How do I fix WC pencil - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists (2024)

Vincentvg

Please would some one tell me the best way to fix water colour pencil drawings. do I just spray water on them or is there some special gunge
In fact any info on WC pencils would be much appreciated.
Kind Regards

NancyPH

Spraying water on cp’s will do nothing except get your paper wet. CP’s are either wax or oil based, depending on which kind you have, and as such are resistant to water.

If you mean by “fixing” your cp piece, finishing it up by spraying something on it to protect it, you would spray a permanent fixative, such as Lascaux Fixativ on it. However, make sure you are absolutely finished first because you will not be able to do anything to the drawing once you have sprayed it with permanent fixative.

The reason I name the Lascaux Fixativ is because this particular fixative has been used by many cp artists, including myself, successfully (without causing any damage to the cp’s), but it is expensive! If you want to protect your cp piece WHILE working on it, use Krylon Workable Fixative. It allows you to continue working on the drawing while also protecting it from smudges and the elements.

Hope this is the type of info you were looking for!

[FONT="Georgia"]Nancy

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pinkrybns Moderator

All of what Nancy said is correct if you are talking about regular CP’s…but it seems to me you are asking about watercolor pencils.

If so, I don’t really understand your question….but I’ll give it a shot.

Watercolor cp’s are primarily to be used with regular water. However, you can use them dry and leave them dry, that’s your choice and fine to do, but it’s not how they were intended to be used (in my opinion).

To apply them with water to paper you can:
* Draw directly on your paper with them dry and then use brush & water to activate the color.
* Wet your paper first with brush & water, then draw into the wet area with the wc pencils.
* Dip the wc pencil first into water, then apply to your paper. Can get interesting effects using this method.
* Take a wet brush and brush it over the tip of the wc pencil and then apply the color to the paper – this is like using the pencil as you would any normal pan watercolor.

Fixing:
While it’s not really necessary to use a final fix on your watercolor pencil piece, some folks do, and then you should follow Nancy’s suggestions. Get a good fixative spray. I also use Lasceaux on my regualr cp work.

You could also fix a piece totally done in watercolor pencil with an acrylic/polymer varnish that you can brush on, but if you’re unaccustomed to using such varnishes, I would say stick to the spray fixatives ( brushing varnishes can sometimes lift/smear color).

Also:
You can not spray fixative (of any kind) inbetween layers on a piece done in watercolor pencils…. if you intend to go back and add more color with the watercolor pencils. If you do, you’re subsequent layers of watercolor pencil will not stick. (Edit to say : unless you use them dry, never applying any water – then they’re just like regular cp with a fixative)

Not sure that’s the info you want, but there ya go.

Cheers!
Judy

Judy - Moderator: Art History Forum and Reference Image Library

Vincentvg

Thank you Judy
Yes it is water colour pencils that I am referring to. As I’m sure you realize I’m new to art. in fact I found art rather late in my life so I’m trying to move forward as fast as possible. I feel I’m getting on quite well with water colour and drawing but since I found this site I’ve become rather hooked on cp as I only have some water colour pencils I have been using them dry and blending them dry with a cotton wool bud, thats how I thought they should be used. I have only done three or four so far and have been pleased with results. It looks like I must hurry and buy some good proper cp’s
Thank you for your help Peter

Vincentvg

Thank you Nancy
Very useful information. I have stored it in my little Grey cells
kind regards Peter

pinkrybns Moderator

… I only have some water colour pencils I have been using them dry and blending them dry with a cotton wool bud, thats how I thought they should be used….

Peter (wanted to call you “Vinnie” hee hee),

As I said above, you can most certainly use the watercolor pencils dry, lots of folks do and you can combine them in a single piece with the regular colored pencils (any kind).

Actually, reading your way of blending the wc pencils out with a cotton bud would make adding water to them (after blending in your manner) a lot easier to get smooth color on your surface, if that’s what you’re after as a resulting “look”.

One more thing to keep in mind: As with regular colored pencils, different brands of wc pencils work/perform differently and not all brands suit everybody’s taste, methods or styles of working. Some watercolor pencil brands are harder and don’t smooth out as well (Derwents are too hard, in my opinion), where others lay down like butter, are soft and smooth out beautifully (Caran d’Ache Supracolors Aquarelle and Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Aquarelle are smooth & lovely – in my opinion, of course).

Oh! and don’t worry about being new to art or to cp’s. Lot’s of people here to offer their help.

Enjoy!

Judy

Judy - Moderator: Art History Forum and Reference Image Library

Vincentvg

Thank you again Judy.

Peter ( Vinnie )