Master Coloured Pencil Blending: 6 Easy Techniques from a Pro!

BLENDING MADE EASY. Today it's all about the 6 blending techniques you can learn and use today in your drawings. These are the ones I use as a professional coloured pencil artist and teach my students. From glazing to neutral colours.
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next weeks video: How to choose your colours made easy and drawing a Blue Eurasian song bird.

[@henrietteharmse-notes]

This is an outstanding tutorial on blending! It is both concise and complete. What a pleasure to listen to!

[@jeannettesirois]

You’re so welcome. Cheers!

[@bunnysm]

Hands down, the best blending tutorial I have watched! I am already familiar with the techniques from other tutorials, but yours captures all the details, so if I have to recommend a single blending tutorial, this would be the one. And your drawings look amazing!

[@jeannettesirois]

Wow, thank you! It means a lot to me to hear this. Thank you on the kind words about my drawings. I love that. Cheers!

[@user-rs6bi5rq1f]

Oh my I love your channel. I wish I knew about you 10 years ago. I had tons of books and pencils but got rid of them all when I couldn’t learn this medium.

[@jeannettesirois]

Oh no, I'm sad to hear that, but please give it a try again. Even if you start with a small set of 12 pencils. Cheers

[@user-rs6bi5rq1f]

I’m reconnecting with this medium now that I found your channel. Thank you

[@FIZZGIG-RARF]

Wowzers!! Your work is just.. stunning!! 😮❤❤❤

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@DrWren-ei4no]

I have just watched this video about four times. I have already started practices the glazing. It just seems so right as a technique. From some of your other videos, I have started working on blending with a colorless blender and with markers. Just ordered more from Amazon. You are a great teacher. I look forward to watching your videos every week.

[@jeannettesirois]

Hello, your words are so so kind, thank you for this comment. It means a great deal to know I am helping and connecting with others. Cheers and best!

[@NinaQueena]

Your art is sooo beautiful!!! Can you make a video with a tutorial of such a great bird or flower, this ones you showed us quickly in this video as ,,your art“ ? 😊

[@jeannettesirois]

You folks rock. I'll put it on the list of must dos. Cheers!

[@sevenmillionhobbies7840]

KZbin is doing a great job of recommending me awesome channels lately 😊

[@jeannettesirois]

Awe, thank you, cheers

[@Rosenblum18]

Whoa! - your artwork! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you so much 😀

[@creativespark7371]

Absolutely love your art & videos! Thanks so much for sharing these colored pencil blending techniques!

[@jeannettesirois]

You’re welcome. cheers!

[@traceybartlam7737]

Absolutely fascinating. Your artwork is mind blowing!

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you so much. Cheeers

[@judihopewell2499]

Excellent lesson. I will have my class watch you youtube video also as it cover so many if their questions. Thank you…

[@jeannettesirois]

Fantastic, I love connecting with fellow teachers. Thank you for watching and sharing. Cheers

[@bubbleandsquid]

Thank you, will use this in our homeschool, such beautiful work.

[@jeannettesirois]

Fantastic! I love that, cheers!

[@TravelMaximizer]

Excellent Video

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you, cheers!

[@1963fram]

Thanks Jeannette! You made me want to get my coloured pencils out and draw again... despite the arthritis in my hands. 🤗

[@jeannettesirois]

Im sorry to hear about the pain you must be experiencing. Using a glazing technique will help your hands because it is very light pressure. Keep going when and if you can and take care of yourself as well. Cheers!

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

Well I draw and play my keyboard to loosen my fingers. It's a good stretching exercise. I don't have arthritis though

[@MattMBZ]

This was a super informative video! Thanks so much!

[@jeannettesirois]

You’re welcome. Cheers

[@theray1319]

Oh man if I could have my time over! I've been "glazing" for years but was told by a misinformed art teacher that it wasn't finished or complete until it was burnished. In spite of the fact that I much preferred to "see" the layering effect that leaving it as merely glazed (or unfinished) and therefore incomplete! She didn't even se the term "glaze" unless we were making pottery. Now I feel quite vindicated, thanks for that Jeanette.

[@manthasagittarius1]

It's one marker of a good teacher or mentor. Without ever meaning to, some of them hobble you and hold back your understanding. The good ones set you free. Lucky to be here, hey?

[@jeannettesirois]

Vindication is excellent. I'm a believer that any technique to get from point A to Z is what you use and do. Also, sometimes in our art we just want a softer look, I call this having a conversation with my paper and read the paper textures to perfect the drawing. YEAH for glazing, and only use the other techniques when and if you need it. I LOVE THAT!!!

[@jeannettesirois]

I'm lucky to have you folks here. Cheers

[@theray1319]

@@manthasagittarius1 Yes I am! In all honesty though, I was a lazy little shit way back when I felt the world owed me something. Perhaps she thought she was encouraging me to work a little harder for a richer reward in the long run? Who knows, she never told me why and I never asked.

