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How to Use Coloured Pencils Made Simple

Finally make sense of “layers” and “soft pencils”

When I first started with coloured pencils, I did what everyone said: bought the “right” brands, followed the books, and still ended up confused when my results looked nothing like the demos.

Things only clicked when I realised a “layer” didn’t have to mean a flat, solid block of colour – small, lighter passes gave me smoother blends, more control, and way less frustration.

Pencil Topics exists to give you that same “ohhh, now I get it” moment.


My first coloured pencil drawingMy first attempt at drawing from my own photo

Learn Coloured Pencils Step by Step, Without Overwhelm

Pencil Topics is your plain-English, step-by-step path from first marks to finished coloured pencil pieces you’re proud to show off.

Instead of random tips and guesswork, you follow a clear route that starts with pressure, layering and blending, then gently builds towards full drawings from your own photos.

You’ll always know what you’re practising, why it works, and how to use each technique beyond just copying my demos – so your confidence grows with every small win.


learn coloured pencils in a 3 step process


What You’ll Find Inside Pencil Topics


Getting Started Hub

Five coloured pencils - essential art supplies for aspiring artists getting started

Perfect if you’re brand new (or coming back after a long break). Choose a simple, sensible set of supplies, set up a space that makes drawing easier, and complete confidence-boosting first exercises so your marks feel clean and controlled, not clumsy.

Let's Get Started!


Foundation Skills Hub

A standard colour wheel used to explain colour mixing and selection for coloured pencil artists.

Fix that “I’m missing something” feeling. Learn core drawing principles, light and shadow (value), basic colour choices for coloured pencils, and simple composition so things “look right” before you start.

Build Your Foundations


Core Techniques Hub

Yellow coloured pencil layering over a blue base to demonstrate creating a green colour through optical mixing.

Make your pencils really sing. Practise layering without overworking the paper, blending for smooth transitions, and burnishing for depth and a polished finish – with a focus on avoiding flat, chalky or muddy colour.

Master the Techniques


Simple Tutorials Hub

Coloured pencil drawing of a bowl filled with various types of fruit.

Turn skills into finished art. Follow beginner-friendly projects that use what you’ve already learned to create display-worthy pieces, while showing you how to transfer the same approach to your own photos and ideas.

Start a Tutorial


Advanced Tutorials

Detailed close-up of realistic fur texture in a wild cat coloured pencil drawing from an advanced tutorial

When you’re ready to move past “pretty good”, explore lifelike textures (fur, feathers, bark, stone), shine and transparency (metal, glass, water), atmospheric landscapes, and even watercolour and pastel pencils alongside traditional coloured pencils.

Explore Advanced Tutorials

Tips & Articles:

Need specific help? Browse practical articles on things like using black paper, still life setups, composition tweaks, fixing patchy colour, muddy blends, waxy build-up and those “I’ve ruined it” moments.

Browse for more specific articles

Resources and Materials Guidance

Compare UK art suppliers, check a handy glossary, and see real paper and pencil tests so you can buy with confidence. Learn what to get first, what can wait, and what you can skip entirely – no heated reptile pads required.

Explore the Resources

Clear, friendly guidance wherever you live

tavy-rocks-layer-6-final.jpg

I’m based in the UK, so you’ll see British spellings instead of “color”, but every technique is designed to work no matter where you are or which brand you use.

If you want a clear path from first marks to finished pieces – without overwhelm or mystery – start in the Getting Started Hub, then move through Foundations and Core Techniques at your own pace.

Pick the hub that matches your next step, follow the short lessons and focused exercises, and then apply your new skills in guided tutorials so you finish pieces you’re genuinely proud to show off.

Quick answers for smart comparisons

Question: Do I need expensive supplies?

Answer: No. We’ll show you what to buy now and what can wait, so you only purchase what you’ll actually use – no guilt, no wasted money, no towering pile of untouched “must-haves”.

Question: Will I learn how to fix mistakes?

Answer: Yes. You’ll learn how to fix mistakes with simple clean-up and correction methods, plus how to prevent the most common problems in future so you’re not scared to make a mark.

Question: Can I take a piece from reference to finish?

Answer: Yes. You’ll use step-by-step tutorials to plan, layer, blend, and burnish a drawing from reference photo to polished result, so you know exactly what to do at each stage.

If those are the questions in your head, Pencil Topics is built for you.

Pick your starting point – Getting Started, Foundation Skills, or Core Techniques – and follow the next small step towards coloured pencil pieces you’re proud to show off.