8 Colored Pencil Techniques to Try

Colored pencils can do a lot more than just fill in a shape.

By changing the way you move the pencil, how much pressure you use, and how you layer colors, you can create completely different textures and effects.

These eight colored pencil techniques are easy to practice and are great for helping young artists understand line, value, texture, blending, and color mixing.

Grab a piece of drawing paper and a few colored pencils, then try each technique in its own little section.

1. Hatching

Hatching is made by drawing a series of lines that all travel in the same direction.

Keep the lines close together for a darker value or spread them farther apart to make the area look lighter.

You can also change the pressure of your pencil to make the lines darker or softer.

Try it: Fill a rectangle using only diagonal lines. Start lightly and gradually make the lines darker and closer together.

Great for: shading, shadows, texture, and sketching.

2. Crosshatching

Crosshatching starts just like hatching, but then you add another set of lines going in a different direction.

The overlapping lines create darker areas.

You can keep adding layers of crossed lines to build up even more value and texture.

Try it: Draw diagonal lines across a small square, then draw another set of diagonal lines going the opposite direction.

Great for: deeper shadows, textured drawings, and adding dimension.

3. Stippling

Stippling uses dots instead of lines.

The closer together your dots are, the darker the area will look. Spreading them farther apart creates lighter areas.

This technique takes a little patience, but it can create really interesting textures.

Try it: Start with only a few dots, then slowly make them closer and closer together.

Great for: rocks, sand, skin textures, shadows, and decorative patterns.

4. Circular Shading

For circular shading, move your pencil in lots of small overlapping circles.

Instead of seeing individual lines, the marks begin to blend together into a softer texture.

Small circles usually create the smoothest result.

Try it: Make tiny circles without lifting your pencil very much from the page. Gradually add more layers to darken one side.

Great for: smooth shading, rounded objects, faces, fruit, and soft backgrounds.

5. Burnishing

Burnishing is a way to make colored pencil look especially smooth and saturated.

Start by building up several layers of color. Then press more firmly with your pencil to blend the pigment into the paper.

You can use the same color or a lighter pencil over the top.

The paper texture becomes less visible and the color looks richer.

Try it: Compare a lightly shaded area with an area where you've added several layers and pressed firmly at the end.

Great for: shiny objects, bold colors, polished surfaces, and finished illustrations.

6. Blend Two Colors

Colored pencils can be layered together to create new colors and smooth transitions.

Start with one color, gradually use less pressure, and overlap it with a second color.

Work back and forth between the two until the transition looks smooth.

Try it: Blend pink into orange, purple into blue, or aqua into lime green.

Great for: sunsets, skies, flowers, backgrounds, and color studies.

7. Pressure Gradients

One of the easiest ways to change the look of a colored pencil is simply to change how hard you press.

Light pressure creates a pale, transparent color.

Heavy pressure creates a darker, more saturated color.

Try it: Begin at one end of a rectangle using barely any pressure. Slowly press harder as you move across the page.

You should end up with one color that gradually changes from very light to very dark.

Great for: shading, creating depth, and practicing pencil control.

8. Layering

Layering means building color gradually instead of trying to make an area dark all at once.

Start with a light layer of one color, then add another color over it. You can continue adding different colors or repeat the same ones.

Because colored pencils are slightly transparent, the colors underneath can still show through.

Try it: Layer pink over purple, aqua over green, or orange over pink and see what new colors appear.

Great for: richer colors, realistic shading, color mixing, and adding depth.

Turn It Into a Colored Pencil Practice Page

A simple way to practice is to divide a piece of paper into eight sections.

Try one technique in each section:

Hatching • Crosshatching • Stippling • Circular Shading • Burnishing • Blending • Pressure Gradient • Layering

You don't need to draw a finished picture.

The goal is simply to experiment with how the pencil behaves.

Once you've tried all eight, compare your results.

Which technique looks the smoothest? Which one creates the most texture? Which one was easiest to control? Which one would you use again in a drawing?

Experimenting like this helps artists learn what their materials can do before they even start

a finished piece.

A Few Colored Pencil Tips

Use a sharp pencil when you want crisp lines and tiny details.

Use lighter pressure when building your first layers. You can always make an area darker later.

Try not to press as hard as possible right away. Building color slowly usually gives you more control.

And don't be afraid to mix colors that seem unexpected. Sometimes the most interesting colors come from layering two pencils you wouldn't normally put together.

Most importantly, pay attention to the marks you're making.

A colored pencil isn't just a coloring tool. It's a drawing tool, a shading tool, a blending tool, and a texture tool all in one.