I FINALLY learned how to blend FC POLYCHROMOS

Watch and learn! I struggled, for nearly an entire year, to blend these beautiful colored pencils! I almost wanted to give up on them. But I kept them in my stash hoping that, one day, I’d figure it out. TODAY WAS THE DAY! So, I couldn’t resist sharing!
This video features Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils. You can purchase them here (This video is NOT sponsored)
www.amazon.com...
This link is for the 120 set, but there are smaller ones available.

[@Hardrock1a]

Tips for blending Polychromos, 1. Layers, layers, and when you think you have enough, layers. Light layers, building to the colors you want. 2. OMS - (odorless mineral spirts) and a paint brush. When you get several layers down, blend with OMS, allow to completely dry, come back and can add more layers if needed. 3. Keep your point sharp! Keep rotating your pencil in your hand to keep the point. Poly's work best with a sharp tip, and they don't break easily at all.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Thanks for the tip!

[@Art_by_Nicole]

Forgive me for saying but it still looks a bit streaky. I was struggling too with the Polychromos, but with chronic pain and lack of patience I’m not the person for hundreds of layers 😵 So I started to look for ‘easier’ methods. First the brand of paper makes a really big difference. Why? Because even though a brand says ‘fine grid’ every brand has his own perception of ‘fine grid’ and that what was so confusing to me. Strathmore 300 -Bristol Vellum and Canson Graduate are excellent for the polychromos. You don’t have to use as many layers (yeey😅) and when you burnish it doesn’t look streaky. Both papers you can use for your printer although the Strathmore is very thick and not every printer can handle that. But the canson graduate will do just fine. Combining the right paper and the medium pressure can give you a nice blend. The colours you are using in the video can blend together, but your medium and dark are too similar and your lightest colour is closer to red(dish-pink) than it is too purple. I made a page with all the 120 colours in their colour family. If I want red-violets they are all next to each other. Pick your main colour first. For the darkest colour there must be one or two colours between your main colour and dark colour. This also goes for choosing the lightest colour. I hope this makes sense. 😅

[@tabbylynn4130]

As a color pencil artist I can tell you that light layers is the key. When you think you have layered enough add another. They are completely different than wax based pencils like prismas. Also oms helps a lot as well. Enjoyed the video. Thank you.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi Tabby! They are so different from prismas! But that’s what I love about them! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@ashakabeta]

I call it " tickling the paper" I layer so lightly. Sometimes it helps to hold the pencil to the side, and use the sides of the pencil.. blending as gently as possible. Layering.. Sometimes I use coconut oil to blend them with, and I love the results! I like Prismacolor, but they don't have the layering capability that polychromos does. Plus their always needing to be sharpened because they're so soft. I love my polychromos so much!! 💕

[@demi3115]

Blending with polychromos? Layering it is

[@davemilligan1171]

These are a great pencil, they work well with Tombow Irojiten and Derwent Procolor. I like using a stiff paper with a decent tooth.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

I don’t have either of those sets, unfortunately. BUT, I’ve heard they work well with Caran D’Ache Pablo’s, which are next on my list to purchase. I use 65 lb Neenah vellum Bristol. One side is smoother, while the other side has a bit more tooth. After a lot of testing, I realized the “toothy” side is better for harder pencils and the smooth side works best with my prismas and black widows.

[@1950francesca]

I recently discovered that you can also burnish with Polychromos white and then actually layer over the burnished area -- something that is not possible with wax based pencils. I don't like using solvents and this works very well for me. The oil base allows the Polychromos white pencil layer to accept the subsequent layers of color much more easily than the waxy whites of other pencils like Prismacolor.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Good to know! I am going to have to try that!

[@margarethennessey5182]

Love coloring books it is therapy. Especially Johanna Basford coloring books.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi Margaret! I LOVE Johanna’s books also!

[@Art_by_Nicole]

And the books from Johanna Basford are amazing for polychromos!

[@carriegrant2339]

it’s pleasing isn’t it when you start to get the feel of different types of colours. If I may, can I suggest a couple of things I’ve learned? Try not to push so hard with the pencil as it squishes the tooth in the paper, to eliminate the “white” use light layers and when you finish one layer, change the direction of your stroke, that way you will build up the colour beautifully (so at first say, up and down, the next layer, left to right, etc), as I was told, it isn’t a race, it’s a beautiful journey, see the sights along the way lol. Another tip is for more wax based pencils that may crumble, I use an old makeup brush to wipe them away, that way they don’t smudge :) hope this helps a little. Good work, I look forward to seeing more :)

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi Carrie! Thanks for the tip! I use the makeup brush tip for my prismas and other wax based pencils, but sometimes I don’t notice right away and I wind up smudging them on accident! 😢

[@13Moondancer]

Thanks for the cross hatching tip - definitely works 🙏

[@tinageyer]

Good morning, thanks for the video. I too struggle with blending polychromos. I'm a new subscriber and look forward to more videos.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi Tina! I struggled for so long. Thank you for your kind words! I hope to get a few more videos up in the near future!

