How hard should you actually press with colored pencils? Should you always use light pressure, or is there a time to really push that pencil into the paper?
In this video, I’m breaking down colored pencil pressure and showing you when to use light, medium, and heavy pressure to get smoother blending, better coverage, richer colors, and more realistic results. Using too much pressure too soon can make layering difficult—but being afraid to ever use heavy pressure can hold your drawings back too!
Whether you’re brand new to colored pencils or you’ve been drawing for years, understanding pressure will give you much more control over your pencils and help you get past that grainy, unfinished look.
? Want to draw along with me? My Patreon members get access to my full-length, real-time art lessons where I walk you through the entire process step by step. I have hundreds of lessons in colored pencil, acrylics, oils, Inktense, graphite and more.
? Patreon: Patreon.com/Lachri
If this helped, grab your pencils and put it into practice! Try making a small pressure chart using the same pencil from barely touching the paper all the way through heavy pressure. You’ll learn more from actually feeling the difference than you will from simply watching me do it.
Supplies I’m using:
- Kum sharpener: https://amzn.to/4fL5AU8
- Mr Pen Sharpener: https://amzn.to/4zbaKjV
- Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Colored Pencils: https://amzn.to/4g1m3CB
- Odorless Mineral Spirits: https://amzn.to/4wDRFod
- Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper: https://amzn.to/4hqoilh