The Colored Pencil Course: Creating Texture - Part 2
Lesson Description
Lesson Ten, Part Two of The Colored Pencil Course builds on the foundation established in Part One by focusing on completing the colored pencil drawing of a Golden Retriever. In this lesson, the emphasis is on creating the illusion of texture through careful control of value, directional lines, and color layering. By combining these techniques, students bring the dog’s fur to life, adding depth, dimension, and realism to the finished piece. The lesson demonstrates how observation, patience, and strategic layering are key to mastering textured subjects in colored pencil artwork.
Refining the Value Structure
Matt begins the lesson by reviewing the value structure established in Part One, emphasizing the importance of highlights, midtones, and shadows in creating realistic texture. Students learn to assess the drawing critically, identifying areas where values may need adjustment to enhance contrast or define form. Matt demonstrates how subtle changes in value can emphasize the curvature of the dog’s body and suggest the density and direction of the fur. By reinforcing the underlying value structure, students can ensure that the final layers of colored pencil appear cohesive and three-dimensional.
Enhancing Texture with Directional Lines
Directional lines are essential for simulating the flow and texture of fur. Matt revisits this concept, showing students how to refine previously applied strokes and add new ones to enhance the natural patterns in the dog’s coat. He explains how line length, pressure, and spacing contribute to the perception of different fur types, from soft and fluffy areas to coarser, denser patches. By carefully following the contours of the dog’s body, students create the illusion of movement and volume, ensuring that each area of fur appears natural and dynamic.
Layering Colors for Realistic Effects
Color layering is a critical part of achieving realistic texture. Matt demonstrates how to build depth and richness by layering multiple colored pencils, using lighter tones for highlights and darker tones for shadows. Students learn how to blend colors without losing the directional quality of the lines, maintaining the sense of individual hairs while creating a smooth, cohesive surface. Matt also introduces techniques for subtly mixing complementary colors to enhance contrast and vibrancy, further contributing to the realism of the fur.
Adding Details and Highlights
As the drawing nears completion, Matt shows how to add finishing details that enhance texture and bring the subject to life. This includes refining individual hairs, adding small highlights to the eyes and nose, and emphasizing areas where light reflects off the fur. Students are encouraged to observe the reference carefully, noting how light interacts with different sections of the coat. By strategically placing highlights and enhancing contrast, students create a more convincing and visually engaging image.
Maintaining a Balanced Composition
While focusing on texture, Matt reminds students to consider the overall composition of the drawing. He demonstrates how the background, placement of the dog, and distribution of highlights and shadows contribute to a balanced and harmonious final image. Students learn that attention to both detail and composition is essential for creating professional-quality artwork that captures the viewer’s attention while maintaining realism.
By the end of Lesson Ten, students complete their colored pencil drawing of the Golden Retriever, applying advanced techniques to create realistic texture through value, directional lines, and layered color. Matt emphasizes that mastery of these skills requires observation, patience, and deliberate practice. This lesson provides students with the knowledge and confidence to approach future textured subjects with a refined understanding of how to depict depth, form, and surface quality, resulting in colored pencil drawings that are vibrant, lifelike, and visually compelling.
Lesson Materials
Bristol paper, Prismacolor colored pencils, colorless blender.
Lesson Resources
Download eBook
Reference Image
Course Curriculum
Founder of The Virtual Instructor, artist and teacher. Matt makes learning art easy to understand and enjoyable.
is there a way to block out the weird guitar playing in the background? it is strange and very distracting.
Put some ear plugs into your ears 🙂
Hilarious ! Turn down the volume?
I thought this was supposed to be a tutorial…the video starts and a good part of the drawing is done?
How am I supposed to see how you have done it so I can learn from it?
Hi, Joana
This video is No.10 of a very comprehensive Coloured Pencil Course, not a ‘stand alone’ tutorial. Are you a paid-up member of thevirtualinstructor.com? If so, you need to go to the Members’ Dashboard and click on Video Courses, scroll down to Coloured Pencil Course. If you work your way through the lessons I promise you, you will find all the information you could wish for.
How different we all are – I hadn’t even noticed the guitar til I read Marilyn’ comment!!
In case anyone is wondering, I have no connection with Matt other than being a highly satisfied memberwho, having tried other sites, have found this by far the best, both in quality of instruction, video production, and value for money
Hi Barbara
Yes, I’m a paid member.
Yes, I understand it’s not a stand alone (I’ve actually completed the modules behind, including the Drawing course without any troubles). But I think it’s still meant to be a tutorial anyway…in fact most of this videos are tutorials on how to master colored pencil techniques…
I’ve found the information very useful and had no problem until now, but like I said the video starts and a good part of the drawing is completed (to be more specific the fur in the lower part). This being a very complex drawing (or to me at least it is!) I feel that info should be there.
I can complete the drawing without it, but it’s just being a lot more frustrating.
