Derwent Watercolour Pencils offer versatility and control in artistic expression. These pencils provide an engaging creative experience as they seamlessly mix with water, allowing for captivating colour flows. Unlike their vibrant counterpart, Inktense, the Watercolour Pencils feature a subtle colour palette, making them perfect for crafting landscapes, seascapes, en plein air, and traditional artworks. With a soft texture, these pencils facilitate easy blending and layering, granting artists the freedom to achieve nuanced effects. The non-permanent nature of watercolour allows for re-wetting and repositioning even after the colour has dried, providing flexibility in the creative process. Whether used wet or dry, these pencils empower artists to draw and paint with precision and control. Combining the control of a pencil with the delicate beauty of watercolour, they are ideal for mixed media projects. Sharpenable to a fine point, these pencils feature a 3.4mm core, ensuring adaptability for detailed work. Available in sets of 12, 24, 36, and 72, Derwent Watercolour Pencils cater to various artistic preferences and project requirements.
Activation with Water: Watercolour pencils are designed to be used with water, which can be applied with a soft brush after making marks with the pencil. This process is called activation. Once the material has been “activated”, it behaves like watercolour.
Typically, water is applied with a brush, but sponges and other tools can be used as well. Nylon brushes work well for this, but natural hair brushes work too. Bristle brushes are typically used for heavier bodied media like oils or acrylics, so it may be best not to use them with watercolour.
Layering and Mixing Colours: Watercolour pencils can be mixed, mostly through layering. To mix colours, apply one colour and then layer an application of a second colour over the top or right next to the first colour. Then, activate the area with water. The colours will mix together. To produce additional depth in the colour and additional mixing, allow the first layer to dry completely. Then you can repeat the process with another round of mixed colours over the top of the dried area. Remember, layering too many colours can ‘muddy’ the colour. So be sure to limit your layers to avoid this. You can also have a test sheet of paper on hand to test your mixtures prior to applying them to your finished work.
Experimentation: Experiment with various techniques, such as applying the pencil directly to a saturated area for unique effects.
Taking Colour from the Pencil Tip: You aren’t limited to applying the pencil to the surface. You can also take the pigment directly from the tip of the pencil with a brush loaded with water. You can then apply the colour directly to the surface with a brush, just like with traditional watercolours. This technique often results in a lighter and less intense application of colour.
Surfaces: Watercolour pencils should be applied to watercolour paper or a heavy board such as illustration board. As water is applied, thinner papers will tend to buckle or even tear.
Surface Texture: Cold press watercolour papers with heavier texture or “tooth” are recommended, but artists may choose smoother surfaces (hot press watercolour paper) based on preference.
