Watercolor + Colored Pencils = Fast, Realistic Textures

Dinotopia artist James Gurney draws a taxidermy Galápagos tortoise at the Royal Ontario Museum. Medium: Watercolors and water-soluble colored pencils. Excerpt from a 72-minute video.
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[@petecedor2852]

A good lesson is for students to realize that a drawing can be accurate without being perfect. The illusion of realism is something you are a master of and it is remarkable, I love your videos thank you for sharing,

[@jilliancrawford7577]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but could you please elaborate? Wouldn't you need to be as close to perfect as possible in order for it to be truly considered accurate? I just don't see how they don't coincide I guess.

[@roshanikumari5914]

@@jilliancrawford7577 1

[@ManWithoutThePants]

@@jilliancrawford7577 Year old reply, but what the heck :). I assuming he means that you can paint very realistic looking things without them being absolute clones of the original subject. Also pure watercolor paintings everything is not painted or at least usually not needed to paint in details. More important subjects where you want to draw the viewers attention can be more detailed and other parts can be painted more loosely. Human brains are also good at filling the missing information if it's hinted well in the painting. This turtle on the other hand wasn't a real live subject, but he painted it like a live one. As a last thing I would say that at least I don't want to be a copy machine that just copies something unless it's a study then I can can try to copy more what I see.

[@capbin146]

I'm shy about working outside because I know I'm not that good so it was nice to hear you acknowledge it and suggest a solution. Thanks + love the magnet idea for container!

[@TheVanillatech]

The only way to "get good" is to do it, so get outside and draw. In a few years you will be getting admirers and you will STILL say that you're not good. The better we get, the more we know we can improve.

[@ahmetcancakmak8098]

@@TheVanillatech so true..

[@harshvardhanshinde]

You should check out his artist guide to sketching and you will realise how much he has improved over years of drawing

[@blacklabel13131]

this is excellent! James, I bought your book, Imaginative Realism, at The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and was in disbelief when I opened the cover to find that you had drawn a T-Rex on a skateboard in it and signed it. I thought maybe it was just printed until I looked at EVERY copy of the book and saw that there was subtle differences in every drawing. Too cool... Thanks for that

[@KitKatToeBeans]

That’s really awesome!

[@natashagarciasart3963]

The one I got, T-Rex is painting on an easel. I thought the same at first that it might of been a print, but it definitely was a real drawing! Very cool of him to do that.

[@mfiorito5550]

Too awesome! Opportunities I seem to always miss!

[@domenicotrombetti8583]

I really appreciate the balance between detail and "imperfections". Rather than being clinically perfect, the line is expressive and human, and the textures - if you look close - satisfyingly gritty. And still very realistic.

[@artieross9537]

No words can describe your talent!

[@boredwarlock5216]

I loved you books when I was a kid and i still have a tattered old copy next to my computer now I'm an adult. It continues to be a source of imagination and joy and I love getting lost in the world you made. I guess that's why they say a picture tells 1,000 words. Thanks for this tutorial. Very zen.

[@dbrady6172]

Really impressed by your combination of pencil on top of watercolour. Thank you.

[@Der.Geschichtenerzahler]

If only my grandfather was this cool

[@ZapAnimator]

After looking at a few videos like this, I can safely say I'm over thinking a lot of this. Gotta try a simpler approach.

[@diannadiatz1140]

It is a joy to watch you work, and a pleasure to listen to you describe what you are doing. Did you know that the oldest living tortoise in the Galapagos Islands just passed away. Your painting is certainly a beautiful tribute to that species. Like all your steampunk graphics too!

[@LAvenus79]

Aw, really? *sniff*

[@walkingguy6409]

LAvenus79 well guess what, now there is another oldest living tortoise in the Galapagos islands

[@diannadiatz1140]

Hurray for the "new" oldest living tortoise!! Whoo hoo! They are one of my favorite animals. Thanks for telling me! Have a good weekend!!

