Line Drawing

• Create a line drawing before you start painting with pencils. A line drawing consists of a detail sketch or a basic outline of objects in your artwork on a sketch pad. Transfer your line drawing to board or paper for your final artwork. To keep your artwork area clean and free from smudges, move one area of your artwork at a time.
  
  

Determine the Values

• Assure your painting contains a range of values. This one aspect attracts viewers to paintings or various pieces of artwork. Value in art deals with the range of light and dark areas. When you determine the light and dark values of your painting, it helps pinpoint the middle values. Some artists create the dark areas of a painting first and leave the white areas on the paper as the light values. Create volume and form by applying a shape of gray along the outside of an object in your painting.
  
  

Add Light

• Add light to section of your artwork when painting with pencils. For example, light can immerge in a scene on the right by intentionally not coloring some objects on the right half of the painting. Not coloring objects on the left side of the artwork lets you introduce light to the left side of your painting. In areas where the white of the paper shows, this gives the impression that the painting is receiving a lot of sunlight in that area. If you want to add a hint of light to an area with has color, simple lift some of the color by dabbing the area with reusable adhesive.
  
  

Add Color

• Rather than placing colors atop of each other or placing the colors in a layer format, place colors in your artwork next to each other to add interest. Add details to your painting by placing darker color along the edges of objects.
  
  

Make Adjustments

• You can make slight adjustments as you paint with pencils. When your color appears to warm in your painting, simple add a cooler color to push the section back in the painting. Adding complementary colors to your painting neutralizes section of your artwork.
  
  

Blending Colors

• Use a paper stump to blend your color pencils in your artwork. A paper stump is a compressed rolled stick of paper that resembles a pencil. Turn the paper stump in small, circular motions to give your artwork more of painting feeling.