Tag Archives: Watercolor pencils

Mystery Technique

Mystery Technique # 166

September 20, 2026 – 6:45 pm

Curious about the techniques used here? You can learn more next month if you’ve signed up for email updates! 

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #165:

This was inspired by a series of memorable dreams, including several with transforming tigers. Mystery Technique #164 was part of the same painting, which started as an expressive wet-in-wet sky with a dreamlike atmosphere. I added the dream tiger and other images with watercolor pencils, varying the pressure to create lost-and-found edges and mimic the elusive nature of dreams.

Tags , , | Permalink | Comments Off on Mystery Technique # 166
Mystery Technique

Mystery Technique #134

January 20, 2024 – 4:24 pm

Curious about the techniques used here? You can learn more next month if you’ve signed up for email updates!

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #133:

After sketching the cardinal on tracing paper, I used a light box to transfer the drawing onto watercolor paper. Next I mixed several reds for the first layer and added a little New Gamboge to the beak. When this layer dried, I rewet the paper, then painted bluish black next to the beak before quickly adding another layer of red. I came in wet-in-wet with a pale brownish gray to suggest darker feathers and shadows; to control the results, I kept this color drier than the red. I finished the eye, beak, and feet with watercolor pencils and stippling with a .005 Micron black pen.

Tags , , , | Permalink | Comments Off on Mystery Technique #134
Mystery Technique

Mystery Technique #126

May 20, 2023 – 9:39 pm

Curious about the techniques used here? You can learn more next month if you’ve signed up for email updates!

ANSWER TO MYSTERY TECHNIQUE #125, PART 2:

Watercolor pencils are a big part of this technique! Intriguing edges can form as watery paint slowly evaporates:

Here’s another part of the same painting where less is happening, and some enhancement is needed:

Because watercolor pencils can make so many different kinds of marks, they can effectively mimic what happens during evaporation. It’s fun to experiment with working on both wet and dry paper, dipping the pencil tip in water, and drawing with the side of the tip. See if you can spot the differences in this final version, which also includes the background and another layer of paint for increased depth:

Tags , , | Permalink | Comments Off on Mystery Technique #126

Next Page »

Next Page »