[@GabdeVue]

This was very helpful! I appreciate the way it was filmed. Always at the moment i thought: "ok, why did he do that?" you showed the studied object. I especially liked the part at about 3:40 where Mr. Gurney starts blending the pencils and the watercolors. This looks very effective - the textures came out very, very well - it's just so satisfying to see all of this come together into such a fine study. Thank you for this excellent demonstration. It's appreciated!

[@UncleSamsBurritos]

I love your videos and the effort you put into them. Your commentary is truly what's so awesome about watching these videos, helping us understand how you illustrate.

[@MsOpinioness]

Great...really capture the weight and light of this critter.

[@TheWishDragon]

Ah ha! So that's how watercolour pencils are used effectively! Thank you! I will have to try this some time!

[@normg2242]

Thank you James, your approach of mixing watercolour and gouache with pastels or crayons has taken my stale painting skills to the next level!

[@iessycugnus]

Still my favorite drawing, Please do more of these

[@Edyremoh]

Thanks James, I'm a fan of your watercolor videos. Very encouraging (not to mention soothing) to watch it come together.

[@knightshadow3284]

I thought the thumb nail photo was a picture. You are crazy good. Your art looks like a photo.

[@TickTockTimeTraveler]

This is the perfect technique I can use for a landscape painting that will accent my illustrative skills without having to waste a lot of time on the painting portion of the work, while still bringing in lots of color and lighting. I can't wait to try it out. Thanks!

[@nicole-ee7ec]

thats so AWESOME!!!!!!!

[@BrazenSpirituality]

I realize this is an 8 year old video, but it is new to me. I appreciate the explanation of what you are doing and why and how you use reactivating to your best advantage, and even the tip that a natural museum is a good place to do some art. I have never seen any artists in our museums or zoos, here in Houston, but maybe I could at least have a seat on a bench with watercolor pencils to lay down the idea and finish them at home. Brain food… nom nom nom! Thank you sir!

[@HeartoftheSwan]

wow, this is beautiful, James, thanks for sharing your process in this excellent video. It's soooo helpful!

[@sarahf.s.2961]

Beautiful. Watercolor pencils are great.

[@julienielsen3746]

I just bought some Prismacolor water-soluble pencils and a water brush. Great video showing how to use them with watercolors. I have two of your art books which I enjoy very much. Beautiful tortoise painting.

[@jerrya.padilla6156]

I learned a lot from watching this. Thank you👍😁

[@josesoares9986]

Nice... one of the best you made...

[@rtwilson145]

Interesting fact: the maker if those watercolor pencils have an interesting name. Karandash (карандаш in cyrillic) is the Russian word for pencil!

[@causalfault]

+Travis Wilson The company (founded in 1915) is actually called Caran D'Ache; the founder named it after a French satirical cartoonist, who in turn had taken his name by Francocizing the word карандаш!

[@fiery.mercaba]

From in my boyhood painting, I have had a significant preference for the watercolor & colored pencil (&/or colored markers, too) combination(s). As you stated, for one, this combination really affords the user a great deal of opportunity to do easy detailing, &, I might emphasize, detailing that is still very much professional & of no less satisfying outcome than straight watercolor, or, for that matter, straight colored pencils or straight markers. Thanks for the demo & share, James Gurney.

[@allisonbitetto7337]

Huge fan ever since I met you in Connecticut at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center over the winter (Maybe you remember my 3-eyed owl). Thanks for being an inspiration- I've been practicing ever since.

[@NarasimhaVishnu]

great tutorial, James! thanks for sharing!

[@loissemanek1715]

This is fantastic I learned a lot thanks

[@karenwhite4606]

Love watching the painting develop and your description of why and how! Great paintings!

[@Cutter-jx3xj]

I'm just getting started working with watercolors and water color pencils. Absolutely amazing videos. Love watching your work.

[@BuntstiftKunst]

Thank you for the video! A long time I only colored pencils, but now I started to mix them with water color and its great how much time you save. This introduction really helped me.

