Colored Pencils won't blend like that!

This is the main reason your colored pencils won't blend with odorless mineral spirits (OMS). This quick beginner's tip can help you to get smooth blending easily!
I have another longer video covering this same information if you're looking for a more in-depth explanation! • Why your colored penci...
Become a member at Patreon to get instant access to over 300 painting and drawing lessons now plus a new one every week! / lachri
Not sure if patreon is a fit for you? Check out my video library to see what I have available and watch a free colored pencil demonstration just for looking! lachri.com/patreon-videos/
My colored pencil supplies: (amazon affiliate links)
★ Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper amzn.to/3rvafk0
★ Canson Mi-Teintes Grey amzn.to/3kTBs9C (the smooth side)
★ Kum Sharpener amzn.to/2pJwTGm
★ Long point sharpener amzn.to/3CAWFiU
★ Easel daylight lamp amzn.to/2DpMMsN
★ Polychromos amzn.to/3JbnigQ
★ Caran d'Ache Luminance amzn.to/2qqBUzY
★ Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils amzn.to/2JTjqSl
★ Derwent Drawing Colored Pencils amzn.to/2D2VqeQ
★ Mona Lisa Odorless Paint Thinner amzn.to/2qjnwui or
Gamsol amzn.to/2oTnBTv
★ Glassine (this is the paper I keep under my hand) amzn.to/2psNADk
★ Slice Tool amzn.to/3Afw1Jo
★ Faber Castel Perfection Eraser amzn.to/3De4zhk
★ My fine white details are being painted on with my mixture of Touch Up Texture and Colored Pencil Titanium White Powder from brushandpencil.com
★ Lux Archival Sanded Paper and Powder Blender brushandpencil.com
★ Pencil storage box amzn.to/3I7REzl
Sign up for my newsletter to get art tips sent to you every week and a FREE 2 hour orca acrylic painting tutorial! lachri.com/email-list/
Lachri Fine Art official website: www.lachri.com
MeWe art page mewe.com/p/lachri
MeWe personal mewe.com/i/lachri
Patreon: / lachri
Instagram: / lisa_lachri
A channel for artists from a professional artist. Get motivation, art lessons art tips in painting in acrylics or oil paints, drawing, colored pencil, graphite, & Inktense, Art Marketing tips (learn to sell your own work) from Lisa of Lachri Fine Art.
Change this to improve your art!
• Want to improve your a...

[@Lachri]

I have another longer video covering this same information if you're looking for a more in-depth explanation! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYW2c4yee9-fgtE

[@ramizshould]

Thank you ma am.

[@JohnSmith-xb4ux]

I think you two are the funniest people on KZbin, that "look art" where the gentleman put the spoon on the cup was brilliant 😂

[@JohnSmith-xb4ux]

Being that you are pro this might help you or not, the results were definitely impressive. There was a Polychromos advert that I've seen, the artist removed some blue lead from the pencil, grinded it into fine powder and mixed it with OMS, effectively turning the lead into "watercolor" and he painted a fairly uniform and very beautiful background. He left space for the flowers and the stamina he did it with yellow, probably a yellow tint on the petals so they have some volume. The results were very, very beautiful. Definitely something you don't see every day.

[@Lachri]

OH! That sounds really cool!

[@dianelake7802]

I sometimes hate for videos. lol. Only because you see the artist do cool things and you try it and it becomes a mess. Or at least for me until I practice more. But, I envy the artists doing it and making it look so amazing. Of course, they are much more advanced then I am but, I dream I can do that and then... And I only kid when I say I hate them

[@franjames4086]

You and hubby are so funny - another Gracie and George! Thanks for the vide0.

[@Lachri]

Thanks!

[@dianelake7802]

Don't you just love her husband. He is such a good guy and those two are fun.

[@kitsidale]

I learnt to use oms from you several years ago, I've never had problems, so thank you x

[@Lachri]

Great to hear!

[@GeorgePencilArt]

A great refreaher and demo, Lisa! It was good to see the 3 brands compared. I just started using a few select Caran D'Ache in addition to my Polychromos.