Hope I did clarify my point.
Hi Joanna,
This module is part 2 of the demonstration. This is why the video starts in the middle of the demo. Part 1 can be found here…http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/the-colored-pencil-course-creating-texture-part-1/ You can also access all of the course modules in the order that they are meant to be viewed here…http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/the-colored-pencil-course/
I hope this helps.
This is the third part
How do you decide when to use under painting to get your contrast in values like the technique used to draw the mouth of the dog versus using the two different shades of the darker browns over the beige to get the contrast in values on the fur of the dog?
Hi Frank,
Darker values will layer over lighter ones easily, while lighter values are bit harder to layer over darker ones. So, I usually keep this in mind when I am applying the colors. When applying darker tones, I am aware of the fact that I’ll need to apply lighter values later, so I’ll leave some space for them to be applied or simply apply the material with a lighter touch. But with areas that are predominantly light, I can go ahead an apply liberally since I know that darker values are easily layered on top.
Have found all of the videos so far very helpful and motivating. Time is a little short at the moment but looking forward to putting it into practice very soon. Thanks Matt.
I love this course! Matt, I notice in the coloured pencil drawings that you add the background last. In most courses I have seen, and in live class, they always say do the background first. How do you decide that?
Absolutely loving this course. Just a quick question – how do you ‘clean’ your light pencils – White,cream ,colourless when burnishing different areas. I understand that part of burnishing is picking up the colours close by but when you move to another area I find I’m sometimes transferring colour or dirtying one area with a totally different colour. Also I used the solvent in the apple painting background without tipping it into another container and managed to turn the solvent slightly pink lol. I am using Prismacolour pencils and Bristol paper. Thanks Heaps
Liz,
I simply wipe away the excess colors with my fingers. You could also keep a paper towel handy. Not very high-tech and certainly not a secret – but it works.
Thanks I have been trying that I just wondered if you needed anything more sophisticated – paper towel sounds great – thanks
I am so overwhelmed!!! But so inspired to start! So as a beginner with a little bit of art background, where would you recommend I start my practicing? (I know not an animal!). Help!
Hi Lydia,
Yes, there’s a lot of content. Just take it a piece at a time. I would suggest going straight through the modules and attempt all of the exercises. Don’t be afraid of a challenge – you can do it.
Never having taken art lessons but wanting to draw our Golden Retriever now that i’m Retired, your course has been very helpful! I’d love to send you a photo of my first attempt compared to my first drawing after going through your course. I don’t see a sway to do that though. So, i’ll Just say, “Thanks so much for this affordable course.”
Hi Matt, at time slot 9:12 the video stops transmitting, but if I skip it forward it continues fine. This is the first time I’ve run across such a problem and would appreciate a solution…
Thanks,
Orley Kathleen Marron
Hi Orley,
The video is playing normally for me. Unfortunately I cannot replicate the issue that you are having. Are you still having this issue?
If dark umber finish which one can substitute it?
I loved this tutorial, i have only been drawing on and off when time allows for 4 months and my dog turned out exceptionally well considering, thanks to your teaching.
Awesome, Thanks Jacqueline!
What purple color did you add to the dog’s tongue? It shows up when the video transitions and you can see it clearly, but you didn’t specify using it…
Hi Michele,
I’m not certain, but perhaps it was Lilac or Parma Violet.
Hi: I completed both the wine bottle drawing and Willie’s drawing. I think that they look pretty good. I am using the same numbered Prismacolor pencils, and Strathmore Bristol vellum surface 300 series paper, and Strathmore Colored Pencil paper. I find that using the pencils leaves quite a waxy type build-up on both types of paper. Is the waxy build-up on the paper normal? It makes it hard to make fine lines of one color over another. Can you advise me please? Thank you.
To figure out the right layering of colors do you do experiments before hand? Or are you just familiar enough with all the colors at this point you know what they will look like layered? I have a different dog drawing I want to do (a friend’s dog) – he’s a miniature Aussie shepherd and has orangey-brown fur along with black and white. Getting the right color of orangey-brown is proving challenging! Thx.
Hi Elisabeth,
Sometimes I will do a few test markings on a separate piece of paper to see how the colors will mix. Other times, I just go for it and trust my knowledge of color mixing. If I’m totally unsure though, I will definitely do a little testing before.
love this course, like the fact that you tell us the number of the pencil.so is prismacolor the best pencils for this courses as a beginner i would need to follow along also Strathmore Bristol vellum surface 300 series paper, also needed.
Hi Matt,
Loving the course; learning about using colorless blenders and burnishing which I’ve never done before. My question is how do you select colors? I usually select a picture to draw then get my colored pencils out and hold them against the picture and use whatever seems to match. What is your technique? Also, how do you select colors to layer over?
Thanks
it would be helpful to have a list of all the pencil numbers needed for the drawing,