I like trialing new art materials and working out what works with my techniques. I have used colour pencils for many years and used to use Zest It to blend. When I had to change my paper choice I found that the Zest It made the new paper quite slippery. I was using Fabriano hot pressed 140lb watercolour paper but something happened during the production where from what I have been told. So I trialled many paper… many papers! and finally stuck with Strathmore. It is much smoother but works well for how I work.
Burnishing to blend colour pencil can really be tedious on your wrist and fingers. Long term it isn’t ideal. So I have been thinking about getting another blending medium a go and this time have purchased some Mona Lisa Odourless Paint Thinner. So far so good! I am really pleased. It hasn’t created that slippery feel over the top of the colour pencil so that is one good thing I have found.
For this test piece I went and practised on a lovely little Blue Tit reference photo taken by Russ Bridges. I do not intend on working any more on this actual one as I want to re-sketch the entire image. I shall admit something… I actually measured my lines wrong… WOOPS! Those graphite lines are meant to be 5″ x 7″ and I must have been half asleep because is 1 inch to short! So I decided to just do a little sketch piece instead before completing the full project :). Time was ticking on this as I slotted this in on a spare hour I had at the end of yesterday. I shall let you know how I get on with the full project 😀