[@theray1319]

@@jeannettesirois I'm nodding along with you. I call it making space for the Art to breathe

[@ninner196]

Great teaching technique and explanation! As an artist myself I only use the CD blending pencil and my personal trick that I have shared for years with oms is to just put a little bit in a Caran de’ache waterbrush , the one with a fibrous tip because the oms is basically double locked and I have complete control on dabbing or blending without inhaling the fumes and I have had around 10 of them and none have ever leaked. They are the red lettered ones and pull up the solvent in a syringe like chamber in a tube controlled by a little squeeze. Then I also am able to self clean on a paper towel. Even with time they will stain but it will never stain my work. You have gorgeous work btw. It is refreshing to see a colored pencil artist like myself who isn’t stuck on being dogmatic into thinking that there are “ rules” or consider themselves as “ purists “ such as in watercolor. I do multimedia that is archival. I love layering much in the way I would do watercolor and oil painting. It is truly a more of a hand workout than even pastel drawing because I do pastel work also but love the challenge and when I can’t physically sit at my desk then I just tape down my paper or Pastelmat on a Grafix board and go at it. Folks this is a gal who knows what she is talking about and to say it kindly and bluntly she isn’t stuck on herself. Great instructor!!😊😊❤

[@jeannettesirois]

I love your story and explanation of your process. Thank you for sharing. Cheers!

[@Ekster77]

Hi @jenjenf1996 thanks for sharing your tip on how to use the Caran D' Ache waterbrush with the fibre tip. I honestly didn't know what to do with it🤷🏻‍♀️. I'm just a colorist and by no means an artist so maybe there are other ways to use this waterbrush which I know nothing of. If so, please enlighten me😊. I really missed explaining on the packaging. Kind regards, Gerda

[@ninner196]

@@Ekster77 it can be ordered through Jackson’s, Blick’s, Jerry’s Arterama, Cheap Joe’s and around Europe- anywhere where there are professional supplies but it looks similar to a watercolor brush, the ones that have a water reservoir but this one by Caran’de ache when you type in waterbrush will be the one with the marker or “fibrous tip”. It is clear with red lettering. Hope that helps and it unscrews backwards and is like a syringe to draw up oms. After putting on the top you just give the sides a little squeeze and the tip will fill. I make sure to blot on a towel so it just does a bit of blending and removes the back glare of the wax. Hope that helps.

[@ninner196]

@@jeannettesirois really lovely Jeanette I mean it. I have seen others teach that have huge followers and it appears to look more like a cult and any other pro that would say something they would think that only their way was the “right”. Yes teaching and creating is work, a job but I can’t even begin to describe my disgust for the attitudes that some show. Your technique and teaching is heartfelt and as someone who comes from a family of professional artists…Thank You!

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

That's so tedious, I just use markers. My patience runs low with colored pencils

[@jilld8787]

Very well explained!🎉

[@jeannettesirois]

Glad it was helpful! Cheers!

[@Itsmeandadd]

As usual a great tutorial. Change wait to start classes!

[@jeannettesirois]

Fantastic, glad you enjoyed it. Cheers!

[@lara-ce2kg]

This was very helpful . So thank you for making the template available.

[@jeannettesirois]

You're welcome and thank you. Cheers

[@robsonhenrique3329]

Muito bom 😊😊😊😊🎉🎉❤❤❤❤

[@bjorn7556]

Thank you, again - super, super helpful!

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you, cheers

[@dorothyminor7581]

Excellent video! New subscriber!

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you and thank you, cheers!

[@igorm8110]

Lovely

[@jeannettesirois]

thank you

[@Ekster77]

Thank you for this video😊. To be quite honest I don't like how using a white pencil as a blending tool reduces the vibrancy of colours. I prefer using the coloured pencils technique for blending. Kind regards, Gerda

[@jeannettesirois]

Absolutely, it is only to be used when you need to lighten an area, cheers!

[@Ekster77]

@@jeannettesirois okay, thank you 🙂.

[@SuzanneLegault]

Thank you so much for this generous video. It is so well done it makes it easy to practice these techniques on my own.❤

[@jeannettesirois]

You are so welcome! So glad it has helped, that’s my goal. Cheers!

