please also note that I am writing 'in retrospect' and I will happily tell you of the difficulties that I created for myself in the hope that I can direct you to a cleaner and safer result throughout this step by step process... You will note that there are elements I omitted from my reference photograph, such as the half revealed building right of centre on the horizon - I felt that this construction did not add to my composition, so simply added a few trees instead! (On the next page there is an A4 version of this sketch if you want to print it off and have a go yourself.)
www.ArtTutor.com
3
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
www.ArtTutor.com
4
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 1: BACKGROUND
My first task was to create the soft background colours above the horizon... I placed a gentle white base down and added Baby Blue and Pale Blue. TOP TIP: You really need to push the colour here or it will look too light at the end of your piece. Next, using Grey Lavender, Steel Grey and Dark Brown I add in the central group of trees... TOP TIP: I used a paper template or guard to reserve the edge of the bridge – this allows me to create a fluent line without intruding into the bridge shape.
www.ArtTutor.com
5
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
You can see that our first layer in the background is now complete. In order to create depth, the colours we’ve chosen are much lighter that than we’ll be putting in the foreground, but we still need them to be quite strong otherwise the distance will look too distant!
www.ArtTutor.com
6
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 2: TREES I begin adding the trees in a monochrome layer - not too heavy as I will adjust the tonal balance later on. Try and follow the outline drawing, then observe closely and add your own additions of branches and twigs freehand.
Work slowly and with as much accuracy as possible... Think ahead and add any areas of indented line - think highlight on branches, dried grasses, top of bridge, edge of the hill's crest... www.ArtTutor.com
7
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Take care not to overload the rear trees with the black pencil remember our rules of tone and depth: the foreground trees can be as dark as we can make them, the mid and background trees need to recede and carry less density of tone... Add browns and greys into the rear tree trunks as they need to recede.
www.ArtTutor.com
8
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 3: INDENTED LINE AND REFLECTIONS
Create indents on the canal edges.... Look into the water surface to find any areas where the indented line can be used to create bright highlights.
www.ArtTutor.com
9
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 4: TONAL STRUCTURE Add in the tonal structure of the reflections lightly and start to block in the left hand canal bank and grass verge...
Softly work over the indented line to create the canal bank...
I have added the left canal bank (without using an indented line, just with careful observation and a sharp point). I continue adding the reflections on the water surface.
www.ArtTutor.com
10
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 5: BRIDGE Using the Baby Blue and Bright Lilac I create a base colour over the bridge.
Using Persian Grey, Royal Purple, Loganberry and Black I continue with soft layers over the bridge adding firmer pressure in little dashes to mimic the brickwork.
www.ArtTutor.com
11
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Use the same blue combination as before to fill in the area under the bridge, then I create a soft base layer of white into the highlights under the bridge, along the fence line and into the distant dry grasses then use Grey Lavender and Peach to softly build colour.
The Brown Black carefully draws in the branches over the blue - be accurate and work with a really sharp point. Touch in the fence posts and put in the delicate branches showing above the bridgeline.
www.ArtTutor.com
12
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 6: CANAL BANK I start work on the far bank using a cream pencil to put a soft base over the light grassy areas. Check again for any places to use the indented line.
I next add the Grey Lavender into the banking and the reflection.
Next come the greens - Lime Green and Light Green, don't use too much pressure as we don't want these colours to become too bright and garish.
www.ArtTutor.com
13
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Next comes the Loganberry and dark browns before using the black again to define the structures.
www.ArtTutor.com
14
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
I now move my attention to the left hand canal bank... Let’s put Lime Green, Light Green and Green softly layer into the grassy areas. Can you spot the indented line providing us with fine detail?
Next come the Loganberry, Cream and Grey Lavender before the black returns to build in the shadows. (You can add dark blues and purples into the shadows also to create some really rich colour...)
www.ArtTutor.com
15
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
I add a warm brown into the pathway and continue soft layers of a selection of my darkest colours into the shadow on the banking.
www.ArtTutor.com
16
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 7: REFLECTIONS I complete mapping in the reflections with the black then slowly begin to add my colours keeping my marks horizontal in direction to create the tension of the water surface.
www.ArtTutor.com
17
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
Step 8: BLENDING The water surface is now complete and ready for some vigorous blending with the white pencil. The image on the left shows the water unblended and the image on the right shows the effect of the white pencil to give a different texture to the surface.
Use the white pencil in firm, quick horizontal strokes - you will find that it picks up the colour layers and enhances the feeling of the ripples and reflective surface on the water.
Step 9: REFINING DETAIL Now we need to contemplate, adjust, correct and refine. • • •
Any areas that have too vibrant colour, simply softly skim over with a brown pencil. Any areas that are too dark, take them back to paper with the electric eraser and rebuild the layers with a gentle hand. Now is the time to sharpen the black pencil and add those beautiful twigs between your branches, darken any tree trunks and branches and look around for any detail or shadows that are missing...
www.ArtTutor.com
18
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
The Finished Outcome
We are now complete! Well done, you have made it through to the end!
www.ArtTutor.com
19
The Four Counties Boat Trip by Jane Lazenby
About Jane Lazenby I am an established UK equestrian and animal artist based in Yorkshire. My work is concerned with the capture of light over form be it human, equine, canine or feline. I am primarily an acrylic artist, but I am increasing using coloured pencil as I enjoy the ability to subtly build colour coupled with the precision of the pencil point. Thank you for joining me, I hope you find these techniques worthwhile. See Jane Lazenby’s full profile at: www.ArtTutor.com/artists/Jane-Lazenby
Find more guides like this one at www.ArtTutor.com/blog
Faithful Friend by Marion Dutton
Making Charcoal by James Wood
www.ArtTutor.com
Strawberries by Karl Fletcher
Floral Still Life by Lucy Somers
20
