How to Use Coloured Pencil Solvent for Smooth, Rich Colour, by Lisa Galley Art on YouTube. 4 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Draw your first layers of coloured pencil as normal. Keep them light and even, and leave the paper visible between strokes so the solvent has something to move.
Test the solvent on a scrap piece of the same paper. Brush a little on and let it dry to check for buckling, colour shift or paper damage.
Dip a soft brush in a small amount of solvent and blot it on a cloth so it is damp, not dripping. Too much liquid is the most common mistake.
Brush gently over the coloured area in small circles or along the direction of the form. The pencil strokes will soften and the colour will spread and deepen.
Work one small area at a time and keep the brush moving. Stop before the paper looks wet through, then let the area dry fully.
Build more layers once dry. Add fresh coloured pencil over the blended surface, then blend again with a lightly damp brush for extra depth.
Clean the brush between colours by rinsing and blotting, so you do not drag dark pigment into light areas.
Finish with dry pencil detail on top, such as fur strands or highlights, once the final solvent layer is completely dry.
Tips and common mistakes
Use heavier paper, around 200 gsm or more, because thin paper can buckle or pill when wet.
Keep the brush barely damp and build up in thin passes rather than flooding the paper.
Let each blended layer dry completely before adding more pencil, or the colour can turn muddy.
Test on scrap paper first, since some solvents darken certain pigments more than others.
Questions
Can I use any coloured pencil solvent?
Most coloured pencil blending solvents work the same way, including Zest-it Pencil Blend. Test a new brand on scrap paper before using it on a finished drawing.
Does solvent blending work on all coloured pencils?
It works best with wax or oil based pencils that soften with solvent. Very hard pencils may blend less, so try a small test patch first.
Can I add more pencil after blending?
Yes. Once the solvent is fully dry you can draw over the surface and blend again for richer, deeper colour.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
