Watercolor Pencils On Canvas: How To Get The Best Results?

Painting is a passion for many people.  Painting is a unique technique and a good painting attracts a big audience towards it as people love to have beautiful paintings as decoration pieces in their homes or workplaces. 

To make your painting look good and attractive, you have to use the correct techniques and proper tools as painting or drawing can become tricky at times if the proper tools and tricks are not being used and the slightest mistakes can make it look unattractive and can waste all your hard work and time.

Can You Use Watercolor Pencils On Canvas?

You can use watercolor pencils on canvas. They also give a really smooth finish to your project.

If you are someone who loves to draw or on canvas and want to explore different methods you should go for watercolor pencils as watercolor pencils can give you a great smooth finish.

What Are Watercolor Pencils?

Watercolor pencils resemble colored pencils but when water is applied, they behave differently. They are a one-of-a-kind art medium. They fuse drawing and painting in a way that no other medium can match.

Watercolor pencils are a medium that combines the best of painting and drawing into one. Colored pencil pigment is kept in place by a waxy or oil-based binder, whereas watercolor pencil pigment is held in its place by a water-soluble binder.

The artist will make intricate and delicate markings that would be impossible to accomplish with a brush because the tool is encased within a sharp-able pencil.

How To Use Watercolor Pencils?

Few things we might consider while using watercolor pencils:

• Activation
• Layering and mixing
• Taking color from pencil tip
• Surfaces for Watercolor pencils
• Subjects

It is up to the artist to decide how to use watercolor pencils. However, as in any medium, there are certain considerations to bear in mind. Here are a few ideas about using watercolor pencils to draw.

Watercolor Pencil Activation With Water

Watercolor pencils are made to be used with water and can be drawn with a soft brush after the pencil has been used to make marks. Activation is the term for this procedure. When the content is “activated,” it takes on the appearance of watercolor.

Water is often applied with a brush, but sponges and other materials may also be used. Natural hair brushes, as well as nylon brushes, perform well for this. Bristle brushes are usually reserved for heavier-bodied media such as oils or acrylics, so it’s safer to avoid them while working in watercolor

Layering And Mixing Colors

Watercolor pencils may be combined by layering them. To combine colors, start with one color and then layer a second color on top of or right next to it. Then use water to unlock the field. Colors can blend together.

Allow the first layer to dry entirely to give depth to the color to allow for further mixing. Then, over the top of the dry area, repeat the procedure for another round of mixed colors.

To avoid muddy colors, I recommend layering just a few colors at a time. I wouldn’t recommend combining more than four colors at a time. You should also use a test sheet of paper to test the mixtures before adding them to your final product.

Take Color Directly From The Pencil Tip

The pencil doesn’t have to be applied to the surface. You may also use a brush dipped in water to remove the ink straight from the pencil’s tip. The paint will then be applied to the surface with a brush, much like typical watercolors. This method usually results in lighter, less extreme color use.

Surfaces For Watercolor Pencils

Watercolor pencils can be used on watercolor paper or a thicker board like a drawing board or a watercolor canvas. Thinner papers can buckle or even break when water is added.

The texture or “tooth” of cold press watercolor papers is usually heavier. While some artists like the texture, some may prefer smoother surfaces.

The illustration board would provide the required rigid support while also providing a smoother surface for finer details.

Subjects With Watercolor Pencils

Watercolor pencils can be used to create any subject. Since they work like watercolor, once powered, you can use watercolor pencils to create any subject you’d like for a watercolor drawing. 

Using Low-Quality Watercolor Pencils?

The quality of the pencil makes a lot of difference, just as it does in any other art form. However, lower-quality and less-expensive watercolor pencils will still produce acceptable results. The same methods apply, but you’ll find that the pigmentation of cheaper pencils isn’t as good as it is for more expensive pencils.

5 Ways To Use Watercolor Pencils As Regular Pencils

At first thought, spending money on watercolor pencils and then not using them as watercolors is irrational. However, there are a variety of explanations why you would choose to do so.

1. You will save money and you will only need to get one package of pencils. If it’s standard dry drawing pencils or watercolor pencils, high-quality pencils are costly.
2. The texture and outcome are more appealing to you. Watercolor pencils are not wax-based, but there are certain variations between them.
3. You want to be able to use a wider variety of methods when making your work. Since you can use both traditional pencil and watercolor methods, you can make a lot more.
4. Watercolor pencils are simpler to control than watercolor.
5. You might prefer to draw on the spot and then turn them into watercolors months later.

Final Verdict

Watercolor pencils can be used on canvas to give a great filling in small portions in the painting and give them a good finish but they should be used properly because if they are being overwatered or you don’t give them proper attention while painting, they can ruin your painting.

It is good to use watercolor pencils but being careful is very important.