I started off with these experiments a while back, categorising each medium and experimenting with them in a very structured way (the first image). I later re-did the experiments in an attempt to become more abstract with my movements and variations (the second and third images).
Felt-tip Pens
I found the felt-tips the most daunting of all the mediums. You've got to have a confident approach when using these. In the second picture I experimenting with a lot of different lines, though I was limited with not being able to vary pressure and thickness of the line. The tick and flick approach worked well giving a concentrated bottom and fading line, excellent for grass and hair, etc. As I felt quite limited in terms of technique after stippling, drawing lines and shading, I decided to make a very basic colour wheel to see what colours stand out more against others, and what mixing/blending of colour I could achieve. I found the complementary colours, opposite on the colour wheel (red - green, yellow - purple, blue - orange), and experimented in stippling with blending yellow with purple and yellow with green. I found the yellow and green blended very well, so much so that neither colour really stood out, so this would work well for a background mix on a composition. The purple really stood out against the yellow, as did the yellow against the purple, so this would work well for a foreground subject. I repeated this exercise in hatching with red and green, and then red and purple; and then in shading with blue and orange, and blue and green.
The felt-tips are good at blending only if you layer the colours well, i.e. without using too many different shades on top of each other or it'll appear too dark. I really need a greater selection of colours to create a more detailed blend of tones. I think they would work better on cartridge paper, too.
Water Based Dye Ink Pens
I then used some water based dye ink pens, which I preferred for their variation in application. The tick-and-flick technique worked really well with these, giving a very concentrated root and fading in a more dynamic way than felt-tips. They were also better at layering, as a base colour was able to show through, rather than appear too dark like with the felt-tips. Blending worked well after a lot of layering and choosing the right tones, creating a watery mix.
Wax Crayons
This would be the hardest medium to choose for a detailed drawing, although great for adding a lot of texture and form. The application was quite hard to control as it produced a very blotchy, uneven look. Using the side of the crayon to create a thinner line doesn't last long enough to create anything very detailed. But that does help in creating a lively and dynamic line! Stippling doesn't work very well as it's too faint, so that ended up as dashes. I don't think blending works too well with this medium because of its blotchy style, instead it seems easier to blend very gradually with similar tones rather than blend straight from orange to purple, for example.
Coloured Pencils
These were great in every way except for standing out like the other mediums! The best detail can be achieved with these, although they are very time consuming on a large composition. Blending worked really well as light applications can be used to layer the tones. On/off pressure techniques work excellently for a natural look. I used a twisting application where I held the pencils from the top for less control, using on/off pressure techniques (see the third picture with the blue and purple lines). This technique would be great for any natural looking lines like thin twigs on a tree, or for hatching an area. I tried a several shading techniques, using concentrated pressure down to shading on the side of the pencil very lightly. Stippling wasn't quite strong enough for anything to stand out, but would probably be great for an area in the background of a composition. The only thing with these is that they don't stand out as much as other mediums, but then again, this would be more suitable for a natural effect. I think creating a large area of one colour may also prove difficult!
Soft Pastels
These were great for blending, though very messy, so planning ahead would be essential with these. Again, as with crayons, detail would be hard to achieve. But on a larger composition, because they are so easy to use to create dynamic tone, a good drawing could be achieved with a natural blending of colour.
Oil Pastels
I think these will take a lot of work to use on an image because of all the layering that needs to be done. But I have realised from the experiments that simple can be better, so I need to get myself out of the detailed line drawing frame of mind, and concentrate on colour and tone more. Blending worked really well, and this medium seems to be the best for layering from drawing a line on top of a shaded area. I began to really like this medium after experimenting because of its vibrant colour, the control I can have with layers - a thin top layer line is independent of the bottom layer, which is great for the final layer of detail. Then, by using the oil pastel upright in circular motions, a blended layer can also be achieved. I didn't like the hatching method, as it looks too messy compared with circular layers. Stippling was bold, but thick. I tried the twisting method again as with the coloured pencils and this worked really well to create lots of texture and tones (the blue wave like pattern on the third drawing).
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| Exploring Coloured Media, first attempt |
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| Exploring Coloured Media, felt-tip pens and crayons |
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| Exploring Coloured Media, pencils, soft pastels, and oil pastels |
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