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Raccoon Dog
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Message
Posted
I thought I would try out my new oil based pencils. I had bought a range of caran d’ache and Derwent Lightfast pencils with a view to drawing more portraits when the pandemic is over. I got a wide variety of pale colours as well as browns and drew out a reference chart. I picked a photo of a raccoon dog, which I thought would lend itself to cp’s. But on brown paper most of the pale colours, looked much the same. Trying to get the density of whiteish pigment around the nose was more than hard. I resorted to using waxy pencils over it. I was surprised that the waxy pencil adhered over the oil, but it did not work the other way round. Does anyone have any tips on what works over what and what doesn’t. I feel there is a lot more work to be done to get the density of fur/hair. Should I have chosen more of a mid tone support in the first place?
Edited
by Linda Wilson
Posted
Hi Linda
I've just been reading an article in the, January 2021, Leisure Painter 'Ask Jackson's'
One of the questions asked is the difference between wax-based and oil- based coloured pencils.
It explains the difference. Also what you have experienced-
Quote -
many artists use a combination of wax and oil-based pencils in their work, depending on the techniques they need. They might use wax-based pencils for building layers of colour, for example, and oil-based pencils for adding finer detail.
Seems you are doing the right technique.
The question I was going to ask, Jackson's was, but is no longer available- 'what would be the best surface to use, Bristol Board, Smooth or medium cartridge paper, hot pressed watercolour etc. These can be an expensive surface when producing a piece of work for sale. Professional guidance would be more than welcome. Trial and error can be expensive!
I use Derwent Coloursoft, and find a smooth cartridge paper the best option, for me, at the moment.
Intensive piece of work, Linda.
Edited
by C Jones
Posted
Thanks for the tip. I was hoping to get rid of the mass associated with pastels, but seem to have come up with other problems. I’ve noticed that some cp artists use Strathmore Bristol board or vellum. I used another make of Bristol board with cp’s, but it didn’t give me the effect I was expecting. It was very good with inks though. I was amazed that one artist uses baby oil with oil pencils. That is another experiment to try.
Posted
If you want a whiter effect, Linda, you could try, gouache, a white gel pen or a white watercolour pencil.
For very fine detail and lighting up small areas I use a white gel pen 'Signo' I've had it for a few years and it hasn't dried up, as other brands I have tried, have.
Hope this helps.
That was a smashing tip using baby oil, will keep this in mind for oil pastels.
Posted
Tried putting grass into the bottom half with Inktense, but I have reached saturation point and I do not have any ACP spray to allow extra layers. However, I did read that you can get more colour out of you pencils by warming them or the surface the are going on. That seems a bit drastic to me and liable to accidents. I will just have to accept that the straw was a mistake that cannot be reversed. Also trying to make grass on a dark brown support is also not really achievable. So here it is warts and all.
Edited
by Linda Wilson
