Colour Pencil Drawing Landscapes: Mastering the Basics

Colour Pencil Drawing Landscapes

Ever felt overwhelmed by the choice of colors, textures, and techniques in landscape drawing? You’re not alone!

Many art students struggle to master the subtleties of drawing landscapes with colored pencils, but with a few guiding principles, you’ll find yourself creating masterpieces in no time.

This guide will help you navigate each step, from selecting materials to finding inspiration in nature, so you can unlock your full potential as a color pencil artist.

🎨 Key Takeaways

• Choosing the Right Color Pencils: Learn the top brands that professional artists prefer for vibrant, long-lasting color.
• Subject Ideas: Discover inspiring landscape topics, from sunsets to forest scenes, perfect for honing your skills.
• Techniques & Tips: Get step-by-step advice on layering, blending, and adding texture with color pencils.
• Paper Recommendations: Find the best papers that enhance colored pencil effects for landscapes.
• Professional Inspiration: Explore the works of master artists who specialize in color pencil landscapes.

1. Choosing the Right Colored Pencils for Landscapes

Starting with quality tools makes a big difference in the results. Here are some popular color pencil brands that artists rely on:

Prismacolor Premier

Known for their soft cores and blendability, these pencils produce vivid colors perfect for landscapes.

They’re great for achieving smooth gradients, like the transition of blue to yellow in a sunrise.

Faber-Castell Polychromos

With a harder lead, these oil-based pencils retain sharp points longer, making them ideal for fine details, such as blades of grass or tree bark texture.

Caran d’Ache Luminance

Known for their durability and high lightfastness, these are ideal if you’re looking to create artwork that won’t fade.

Their smooth, creamy laydown is excellent for capturing skies and water reflections.

Each brand has its unique strengths, so try a few to see which aligns best with your artistic style.

2. Inspiring Landscape Ideas to Get Started

Here are some versatile landscape ideas that offer a range of textures and colors to practice with:

1. Mountain Sunsets: Capture the gradient hues of an evening sky, from deep purples to soft pinks. Focus on blending and layering for the sky and sharp pencil strokes for mountain textures.
2. Forest Pathways: Trees, bushes, and paths give you the opportunity to experiment with layering greens and browns. Try using a combination of light and shadow to create depth.
3. Beach of Seawall Scenes: Capture the subtle blues of ocean water with sandy shores. Work with cool and warm tones, and experiment with texture to bring out the details in sand and waves.
4. Fields of Flowers: Whether it’s a field of poppies or lavender, flower fields are excellent for practicing details and blending.
5. Night Skies: Challenge yourself with a twilight or night scene where darker tones, starlight, and silhouettes play key roles.

3. Step-by-Step Techniques for Applying Colored Pencil

Mastering techniques in color pencil application is essential for creating realistic landscapes. Here’s a breakdown of some useful methods:

Step 1: Layering

• Start Light: Begin by applying light layers, as it’s easier to build up color gradually. Light layers allow you to correct errors easily and prevent smudging.
• Gradual Build-Up: Gradually add more pressure as you layer, especially for areas where you want vibrant colors, like a sunset sky or dense forest foliage.

Step 2: Blending

• Dry Blending: Use the pencils themselves to create smooth transitions between colors. Cross-hatch or use small circular motions to avoid hard lines.
• Solvent Blending: For a smoother, paint-like finish, use a solvent like rubbing alcohol. Dip a small brush in the solvent and gently blend the pencil marks, especially in large areas like skies and water.

Step 3: Adding Texture

• Stippling and Cross-Hatching: Use stippling to create texture in gravel or sand. Cross-hatching can add texture to grass or bark. Practice each technique on scrap paper to see what textures they create.
• Burnishing: For a polished, smooth look, apply heavy pressure with a white or light-colored pencil over other colors. This compresses the pigments and fills in paper texture, great for water and sky effects.

