The Colored Pencil Course: Creating Texture - Part 2

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Lesson Discussion

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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?

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.”

  8. 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

  9. 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.

  10. 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…

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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

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