Blended Pencils

Blend colored pencils over lightly stamped images for a striking look.

Supplies

Step-by-Step

1. Step 1

   Using a light colored neutral ink, ink up a large silhouette flower image, stamp off once on a scrap, and then stamp your image on the front of a white or kraft card base.
   
   Don't worry if the image isn't inked fully or is uneven - you will be covering the ink with pencil.

   

2. Step 2

   Using the dominant color in your image, color around the edges of the petals, leaving the centers blank.

   

3. This coloring can be very rough and sketchy - the texture will become smooth as you add more layers of color.

   

4. Step 3

   Color towards the center of the petals with your next lightest color.

   

5. Step 4

   Come back with the your first color and blend the colors together. You will start to see the color become smooth and blended, but there will still be porous portions. Leave a little bit of exposed cardstock at the center of the flowers.

   

6. Step 5

   Using the lightest color pencil, color over the entire petal to blend all the colors together. The texture of the color will now be smooth and waxy.

   

7. Step 6

   Come back one last time with the darkest color pencil and intensify the darkest portions of the petal. Color the top of the flower with two of the lighter pencils.

   

8. Step 7

   Color the other flowers in the image with a charcoal grey pencil - this coloring can be very light and sketchy - you do not need to blend this - just use basic coloring and shading. On the main flower image, come back and blend the grey on the stem and leaves with the lighter colored pencil.

   

9. Step 8

   Using a very fine black pen, add detail to the flowers.

   

10. Step 9

    You may also add this detail to the grey background flowers.

    

11. Step 10

    Finish your card.

    

Video!

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Blended Pencils. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!

***Please note - Internet Explorer/Edge is not a supported browser, and will not allow you to see the videos. Please use Chrome, Firefox or Safari to view our tutorial videos.