[@TravisBrady-wn8fr]

Ive found out layering is my prefereed tecnique. Im new and most of my experience is with charcoal. I love charcoal. Then i bought prismacolors. Gosh i feel like ive been teleported to dimension 12 using color. I think oil based pencils are more close to my roots with graphite and charcoal.

[@manthasagittarius1]

Honestly I get the idea, but it doesn't seem like you layered all that lightly or with very many passes. There's a way of laying down fine parallel lines that can get rid of a lot of the edge marking the change of color, basically the same as long and short embroidery stitches, that is great for the light, hard application and fine, sharp pencil tip of these pencils. Every stroke is a different length, and you keep them as tightly parallel as possible, filling the space with no white. Then the next pass alternates the line lengths. It obliterates the hard edge of the color change and leaves a soft, ragged border that interlocks with the previous one. It feels good to do it once you get in rhythm, kind of meditative.🤗

[@ilovecoloringhazel4597]

Thanks! Really enjoyed this vidoe. 💚

[@clairec1560]

Very helpful thanks cause a lot of ppl I’ve watched don’t show the actual colouring, they just chat about the results and fast forward through the samples, I’m happy to see the slow real time colouring to see how the pencils actually work. Cheers :)

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi Claire! I’m so glad my video helped you!

[@wendy8184]

I recommend using the correct paper for pencils, it has to have some ‘tooth’ . I use Canson Mi Teintes in Pastel White (sometimes referred to as just Pastel in European countries) It is a double sided paper so suits a large variety of pencil types. The smoother side for pencils and rougher for pastels and hard pencils.

[@aviewisaview]

Great tip. Thanks.

[@ColoringwithKatie]

You’re welcome!

[@TheSliverleaf]

I have hear this before but I did not content it till now! Thank you for this video

[@ColoringwithKatie]

Hi! Happy I could help!

[@ralphanderson2604]

No blending tools?

[@gabrielemyers3536]

Stai sbagliando tutto

[@Cpixie007]

Merci pour cette vidéo !! J’en ai trouvé aucune qui m’expliquait vraiment comment les travailler pour les dégradés ! Grace à vous je vais enfin pouvoir tester sur les coloriages !

[@MarkHarveyArt]

I find it’s all down to the paper, multi layers and either OMS or blending powder. I use the latter at times as there is no delay waiting for the mineral spirit to evaporate.

[@aliciabushman7806]

Just discovered your channel, and I subscribed. I really relate to how you are now working with your polys. When I feel in love with coloring about 5 years ago, I particularly liked to watch this lady who used polychromoes all the time. So I got the 120 set of polychromoes and the coloring books she used. She showed the technique that you are using. Later on, when she got her prismas, of course she switched how she used her pencils. She was my teacher. The great thing about using the right technique for your pencils is you can create beautiful pictures with anything. All these sets can give beautifully different palettes and effects, combining the right coloring book paper with the right pencils take you even further . Love the picture your working on. I still love the colors and textures of my polychromoes.

[@lauras4472]

May I ask who you followed?

[@aliciabushman7806]

@@lauras4472 yes sure. The channel was called art spirits. You are going to have to go way back in her work. She is very meticulous. She takes a very long time on whatever she is coloring. As l have ended up doing too. She is a great artist and a wonderful teacher.

[@13Moondancer]

I have the same problem after using Prismas - thank you 🙏

[@Mirrigold]

You don't "blend" Polychromos really, you layer them! Lots and lots of very fine layers using a pencil with a very sharp point, alternate which way you make the strokes on each layer, then do a final burnishing layer with the lightest of your colours (I prefer that over using the white, but the Poly white also works as it's not a thick waxy pencil) :) I personally don't use any kind of blending spirits, I don't like removing all the texture, it's why I use coloured pencils over pens! The paper also makes a massive difference, pencils with a higher oil content like Polychromos and a harder lead, prefer to have a textured paper surface not a hot press smooth type.