Welcome Back
Today I’d like to share a picture of a sketch that I drew using Derwent Inktense pencils.
Rose in Derwent; Inktense pencils
This was my first sketch using these pencils, other than random scribbling, and I was really impressed with them. The idea behind them is that although you can use them like regular coloured pencils, they are water soluble so the colour can be washed out to give a watercolour like effect.
I have a habbit of A. Overworking pictures and B taking FOREVER to draw/paint them. So to help me get over this and to try a looser style of working I tried for a 3 minute sketch. I admit I didn’t complete this whole thing in three minutes but I used commercial breaks between a film I was watching to sketch in the main image, go back with extra colours for shading and finally to add water to blend areas out. The only ‘fiddling’ was to touch in areas here and there once the paint had dried to put a little detail in. Here is a close up of the picture
Rose in Derwent; Inktense pencils
The best thing about these pencils over other watersoluble pencils is that once the pigment has been washed out with water, the effect is permanent. You can go back over that area, once its dry with more colours and the earlier colours won’t move. Brilliant, I adore my Faber Castell Abrecth Durer watersoluble pencils but you have to think ahead and make sure you don’t over work an area or risk lifting colour out rather than adding it. Once I found out that the inktense pencils were permenent, after they dry again, they were top of my list to try.
Love the vibrancy of the colour, you need to plan ahead to blend colours by laying the various tones you want to mix n blend down in the same layer. This takes a little practice to perfect but a waterbrush is definately your best friend here as it doesn’t dry out on you.
Rose leaf in Derwent; Inktense pencils
I’m having a lot of fun experimenting with these pencils and there will be a full review of them coming soon.
Getting photographs of sketches is proving difficult as the dark wet days aren’t making it easy. I do take the pictures into Photoshop to help with lack of lighting but this can throw off the original colours of the painting. For comparison, here is a picture of the same sketch without the lighting enhancement from Photoshop.
Rose in Derwent: Inktence pencils. Quick sketch
Last week I posted a review of the Inktense pencils, which included links to where to buy them and Derwent’s tutorials using them too. I know funds are tight just now, but treat youself to just one of these pencils in your favorite colour, they are amazing and I’d love to hear what you think of them too.
Links
- Inktense Pencils. My review of Inktense pencils (Will be published on friday, will add link)
- Derwent Pencils Manufacturers website, colour charts, product lists, tutorials and so much more. Check it out!
- Derwent on You Tube Tutorials on a selection of their products and previews of the DVDs
- Inktense pencils Manfacturers page about the Inktense pencil range, and link to PDF colour chart.
Suppliers
Great places to buy your Inktense pencils
- Jackson’s Art Supply
- Society of All Artists also known as the SAA. They sell art materials, books and DVDs
Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon
Billie 
That is gorgeous Billie! Does it matter that it takes you a while to complete a sketch/painting? Didn’t realise we had to set deadlines for ourselves
As for the overworking habit – I think many of us are guilty of that one and mainly because we are own worse critics; never happy until we’ve spoilt it LOL.
I’ve read/heard so much about these pencils and the inktense sticks and they are on my wish list! I have waterclour pencils but they tend to be wishy washy colours. Looking forward to your review
Hugs
Lynn x
Hi Lynn
The ten minute deadline is just to stop me overcomplicating the drawing. In all honesty the sketches I’ve drawn quickly have turned out much better than those I’ve taken hours over. Hense trying to get some practice in to a short time scale so I learn skills of simplifying what I see. Just something to try, not a punishment thing hehe. Also thanks to the dexterity issues, if I’m using pencils for too long my hands just seize up and take days to unlock, so there’s a lot of encouragement for the short working time
If you can only afford one set, I’d highly reccomend the Inktense pencils. they are much easier to handle than the blocks! Unless you love working large and loose the blocks are quite a challenge
I need a lot more practice with those before I’ll sing about them. Not their fault, just my working style and lack of skills.
The Inktense are much more vibrant than regular watercolour pencils, and I love that once washed out the colour is fixed. If you work over it the lower layers stay put, unlike with the watercolour ones which drag up and wash out.