4. Selecting the Right Paper for Colored Pencil Landscapes

Choosing the right paper is crucial for achieving the texture and depth that make landscapes pop. Here are a few paper types that work well with colored pencils:

• Bristol Paper (Smooth or Vellum): Smooth Bristol paper is ideal for highly detailed work, like capturing fine branches. Vellum surfaces are slightly textured, providing a bit more tooth for layering colors, which is excellent for larger landscape scenes.
• Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper: This is a thicker, textured paper that can handle multiple layers and even solvent blending. The textured surface is perfect for adding depth to skies and water.
• Pastel Paper: With a unique toothiness, pastel paper holds a lot of pigment, which is excellent for creating vibrant colors and deep contrasts in landscapes.

Experiment with different types of paper to find one that works well with your preferred technique and desired effect.

5. Learning from the Masters of Colored Pencil Landscapes

Several contemporary artists have indeed mastered colored pencil drawing of landscapes, setting inspiring standards in the art world.

This medium has seen a resurgence in popularity, particularly as artists have adapted their practices during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The accessibility and versatility of colored pencils make them an ideal choice for artists working in various environments.

Notable Contemporary Artists

Looking at established artists in the colored pencil landscape genre can inspire and inform your own work. Here are a few artists whose techniques are worth studying:

Sarah Ann Weber

Sarah Ann Weber combines colored pencils with other media to produce surreal landscapes populated by fantastical plants and ghostly figures.

Her vibrant use of color explores themes of growth and entropy, evoking the dreamlike quality of Southern California’s landscapes.

Weber intends to create a hallucinatory experience for viewers, further elevating the medium’s potential.

Colour pencil work by Sarah Ann Weber:

Lui Ferreyra 

Lui Ferreyra focuses on the breakdown of visual information in his colored pencil drawings, which include both human figures and landscapes.

His work often features puzzle-like compartments that highlight different aspects of his subjects, creating a sense of depth and complexity.

Ferreyra’s recent experiments with neon colors add a contemporary twist to his compositions, making them visually striking.

Colour pencil work by Lui Ferreyra:

Judith Crown 

Judith specializes in detailed landscapes and nature scenes using colored pencils.

Her meticulous approach celebrates the beauty of natural subjects, from waterfalls to intricate floral studies.

Crown emphasizes the clean nature of working with colored pencils, allowing for both precision and flexibility in her artistic process.

Colour pencil work by Judith Crown

Graham Brace

Brace, a founder member of the United Kingdom Colored Pencil Society (UKCPS), uses colored pencils predominantly in his work to achieve maximum control over detail.

His landscapes often depict the stunning Pembrokeshire coastline, showcasing natural forms with incredible realism.

Brace’s technique involves layering colors and blending various mediums to enhance texture and depth in his drawings.

Colour pencil work by Graham Brace

Studying the works of such artists can offer insight into professional-level technique and color use, which can greatly enhance your understanding and skills.

Concluding Thoughts on Colour Pencil Drawing Landscapes

Color pencil drawing offers endless possibilities, and landscapes provide a perfect starting point to explore light, color, and texture.

Remember, choosing quality materials, planning your subject matter, and practicing various techniques will all contribute to your development as an artist.

Start small, explore different landscapes, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

Let the masters inspire you, but don’t hesitate to explore your own style.

With dedication, your landscapes will not only reflect the beauty of nature but also showcase your unique artistic perspective.

References

1. Graham Brace  “Why I use Coloured Pencil.” (2022b, January 21). Harbour Lights Gallery. https://www.harbourlightsgallery.com/graham-brace-why-i-use-coloured-pencil/
2. The beauty of landscapes. (n.d.). annkullberg.com. https://annkullberg.com/blogs/ann-muses/the-beauty-of-landscapes
3. Portfolio. (n.d.). https://www.luiferreyra.com/portfolio/
4. Anat Ebgi Gallery Inc. (2024, March 21). Sarah Ann Weber – ANAT EBGI GALLERY. ANAT EBGI GALLERY. https://anatebgi.com/artists/sarah-ann-weber/?guid=gallery-exhibition&mid=14
5. Anat Ebgi Gallery Inc. (2024b, March 21). Sarah Ann Weber – ANAT EBGI GALLERY. ANAT EBGI GALLERY. https://anatebgi.com/artists/sarah-ann-weber/