[@dianelake7802]

I have found, since I love to 'paint' my colored pencils that on top of layers some pencils seem to play better with certain paper and certain Spirits. I don't stick with just Gamblin. I use Eco House and Sunnyside. But, I really love Milk Pain Citrus Thinner. Anyway I found sometimes a paper needs to be a certain way for a pencil to be happy. My Holbein pencils love textured papers from Artistico to Strathmore. They just act nicer My Derwent procolor tends to be a nice guy with many papers. Faber I have a hard time with. I love the pencils and colors but I have a hard time blending them. I will follow your direction and maybe use more layers. Thank you for your always amazing videos to help us.

[@amybaker5241]

Love the 🐸, love them I have a frog tattoo and used to own some whites tree frogs. This is just a case of learning your medium, they all work differently than each other. I'm gonna have to do something in pencil soon, just finishing an oil painting.

[@Lachri]

I had a white's tree frog for 12 years! He was awesome

[@herbalannie7707]

I'm loving the more mature voice from your early videos. Although I learn so much from watching I have to turn the volume real low. Not now LOL

[@tessashutler684]

I love the sound of your dart frogs in the background!!!😍

[@Lachri]

LOL me too. They were super loud while I was recording. I think they like when I talk haha.

[@hannah_finearts]

When I work in colored pencil I usually start with the Lightfasts and Luminance and put the Details on top with Polychromos. For me that works the best.

[@sanayavg]

Fantastic info!

[@melaniepaterson]

I have shifted away from using Prismacolors because if my OMS even looks at them funny they turn into a smeary mess. Love using it with my Polychromos & Derwent Lightfast though!

[@kotandkotik]

How much are you using on your applicator(Brush, q-tip, sponge what-have-you)? There are many medias where barely any of the blending medium is needed and the use of too much blending medium or pressure will leave things awkward and smeary/streaky. I've honestly have never had issues blending my Prismas with OMS or alcohol. Then again I'm the odd one out who finds polychromos awful for anything other then the final details on top of the layers of previous pencil work done with other brands. My polychromos get the least use of my colored pencils by far.

[@CraftyCatCreations1]

I love hearing the frogs through out the video ❤! Thank you for the blending demonstration! I am excited to get a bottle of oms to try. I have just been using turpentine to blend my colored pencils

[@clayfeathers]

Yes! I’ve been waiting on this video. Thank you!

[@Lachri]

You are so welcome!

[@BruceCarbonLakeriver]

The Koh-I-Noor Polycolor need a bit less than the Polychromos but not as less as the DerWent. Based on my experience. Thanks to Lachri I even got into blending with OMS and it is literally a lifesaver xD Thanks Lachri!

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

Have you done any comparisons with the Koh-I-Noor vs. the Polychromos? If so, what is your opinion? I want to try these, but I don't know how good they are. I don't see any lightfast information either.

[@BruceCarbonLakeriver]

@@maryannprzybycien2013 Sure! 1st) I tried the light fastness last summer and we've got a pretty hot one. I've chosen the colour which is drifting the most, which is red. Both were on par. Which wasn't that hard, 3 weeks all day in the plain hot sun and none (whether Polychromos nor Koh-I-Noor) drifted compared to the sun-blocked areas. I've some artworks laying around (even in the sun without UV protection) and whether the Polychromos nor the Koh-I-Noor seem to shift. If you'd add protection like any UV Fixative (I'd always recommend) then you're pretty safe with both of them. 2nd: The handling of the Koh-I-Noor is what I personally admire. If you 're going with low pressure over the paper the Koh-I-Noor almost feel like char coal pencils. Which is great for me and they're easy to erase. If you add more pressure they'll become smooth and a bit oily like the Polychromos do. You might want to now that b/c it is a huge thing in terms of feeling the pencil during work. Koh-I-Noor does have blending pencils but they almost as good as blending to each other, it depends on the individual case when I use the blending pencil and when just blend to each colour other directly. My paper of choice is: Stonehenge WHITE 250gsm (also for the tests). It is smooth enough for nice blends to begin with and durable enough for a ton of layers (true cotton paper). If I need to choose between Polychromos or Koh-I-Noor Polycolors I'd go with Koh-I-Noor. It is for sure a personal preference but I tried them both and the Koh-I-Noor are more versatile than the Polychromos. You almost ain't able to do proper work on rough paper with them, while Koh-I-Noor are actually okay with it. I suspect it is b/c of their strange feeling while going over the paper with light pressure. The layering itself is pretty similar between them. Yet the Koh-I-Noor feel a bit less "oily" than the Polychromos. If I need to be pretty picky about it. I was pretty surprised by the quality considering the huge difference in pricing between them. My next buy will be the full 144 pack of Koh-I-Noor :D I'd suggest to get the small (like 36 pencils cassettes) one first to try it yourself and then go for the bigger ones. And there is something else: The Koh-I-Noor have the 6 edge shaped shaft. They ain't round like the Polychromos. If that is relevant to you. If you've more questions, feel free to ask :D Bruce

