Volume 1,
Issue 8
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We were very fortunate to have Rollie Kohl, Pat Sherman, Cheryl Trusty and now Danette Smith have submitted tutorials here. If anyone else has a tutorial or documented burn to include here, please email me at: newsletter@southwestwoodcrafts.com
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| I have been asked
to write this article about my use of color on my woodburnings. I
will try to explain my method of coloring. First, I must mention that this article is based on my use of "oil pencils". There are other types of colored pencils such as pastel, prismacolor, and watercolor pencils, etc.. I use oil colored pencils which are oil based and slightly harder than prismacolor pencils that are waxed based. The pigment of an oil colored pencil is bound by a vegetable oil medium or wax or both. Because they do contain an oil or wax medium they adhere well to wood, and can also be used on heavy art paper. Oil pencils go on smoother and give you a better finish when applied to wood. I started out by purchasing the Walnut Hollow Creative Woodburner kit back in 1985. I also purchased Walnut Hollow's set of 36 oil colored pencils and have continued to use them exclusively to this day. The reason I like them so much is that they are semi-opaque, so the wood grain can still be seen through the color. They are great for adding light hues or bright colors to wood burned projects. However, the main reason I use them is that they are a simple, quick, and odor free alternative to painting. The pencils can be sharpened manually or with an electric sharpener. They are an ideal medium for the beginner as well as the advanced artisan. Here is a tip: I bought the largest pack of colored oil pencils from Walnut Hollow. As I kept coloring with them I found out that I used certain colors all the time. Well, after sharpening them so often they eventually became colored stumps! LOL! I found out years ago that I could order specific colors from Walnut Hollow and now I order 12 pencils of the same color each time. I find that I use a lot of white so I now order them by the dozen. I have always felt that without color my images would be lifeless. Let me explain my techniques of using color on my woodburnings. The basics: To get started, I will need oil colored pencils -- obviously. :-) |
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| STEP 2: Burn the design I burn the design into the wood. The darkness of the burning is determined by how long the point remains on the wood, not by pressure. Don't push down on the point. Let it flow over the surface. Lift the burner at the end of each stroke, not allowing it to rest on the wood or it will continue to burn. When I am done burning I erase any remaining graphite from the tracing with a kneaded eraser as it can sometimes get mixed into your coloring. When erasing do not use too much pressure on the wood because basswood is very soft and can become crushed or indented. |
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STEP 3: Add highlights |
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| STEP 4: Applying pressure when coloring I am now ready to start coloring, but first I must mention some terms for you to know. Colored pencils are a transparent medium, each hue (color) you lay down will show through the previous layer of color. These under tones of color is called transparent layering. You achieve this layering technique with sharp pencils and very light pressure when coloring. Different pencil holds determines the amount of color you lay down. Using light pressure: I then start to color everything else to achieve a transparent effect. Place the point of the pencil to the surface and let it lightly touch the surface, moving it back and forth or in a circular motion. Keep repeating this light coverage until your desired depth of color is obtained. Lightly applying layers of color allows the wood grain and burning to show through. I continue applying colors in light layers, building and mixing as I go. Using several shades of the same color tone helps to melt or blend the colors together. Layer one color over another to blend them together. It is important to overlap the neighboring colors. EXAMPLE: See how the grass is several shades of green. |
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| Using medium pressure: will produce more color.
Hold the pencil like you would if you were going to write a letter.
Then begin applying the color to the surface, moving it back and forth
or circular if you want, using medium pressure. I start with the darker
shadows using a medium pressure. EXAMPLE: I used a medium pressure on the grass. |
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| Using heavy pressure: will produce a solid color
coverage. Hold the pencil almost straight up and apply heavy pressure
moving the pencil back and forth in short strokes. This will give
the fullest depth of color possible with these pencils. EXAMPLE: I used heavy pressure on the ladybug and strawberries. |
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| When you put a layer of several colors on the
wood and then go back and press hard with a DULL pencil tip with the
same color sequence, the colors underneath blend together and create
a new color that would never have been achieved with just one pencil.
You can see some yellow hues on the strawberries. Applying color with
heavy pressure is called burnishing. This burnishing method totally
removes the texture of the wood and the color is now solid or opaque.
Most of the coloring I do on my wood burnings utilizes this burnishing method. TIP: Burnishing creates lots of pencil crumbs, so constantly keep brushing with a soft brush to keep your wood surface clean. STEP 5: Blending the colors Now that all the coloring has been applied you might have an area that shows the pencil strokes. You can blend the colors so that the strokes disappear. The cheapest thing you can use to blend the colors of a large area is your finger, facial tissue, paper towel, or a Q-tip if it is a smaller area. The harder you press with your finger the more you move around the color. There are also tools called blending stubs that you can purchase to produce a similar affect. They are quite inexpensive and can be "sharpened" with sandpaper and come in a couple different sizes. If you have a really large area to blend you would want to use a little turpentine. There is an odorless turpentine on the market. You can dip a blending stub in it or you can also use a cotton ball, facial tissue, paper towel or anything else you can think of to apply it depending on the size of the area. The turpentine breaks down the oil slightly, making it easier to blend. EXAMPLE: I blended some of the mouse's hair with a Q-tip in the lighter areas. |
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| Erasing is one of the nicest things about colored
pencils. If you should wind up with an area of blended color that
you don't want, you can erase some with the ink end of an eraser.
If the color has been heavily put on you can use sandpaper to lightly
remove it. Nothing will erase it totally, but you can pull out a bunch
of the wrong color, or use the eraser to open up an area. Do make
sure your eraser is clean each time you use it. Also, don't erase
too much as the oils will keep blending and could turn your colors
muddy. STEP 6: Finishing your work You are now finished with your burning and coloring. It is very important that you now seal it. If you leave it unsealed for a long period of time the wax or oil tends to float to the top of the surface. This then leaves a white film on the surface called "wax bloom". To prevent this from happening you should either spray or brush your oil pencil design with an acrylic sealer. This also prevents the oils from smearing. I use Krylon UV resistant clear, matte, and glossy acrylic coatings to seal my works because they don't tend to yellow over the years. I sealed my friendly mice with Krylon clear coat. Here is the finished product. |
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| The
key to using colored pencils (wax or oil) is to be patient and use
layers. You can achieve many degrees of shading and details by layering
different colors. For example, say you want a darker or lighter shade
of green. You can apply a layer of gray, or white color before laying
down your main color which is green. The more pressure you add the
deeper the color. Plus you can add other colors on top of the main
green color. Your top layer will show the most so use a light touch
when adding a darker color underneath it. You can achieve different
dimensions using these techniques, but it is important to remember
where your light source is coming from.
If you have never used oil colored pencils before I encourage you to experiment and play. Color is a gift to the eye, so you should use it. Become familiar with the medium. Use different pressures, different strokes, different layering and different methods of blending. It really helps. Most of all, have fun! Here are some interesting comments about the work done: |
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"Pyrographic artist Danette Smith creates unique colored woodburnings. Each piece is one of a kind and is signed and dated. She specializes in wildlife, pets, and flowers, but can also work from your photos to create you a lasting treasure.
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| My banner
will link you to my website. I hope you all enjoyed my lesson on coloring
and if you should have any questions please feel free to e-mail me.
"Keep burning and learning"....Danette |
