Just bought my first set of prismacolors- tips/tricks?

[Vanna1994]

I just got a 12 pack, and am right now working on coloring a drawing I did using my Bristol sketchpad.

Just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks they use when working with prismacolor pencils.

[Sera Michaelis]

Color in layers, pressing lightly and evenly. Don't try to blend until you've layed down all the shades you want. Prismacolor makes a blending pencil, but white or the lightest shade of the colors you're blending can substitute fairly well.
But the clear blender is best if you have ink lineart. It'll keep you from getting opaque light colors on top of dark lines.

Working from light to dark is generally easier, but coloring on tinted paper is also fun.

I love Prismacolor brand and I hope you will too! Happy coloring!

[Old Cat]

ive played around with prisma colored pencils for awhile and the best blender ive used is the derwent blender, the prisma blender didnt blend the colors together that well. :p Also layers is really important! Something ive also learned while playing with them is that its really hard to recolor something when you already used a blender, so be sure to lay down all the colors you need before hand.

Also prang and crayola colored pencils work really well with prisma. They may not be as smooth or have as rich of a color but they do get the job done and its nice to have a bunch of different colors to work with on a budget.

Edit: also color in small circles, then in all directions (left, right, up, down) VERY LIGHTLY, it gets rid of that streaky look.

[Old Cat]

Old Cat

ive played around with prisma colored pencils for awhile and the best blender ive used is the derwent blender, the prisma blender didnt blend the colors together that well. :p Also layers is really important! Something ive also learned while playing with them is that its really hard to recolor something when you already used a blender, so be sure to lay down all the colors you need before hand.

Also prang and crayola colored pencils work really well with prisma. They may not be as smooth or have as rich of a color but they do get the job done and its nice to have a bunch of different colors to work with on a budget.

Edit: also color in small circles, then in all directions (left, right, up, down) VERY LIGHTLY, it gets rid of that streaky look.

you have to have a lot of patience with colored pencils X_x if you want that smooth look. Which they are not really for... you can get that look just takes a long time, thats why i just switched to markers.

[Spectral Sliver]

The advice I'm seeing here is rather sound. Especially the light-to-dark things and toned paper (toned paper is a lot of fun).

A small trick I know is that Prismacolors are wax based, so if the lead breaks you can microwave them for 5 seconds or so to get the wax lead to melt back together (saves you a little money here and there. smile ).

[Old Cat]

Spectral Sliver

The advice I'm seeing here is rather sound. Especially the light-to-dark things and toned paper (toned paper is a lot of fun).

A small trick I know is that Prismacolors are wax based, so if the lead breaks you can microwave them for 5 seconds or so to get the wax lead to melt back together (saves you a little money here and there. smile ).

wish i knew about this! lol my red colored pencil got all jacked and had a huge piece of lead. i just taped it together didnt know i could melt it back >._0

[Spectral Sliver]

Old Cat

Spectral Sliver

The advice I'm seeing here is rather sound. Especially the light-to-dark things and toned paper (toned paper is a lot of fun).

A small trick I know is that Prismacolors are wax based, so if the lead breaks you can microwave them for 5 seconds or so to get the wax lead to melt back together (saves you a little money here and there. smile ).

wish i knew about this! lol my red colored pencil got all jacked and had a huge piece of lead. i just taped it together didnt know i could melt it back >._0

Well now you do! biggrin It was a tip my HS teacher taught us when we were working in prismas (probably because he didn't want us using up all of the ones the school bought by breaking them to pieces, haha smile )

[Old Cat]

Spectral Sliver

Old Cat

Spectral Sliver

The advice I'm seeing here is rather sound. Especially the light-to-dark things and toned paper (toned paper is a lot of fun).

A small trick I know is that Prismacolors are wax based, so if the lead breaks you can microwave them for 5 seconds or so to get the wax lead to melt back together (saves you a little money here and there. smile ).

wish i knew about this! lol my red colored pencil got all jacked and had a huge piece of lead. i just taped it together didnt know i could melt it back >._0

Well now you do! biggrin It was a tip my HS teacher taught us when we were working in prismas (probably because he didn't want us using up all of the ones the school bought by breaking them to pieces, haha smile )

hah yea!

[Seijaku_Ishida]

One interesting technique is to go over Prismacolor pencils with rubbing alcohol after you laid them down, then layer more on top of that.

[Vanna1994]

Sera Michaelis

Color in layers, pressing lightly and evenly. Don't try to blend until you've layed down all the shades you want. Prismacolor makes a blending pencil, but white or the lightest shade of the colors you're blending can substitute fairly well.
But the clear blender is best if you have ink lineart. It'll keep you from getting opaque light colors on top of dark lines.

Working from light to dark is generally easier, but coloring on tinted paper is also fun.

I love Prismacolor brand and I hope you will too! Happy coloring!

I only bought a 12 pack, so I didn't get that clear blending one, I do have a white one, and your right, it works REALLY well!

And.. I may have screwed some of my coloring up already then ^.^'
But.. at least I can use this advice on the rest of the picture.

Thanks! ^.^

[Vanna1994]

Old Cat

ive played around with prisma colored pencils for awhile and the best blender ive used is the derwent blender, the prisma blender didnt blend the colors together that well. :p Also layers is really important! Something ive also learned while playing with them is that its really hard to recolor something when you already used a blender, so be sure to lay down all the colors you need before hand.

Also prang and crayola colored pencils work really well with prisma. They may not be as smooth or have as rich of a color but they do get the job done and its nice to have a bunch of different colors to work with on a budget.

Edit: also color in small circles, then in all directions (left, right, up, down) VERY LIGHTLY, it gets rid of that streaky look.

I do have some crayola colored pencils.. I should dig them out then ^.^

That sounds like a good idea, I was getting this REALLY grainy look that was beyond horrible to look at >.<
But I will try out your advice, and see how it goes then. Thanks ^.^

[Vanna1994]

Spectral Sliver

The advice I'm seeing here is rather sound. Especially the light-to-dark things and toned paper (toned paper is a lot of fun).

A small trick I know is that Prismacolors are wax based, so if the lead breaks you can microwave them for 5 seconds or so to get the wax lead to melt back together (saves you a little money here and there. smile ).

It's funny.. I was thinking after I paid for them.. what happens if I drop them and break all the stuff inside so I can't really use them anymore then? $20 down the drain if that happens.
Now I see that if that were to happen, the problem could easily be fixed, great advice! xd

[Vanna1994]

Seijaku_Ishida

One interesting technique is to go over Prismacolor pencils with rubbing alcohol after you laid them down, then layer more on top of that.

rubbing alcohol? On paper?
Never would have thought of that : o

How does the rubbing alcohol help?

[Seijaku_Ishida]

Vanna1994

Seijaku_Ishida

One interesting technique is to go over Prismacolor pencils with rubbing alcohol after you laid them down, then layer more on top of that.

rubbing alcohol? On paper?
Never would have thought of that : o

How does the rubbing alcohol help?

It blends the colored pencil together smoothly. smile

[Vanna1994]

Seijaku_Ishida

Vanna1994

Seijaku_Ishida

One interesting technique is to go over Prismacolor pencils with rubbing alcohol after you laid them down, then layer more on top of that.

rubbing alcohol? On paper?
Never would have thought of that : o

How does the rubbing alcohol help?

It blends the colored pencil together smoothly. smile

oh, cool ^.^