[@urbanfrog8466]

Greetings from New Zealand. Love your gorgeous wee frog! I am just getting into colored pencils, so helpful video, thank you. 😊

[@justmemimi7338]

Loved the frog sounds 💜

[@alicejump2290]

Always knowledgeable!

[@anzekalin477]

Great video! Could you please make a video on how to name a painting. This is something I really struggle with.

[@Lachri]

Hrmm...I need to figure out how to give advice on that. I just look up pretty sounding words normally myself LOL!

[@oiseaufeu]

To me, I name my paintings or drawings depending on the them I chose to draw. And I need to try OMS one day on a coloured pencil drawing.

[@JessieNebulous]

I name them after lyrics in the music I listen to while working on them

[@debbie9001]

If you take a make-up Q-tip they have a harder surface and a point and less mess just blend and throw out and the point gets into smaller details!

[@pennypop408]

Fantastic.

[@Lachri]

Thanks :)

[@user-lu4fw6le4x]

For me the paper I use also makes a difference with how the oms works with the colored pencil..140 lb watercolor paper like fabriano artistico brand works the best for me..😊

[@NandkishoreBankar]

Very nice 👍

[@Lachri]

Thank you 👍

[@krc5210]

Very helpful. I would like to keep the sharp edge I have when using color pencil before the oms. When I use a bit of oms it blurs the edge.

[@mydogeatspuke]

Try a stiffer brush with a straight edge. And less OMS.

[@Lachri]

Yep, exactly what @mydogeatspuke said!

[@margaretphenicie4522]

I can get 4 layers with brutfuner oils on Strathmore mixed media.

[@fuzzydragons]

I really should invest in some mineral spirits, would save soo much time!

[@Lachri]

Yeah, they really do! That was my initial reasoning for using them.

[@PinkLady54]

are all 3 pencils in this oil based? Or is this tutorial for wax based pencils as well?

[@Lachri]

This method works for wax and oil based colored pencils :)

[@sumasa6330]

What are other your suggestions to blend color pencil since I am allergic to odorless mineral spirit. thanks in advance

[@JessieNebulous]

You could try powder blender or Zest It.

[@sumasa6330]

@@JessieNebulous thanks

[@alizafar2624]

How well do the Lyra Rembrandt polycolor, Derwent procolour, Derwent drawing pencils with OMS. Do you use these pencils as often as the others you mentioned.

[@Lachri]

All of them work great with OMS. I don't use the lyra rembrandt polycolor often, I always forget I have them. The procolour I replaced with the Lightfast but they perform very much the same IMO besides the lightfast being more lightfast. Derwent Drawing I use all the time :)

[@oiseaufeu]

So mineral spirit is a paint thinner? I thought it was a solvent. I'm trying to blend coloyred pencils this way as burnishing is just eating the pencil faster. And I just bought solvent that are oily to the touch just to blend coloured pencils. Have I gotten the wrong product? Though, the solvent I bought has a low odor (I barely smell it when it's near me but not too close to me either).

[@JessieNebulous]

Solvent means it can dissolve something. In this case, mineral spirits dissolves paint, and is therefore called a paint thinner. I'm not quite sure what you mean you're trying to blend as a way to "burnish." Burnish is a different technique where you put more pressure on the pencil, pushing pigment into the paper and flattening the paper's tooth. Different solvents probably have different levels of oiliness to them, so I'm not sure how to advise you on that part.

