Waterproof colored pencils.

MOO

I am getting ready to work on color pages for my current book project. I work traditionally, usually with black ink and watercolor. I am interested in experimenting with a black pencil, instead of my dip pen but I want to be sure it doesn't run. Any recommendations? Thanks!

burvantill

I am positive that plain pencil graphite will resist watercolor. I have done two small watercolors with #2 pencil and it was a nice combination. You could use a soft graphite like 6 or 9 to get a nice dark mark.
I have thought about using plain colored pencils with my watercolor as well, but I haven’t got around to that experiment yet. I would love to see how it works out for you.

MOO

@burvantill great idea! Thanks. Off to the Art Supply store today. I'll post my experiments

demotlj

@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen I, too am interested in seeing them. I once asked Lita Judge (via email), an illustrator I like, how she does her work and she said she always does a light line in pencil, then paints the watercolor, and then goes over all the line again with a heavier pencil. I’m learning dip pen now but would like to try pencil sometime for my line and wash so will be interested in seeing yours.

Sorcha

I have a pack of Faber Polychromos, they're oil based and resist water very well, they have nice depth of colour and hold a good point.

sigross

I got some Caran d'Ache Grafwood Pencils. These are my favorite. They do lovely cube pencils too.

MOO

Okay, well, here are some samples from playign around today with graphite pencils and watercolor. They look pretty dirty (using up an old palette). I mainly wanted to see how they worked together. So the first ones are some scribbled heads using different pencils I bought today. 4B and 8B graphite, a charcoal and a noir? something. I put the pencil down first and then painted over it or inside the lines. The second one was done with a graphite pencil 8B on th eleft, 4B on the right. We were at the laundromat doing laundry so I did some washers and a view out the window. muddy colors, I know.

The last two I did tonight. Of course, it's the same one before and after. I did a quick sketch with a regular #2 or 2B pencil, watercolor and then went over the lighte pencil with the graphite (8B-I think).

Not sure I like it. I might try using prismacolor instead. I'd love to see some samples of some of yours using the writing utensils you all mentioned!

I'm sure there are better examples for you to see but this is what I have for now. Thanks!

sigross

I've got no watercolours to test the pencils with. But I did draw a page of lizards with the GrafCube pencils (3B, 6B, 9B)and Grafwood (6B, 9B).