[@poopingbuffalo2095]

Beautiful. I intend on putting together a kit similar to yours

[@celticheather]

Wow, so clever.

[@Marzyart]

You make it seem so easy. Because you are a pro

[@jesusgonzalez-qp2rf]

Really impressive works Mr. Gurney

[@mfiorito5550]

Great tutorial and insight on how you work. I absolutely love it.

[@K.buildingthings]

Your videos are really a joy to watch... can even consider it very therapeutic !

[@mwippa18]

Wow that's an amazing idea for a location

[@chrissyhayes8762]

Excellent

[@janraeycanobas6742]

This video is so underrated 😔😔😔😔

[@liviariviello9474]

Fantastico!

[@sojourningyid1655]

That was so nice to watch...I love the way you rendered the topography of the plates of the upper shell. Mixing the media like that is definitely something I'll be trying.. Thanks for taking us along on your artistic journeys Mr. Gurney....Kindest Regards :-)

[@chedoodles]

amazing

[@ShahanoorMamun]

really surprised.... to see your paintings.... you are doing a great job... go ahead

[@dankmemer6626]

I would love to do realistic approach to painting like this someday

[@kiki5176]

Thought it was pretty good with ur color choice + seeing how you used the colored pencils to give it texture but was not surprised why as soon as scrolled down the page and saw it was James Gurney :D

[@gsrabbit4278]

simple and high quality !!!

[@jessicavdmade9187]

I just fount you on youtube.and y love you work.i am hookt! Thank you for sharing your art with us

[@robinarnold7035]

We loved it! Great tutorial.

[@atomixfang]

I wish I could have met you :'( I sometimes go there to draw that turtle. It is my favorite specimen.

[@zacbeeler3629]

Thanks James, always great to study and learn from your vids!

[@michaelbaker5180]

That was really enjoyable to watch. You're so talented! P.S. I loooove tortoises and turtles :)

[@annamarieh333]

WOW! Loved it

[@LAvenus79]

I wish it were quiet in museums. I usually take pictures there and go home to draw (:p) rather than sit down on the spot. I like quiet settings when I draw.

[@OurHumbleLife]

Beautiful

[@dollgonegood]

Thank you

[@robertlafontaine3256]

Très inspirant. Magnifiques vidéos. Merci de les avoir partagés.

[@cricketcricket9749]

I'm going to try watercolor pencils for details on dogs nose, eyes, mouth.

[@artchiezo1631]

Love your video, nice work !

[@JeffLafferty]

Wonderful

[@Sjon_E]

i think he did an amazing job but ngl i think the shadow looked better without the grey/brown

[@Spekd]

Nice

[@veesentdaysendz8113]

Wow,awesome work my man!!

[@kingmambostudios5623]

your video is great, just from the beginning starting to show how to paint with as less as talking as possible, give your video 5 stars and I will keep watching you from Germany! Thank you for the great Video and to share with us your great painting abilities! Alfredo Hernandez from Germany

[@xinxinhe3017]

really nice work!

[@kawtherkoosa]

really great and inspiring!

[@josephlowry4320]

I've tried the technique before when I did a Watercolor sketch.

[@Ayenyint]

nicely done.

[@SkywalkFPV]

9 years later still interesting! Am I safe to say that; whatever you can do with watercolor, gouache can do the same (when diluted enough).. But whatever you can do with gouache you cannot do with watercolor.. So why choose watercolor over gouache (price maybe)?! However both mediums are able to be enhanced with colored pencils, I just see more usability with gouache..

[@patriziaravani828]

Bravissimo.

[@stratorunner1]

Hi btw? This a very strong study , nive work !

[@xh7385]

New technique unlocked.

[@jonathantaylor9881]

More Dinosaurs please:)

[@hughmungus7690]

You're the best

[@linzertube]

I see that you've been in my city, Toronto, doing your painting and drawing. I hope that you enjoyed your stay.

[@JamesGurney]

Thanks! We loved Toronto. It's sketching paradise.