[@oiseaufeu]

@@JessieNebulous Thanks. I got confused with all the terms used for one product. I don't use burnishing that much (pencils are expensive).

[@drBenyy]

I have a problem using this technique - my brush picks up the pigment and leave white places making it all messy (it's not because of too much mineral spirit, it does it even completely dry without using mineral spirit at all - tried multiple different brushes). What could be the problem?

[@Lachri]

I would guess then that it's an issue with the paper or the type of pencils.

[@JessieNebulous]

What pencils are you using?

[@drBenyy]

@@JessieNebulous polychromos and paper is fabriano artistico - I use the same supplies Lisa does... I actually think it's mostly a brush thing. I tried a different type and it's slightly better but still nowhere near the effect presented in these videos. Whenever I use mineral spirit to blend I always mess up my drawing completely - the pigment just smudges everywhere

[@bettychilldres9860]

How about just "dipping" the color pencil into some mineral spirits... then draw or paint with it... would that work? I'll just have to try it. 🤔

[@Lachri]

I wouldn't recommend it. Depending on how much OMS you got on that pencil you could ruin the pencil. Then if it didn't, the amount of pigment that would come off onto the paper would be way too much and too hard to control. Fine if you're doing abstract sorts of work, but not great for realism. On the other hand, I see nothing wrong with doing an experiment!

[@bettychilldres9860]

@@Lachri Thank you Lisa for that feed back. I really appreciate your knowledgeable advice. I find you very intriguing to watch... I notice all the artistic experience that you have at your young age. And I can understand your need to talk rapidly... in order to convey your understanding of the subject matter within your short videos... ha!! 😁 God bless!!

[@vickismith1045]

I'm in Australia and I can't find a blending fluid .I've asked several art supply stores and they don't know what I'm talking about. Even the online stores here in Australia.

[@Lachri]

Can you get zest-it? I know several outside of the US have used that. I've not tried it myself.

[@Lachri]

Do they not have oil painting supplies? That's where it would be located, ideally odorless mineral spirits.

[@vickismith1045]

@@Lachri oh ok. I asked for blending fluid for coloured pencils. Thank you.

[@ensotao1]

Is that Harmful to paper

[@Lachri]

Nope, unless you work the pencil over an area while it's still wet.

[@barborasedlackova4634]

Hello. I have a problem with loosening up while drawing. I allways overthink it and don't know how to just draw without it allways needing to be perfect. Does anyone have any tips please?

[@mydogeatspuke]

Practice. That's all anyone can do to change habits and become better. Do the thing you want to do more often than the thing you don't.

[@barborasedlackova4634]

@@mydogeatspuke i do what I want. But i overthink it and get burned out so quikly

[@barborasedlackova4634]

Quickly*

[@mydogeatspuke]

@@barborasedlackova4634 there isn't a magic answer people just aren't sharing with you. If you overthink things then you need to learn not to, which can only come with practice. Burn out is just something that happens sometimes. Push through it or take a break.

[@BelwillCoily]

@@mydogeatspuke “Do the thing you want to do more often than the thing you don’t.” ^^^This. My whole drawing journey turned up several notches once I figured this out and started doing it. 👍

[@MATT-dw3lu]

Do people really want to create a painted look with colored pencils might as well use paint

[@Lachri]

Why? If we enjoy the process of colored pencils why not push it to it's awesome limits? The medium an artist chooses should not dictate what your art must look like.

[@kathleenanderson33]

Paying 4 dollars but can’t get in to view Patreon not answer any of my request please help if you can Been your sponsor from the beginning Thank you. Sorry to do this but can’t get any responses 😢

[@Lachri]

Hi. There is no way for me to troubleshoot this problem through youtube. You will need to contact me through patreon so that I can look at your account, or at the very least start a conversation through email. lisa at lachri.com I won't likely see your comments here on youtube. I've actually commented to two of your other posts here on youtube but I don't think you're seeing them.