{"id":6696,"date":"2014-04-28T22:15:08","date_gmt":"2014-04-28T22:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/?page_id=6696"},"modified":"2026-04-03T17:26:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T17:26:05","slug":"the-colored-pencil-course-colored-pencil-basics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-colored-pencil-basics","title":{"rendered":"The Colored Pencil Course &#8211; Colored Pencil Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"coursetitlecontainer\">\n<div class=\"coursetitle\">\n<h1><span>The Colored Pencil Course:<\/span> Colored Pencil Basics<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"insertbackground\">\n<div class=\"removep\">\n<div class=\"videoflexwrapper\">\n<div class=\"videotop\">\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/126867808?color=ffffff&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebartop\">\n<div class=\"vertalign\">\n<div class=\"logoimage\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/logosmall75.png\"><\/div>\n<p>\n    <div class=\"sidebarcarddescriptiondark\">\n<span>JOIN THE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTOR<\/span><br>\n    Get ALL of our courses, ebooks, live lessons, critiques, lesson plans and more today.\n<\/div>\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"sidebarbuttonholder\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"sidebuttonsmem\">START FREE TRIAL<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<hr style=\"background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:1.5em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/register-the-colored-pencil-course\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"sidebuttons\">BUY SINGLE COURSE $67<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"courseperkscontainer\">\n<div class=\"courseperks\"><span>This course features:<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"courseperks\"><i class=\"far fa-clock\" style=\"margin-right:10px;\"><\/I>5 Hours of Instruction<\/div>\n<div class=\"courseperks\"><i class=\"fas fa-film\" style=\"margin-right:10px;\"><\/I>22 Videos<\/div>\n<div class=\"courseperks\"><i class=\"fas fa-book\" style=\"margin-right:10px;\"><\/I>21 eBooks<\/div>\n<div class=\"courseperks\"><i class=\"fas fa-shield-alt\" style=\"margin-right:10px;\"><\/i>30 Day Money Back Guarantee<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<div class=\"contentfix\">\n<div class=\"favorites\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tabs\">\n  <input name=\"tabs\" type=\"radio\" id=\"tab-1\" checked=\"checked\" class=\"input\"\/><br \/>\n  <label for=\"tab-1\" class=\"label\">Description<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<h2>Lesson Description<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe second lesson of The Colored Pencil Course takes students deeper into the essential techniques and principles that form the foundation of successful colored pencil drawing. This session focuses on how colored pencils behave, how pencil pressure affects the results, and how different textures and surfaces influence mark-making. Students explore a wide range of basic techniques that will serve as critical tools throughout the course. By the end of the lesson, these principles are applied in a practical drawing of a simple cube, reinforcing the core ideas and helping students begin to develop control and intentionality with the medium.\n<\/p>\n<h2>The Compositional Makeup of a Colored Pencil<\/h2>\n<p>\nMatt begins the lesson by breaking down the structure of a colored pencil, explaining how the combination of pigment, binder, and filler contributes to the pencil\u2019s performance. Understanding this internal makeup helps students recognize why certain pencils behave differently and how those characteristics can be used intentionally. The lesson emphasizes that choosing the right pencil for the task is an important part of the drawing process.\n<\/p>\n<h2>The Importance of Pencil Pressure<\/h2>\n<p>\nA major component of this lesson revolves around pencil pressure and how it affects color saturation, layering, and blending. Matt demonstrates how light, medium, and heavy pressures produce different results, and why mastering these variations is crucial for achieving smooth transitions and realistic effects. Students learn that controlling pencil pressure allows for gradual buildup of pigment, prevents damaging the paper\u2019s tooth, and enhances the overall richness of the drawing. Several guided exercises help students practice applying consistent pressure and transitioning smoothly between values.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Application Techniques and Mark-Making<\/h2>\n<p>\nMatt then explores the various mark-making techniques commonly used in colored pencil drawing. He covers directional strokes, circular strokes, crosshatching, and burnishing, showing how each method serves a specific purpose. Directional strokes can help indicate form, while circular strokes are ideal for smooth blending. Crosshatching allows for building value gradually, and burnishing produces a polished, opaque finish. Students learn how choosing the right type of mark can dramatically affect both texture and overall realism. These techniques become especially important in later lessons.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Mixing Blacks and Achieving Rich Neutrals<\/h2>\n<p>\nRather than relying on premade black pencils, Matt introduces the concept of mixing blacks through layered complementary colors. This approach creates deeper, more vibrant shadows that integrate naturally with surrounding hues. Students experiment with combinations such as dark blue and burnt umber or purple and green to create custom blacks, learning how these mixtures produce more convincing shadows than using a flat black pencil. This concept becomes especially valuable in later lessons when drawing realistic subjects with natural light and shadow.\n<\/p>\n<h2>The Five Do\u2019s for Better Hues<\/h2>\n<p>\nMatt also presents the \u201c5 Do\u2019s for Better Hues,\u201d a set of guiding principles designed to help students achieve richer and more dynamic colors. Together, these practices form the foundation of successful color development, helping students build depth and subtlety within their drawings.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Applying the Concepts: Drawing a Simple Cube<\/h2>\n<p>\nTo bring all these concepts together, the lesson concludes with a hands-on drawing exercise. Students create a simple cube using the techniques introduced throughout the session. This exercise reinforces pencil pressure control, directional strokes, layered color application, and shadow creation through mixed blacks. Though simple, the cube drawing provides an important early opportunity to practice building form and value with colored pencils. By the end of the lesson, students gain confidence in their ability to control the medium and are better prepared for the more complex challenges ahead.