[@JMDesigneoDesenhista]

Very good like

[@InnocentSage]

Huge fan! I was wondering, do you have anything underneath the paper to make sure nothing bleeds through, or is it all technique on the watercolor paper/it is thick enough?

[@JamesGurney]

+InnocentSage It's in a Moleskine watercolor book, so it can handle the washes.

[@InnocentSage]

James Gurney Thank you! I just got one and am excited to try it out :)

[@neillouise7533]

OMG Mitch McConnell

[@alconk7129]

That is just amazing! I want to start back up drawing and do this watercolor stuff never have before so I’ll be going to Hobby Lobby. Can you suggest what items I need to start with? Thanks!!

[@JamesGurney]

Check out my video about watercolor supplies for urban sketchers.

[@KeyhaneBishomar]

I'm going to a zoo tomorrow ,wanna paint leopards and some birds 😁

[@Birbwhoeatsleaf]

What are those colour pencils? Brand/company?

[@fabiankoplin]

This would not work in Gouache since the water would reactivate the color underneath, right?

[@geronimosrifle2913]

Mr. G, Do you have indepth beginner level how to's from start to finish for sale?

[@oldcoon2]

Great sketch. WTG

[@inkonmyhands]

James, please, could you tell me the name of the song towards the end of the video (at 4:11). I looked through the videos of Kevin Macleod but I couldn't find it... :(

[@inkonmyhands]

Nevermind, I found it via Shazam, which I didn't think to do since its copyright free. If anyone else wants to know it's Colossus by Kevin Macleod

[@redangrybird7564]

Mr. Gurney, are the pencils regular colour or watercolour pencils? Thanks, good video.

[@jasonmullins6638]

I believe he said water soluble pencil..so watercolor pencils made by Caran D'Ache..probably Supracolor

[@redangrybird7564]

@@jasonmullins6638 Thanks, my question was because some artists after finishing with watercolours, they add retouches with regular colour pencils just to define some features. Such artists like Lioba Bückner here in KZbin..

[@jasonmullins6638]

@@redangrybird7564 yeah. I actually do that from time to time!

[@jasonmullins6638]

@@redangrybird7564 I've even used gelly roll pens in certain drawings.

[@redangrybird7564]

@@jasonmullins6638 I'm new to watercolours after painting in acrylics and oils for few years. It's a difficult medium and not very forgiving. Take care.

[@thomasleveque1516]

Really nice technique ! I'll try to use it for my vacation homework (we are forced to use at least 3 different techniques) could you tell me if soft 30° cross hatching in colored pencil works when the water is no longer humid ?

[@kiszxh_0844]

how much time did you spent doing this beautiful art?😊

[@padminirathore3785]

Sir, can watercolor pencils work on top of a acrylic under painting

[@JamesGurney]

Yes, as long as the acrylic is matte surface and not too glossy.

[@padminirathore3785]

@@JamesGurney Thank you sir, 🙏🏻

[@beverley-memawmawclarkwhit5102]

James, can you tell me where you purchased the flat retractable travel watercolor brush that I see you use in many of your paintings??? I cannot seem to locate a flat, most sold are rounds...

[@JamesGurney]

That one I got in England, but I know Richeson makes flat and filbert travel brushes.

[@kimesch9698]

The subjects hold really still! Great idea. My father is a funeral director.. I wonder what he’d say if I wanted to practice there? Just kidding. Anyway, he’d say no. 😉

[@micheletomea6186]

Hi, have you ever tried to do tutorial to paint TV series or movies? I would like to learn how to realize sketches of horror movies and or TV series like Stranger Things or IT.

[@she7]

whats the brand again of your water soluble colored pencils? please reply

[@JamesGurney]

Caran d'Ache Supracolor II

[@POLKAnoe]

リアル

[@RicardoNask]

For god... who disliked this video?

[@user-ok2vq4gf9c]

Thank you for the lecture beautiful ... but I hope you attended to translate the video to the Arab please Please Please Please Please

[@justinfleagle]

Where's my Tore-Toises!?