[@kritimalhotra5279]

wowwww

[@jeannettesirois]

cheers

[@manthasagittarius1]

Great session. Once again, you're reminding me that any given technique is applicable at the exact spot in the work where it's needed, something as small as the edge of a leaf or corner of an eye, and some other choice may be used elsewhere in the same piece. I am pleased to find all these little blended animal examples right next to each other for comparison, too. Visually very helpful. I have a question. I am learning to vary pencil grip these days, partly to vary and control color laydown, blending, texturing and things, and partly because I've got some trouble with arthritic hands. So I am noticing through these demos of each trick the way you are using the pencil or burnisher. I like burnishing, but it puts on hand pressure that can get painful. I notice you using more of the point, with the grip like a tripod almost vetical as in writing. I am experimenting backing off the point a few inches and trying to use a more horizontally angled contact, rolling the point as I go. Not sure, but it seems to lose some color saturation, if that is the word. It definitely works better for glazing, more delicately. Could the solution be a different hardness (or softness) of pencil? The good pencils I have now are the new Derwent Chromaflow, and for fun I got the Faber Castell black edition, but I don't use them much.

[@jeannettesirois]

Hi and thanks for the comment. If you're looking to apply more colour with less pressure on your hand a softer pencils for sure. You could consider the Prismacolour, it is a soft pencil, and sharpens good, although it does have some breakage issues, good information to know. Stay away from burnishing, it is not always necessary, use a solvent instead, or a soft blending pencil. You will be able to get a solid look without pressure on your hand. Hope that helps. Cheers

[@FernCurtis]

Checked out your images on your website, you do beautiful work, LOVED the flowers especially! That is the direction I have been aiming for, I simply got derailed for the last year or so due to injuries.

[@jeannettesirois]

I’m sorry to hear this and it is so kind of you thank you for this comment and about the kind words on my work. Keep going, keep drawing, when you can, and be kind to yourself, it will come. cheers!

[@FernCurtis]

@@jeannettesirois Thank you, Jeannette! I will!

[@handmadeworld2643]

Please can you tell me which type of papers suits the pencil colours😢❤

[@jeannettesirois]

Best papers, there are many. Fabriano Artistico hot press, Stonehenge, Strathmore Color Pencils, Strathmore Mixed media, Arches Hotpress, just to name a few. For practice any sketch book with a paper weight that is a bit on the heavier side, and find paper that feels smooth but has tooth. Don’t use printer paper it will only frustrate you. Cheers

[@landreeall]

Try pastel crayons like faber castel put or stablio carbothello is better to work with. And faster at blending.

[@jeannettesirois]

Hi, those are great pencils, I’ve used them extensively. But as you know, this is about coloured pencil blending, it reacts differently and does not have the same blending results, thus this video addresses coloured pencils and not pastel pencils. Although you can use some blending methods here with chalk pastels, like OMS. Cheers

[@recklessisrecording]

Thank you for making this very informative video. I learnt a lot. Quick question: What are the main differences between the burnishing pencils and the blender pencils except that the burnishing pencils push the pigments into the paper more? Does it mean that they effect layering afterwards differently?

[@InkyMD]

Do you every use an alchol marker blending marker.

[@jeannettesirois]

Hi and thanks for the comment. In this video I demonstrate with an alcohol marker, I think it’s #3 on the list. Cheers!

[@InkyMD]

@@jeannettesirois I don't know how i missed that, thanks!

[@tamararoth6229]

Beautiful art! Wanted to join your list, but maybe the links you set are wrong?

[@jeannettesirois]

Fixed, so glad you let me know. Late night tech stuff just never works. LOL. cheers

[@tamararoth6229]

@@jeannettesirois ❤

[@dancingnana4900]

Can you check the links? I got an error message for joining your email list.

[@jeannettesirois]

Thanks for letting me know, fixed. Cheers

[@ayeshasikandar6151]

Ok

[@jeannettesirois]

Thank you. Cheers

[@SadielVidal]

What color pencils are you using

[@jeannettesirois]

Polychromos, from Faber-Castell. Sometimes I don't mention the pencil brand as I want everyone to know they can use any brand (pro brand preferably :) ) to do blending. Cheers

[@SadielVidal]

@@jeannettesirois oke i totally understand your video and your wheys of explaining are amazing for me i learned alot i have the Faber ones just need too practice more with them thank you !!!

[@krisrants717]

Useful tutorial but I would love if you had finished layering and blending the pencils. Each one of these has a lot of tooth of the paper showing up which makes it look very sketchy/scratchy.

[@jeannettesirois]

Hi and thank you for the comment. I do not believe in eliminating the tooth completely for all parts of a subject. I work with the tooth of the paper and use that as a means to soften, and enhance the subject. In that peony drawing and crystal vase, for example, I only use tooth elimination on the crystal, but the flowers have 0 tooth elimination even though it looks like they do, they don’t. The tooth is eliminated with the solvents, and mostly with the burnisher, as in the video, but leaving the tooth can be amazing, just check out my website for more examples of my work, you’ll see you can get amazing professional results by working with the paper and leaving some tooth. Tooth is not eliminated on any of my portraits except eyes and semi on lips and same with the botanicals. What ever works for you though is fantastic, cheers!