\n<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <input name=\"tabs\" type=\"radio\" id=\"tab-2\" class=\"input\"\/><br \/>\n  <label for=\"tab-2\" class=\"label\">Materials<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<h2>Lesson Materials<\/h2>\n<p>Colored Pencils (Prismacolor Premier pencils are used but any brand is fine), Bristol paper, Mi-Teintes Paper.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <input name=\"tabs\" type=\"radio\" id=\"tab-3\" class=\"input\"\/><br \/>\n  <label for=\"tab-3\" class=\"label\">Resources<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<h2>Lesson Resources<\/h2>\n<p><i class=\"fas fa-lock\" style=\"margin-right:10px;\"><\/I>Download eBook<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><input name=\"tabs\" type=\"radio\" id=\"tab-4\" class=\"input\"\/><br \/>\n  <label for=\"tab-4\" class=\"label\">Curriculum<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<h2>Course Curriculum<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curriculumcontainer\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-introduction-and-materials\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 1: Introduction and Materials (4:12)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-colored-pencil-basics\" class=\"curriculumselected\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 2: Colored Pencil Basics (15:44)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-the-magic-of-burnishing\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 3: The Magic of Burnishing (19:20)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-value-and-the-underpainting\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 4: Value and Underpainting (17:11)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-using-color-theory-in-drawings\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 5: Color Theory (21:53)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-composition-and-still-life\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 6: Composition and Still Life (23:08)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-reflection-and-transparency\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 7: Reflection and Transparency (15:56)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-transferring-images\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 8: Transferring Images (9:03)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-creating-texture-part-1\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 9: Creating Texture - Part 1 (17:13)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-creating-texture-part-2\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 10: Creating Texture - Part 2 (15:55)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-landscape-drawing-part-1\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 11: Landscape Drawing - Part 1 (14:42)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-landscape-drawing-part-2\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 12: Landscape Drawing - Part 2 (16:05)<\/a\n\n><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-portrait-drawing-part-1\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 13: Portrait Drawing - Part 1 (15:55)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-portrait-drawing-part-2\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 14: Portrait Drawing - Part 2 (11:29)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-portrait-drawing-part-3\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 15: Portrait Drawing - Part 3 (12:13)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-portrait-drawing-part-4\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 16: Portrait Drawing - Part 4 (13:03)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-portrait-drawing-part-5\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 17: Portrait Drawing - Part 5 (9:37)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-watercolor-and-colored-pencils-part-1\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 18: Watercolor and Colored Pencils - Part 1 (15:03)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-watercolor-and-colored-pencils-part-2\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 19: Watercolor and Colored Pencils - Part 2 (10:48)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-watercolor-pencils-part-1\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 20: Watercolor Pencils - Part 1 (13:07)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-watercolor-pencils-part-2\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 21: Watercolor Pencils - Part 2 (11:07)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/the-colored-pencil-course-conclusion\" class=\"curriculum\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Lesson 22: Conclusion (4:32)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebarbottom\">\n<div class=\"relatedcourse\">Your Instructor<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructor\">\n<div class=\"instructorimage\">\n<div class=\"instructorpic\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/images\/mattauthor.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Fussell - Instructor\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"instructorname\">Matt Fussell<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructordes\">\n<p>Founder of The Virtual Instructor, artist and teacher. Matt makes learning art easy to understand and enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p><div style=\"padding-top:10px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/blog\/author\/admin\">Learn more about Matt<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relatedcoursescontainer\">\n<div class=\"relatedcourse\">Related Courses and Classes<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/3-little-birds-with-colored-pencils\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>3 Little Birds with Colored Pencils<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/3-little-birds-with-colored-pencils-course.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/colored-pencils-plus\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Colored Pencils PLUS<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Colored-Pencils-Plus-Course.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/peacock-with-colored-pencils\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Peacock with Colored Pencils<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Peacock-colored-pencils-lesson-series-400.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Colored Pencil Course: Colored Pencil Basics Description Lesson Description The second lesson of The Colored Pencil Course takes students deeper into the essential techniques and principles that form the foundation of successful colored pencil drawing. This session focuses on how colored pencils behave, how pencil pressure affects the results, and how different textures and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"paget-iframe.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6696","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6696"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46189,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6696\/revisions\/46189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}