Creating Luminous: Watercolor Landscapes

An Excerpt from
creating luminous
watercolor
landscapes
A F o u r - S t e p P ro c e ss
Sterling Edwards
Last Light
Watercolor on 300-lb. (640gsm) cold-pressed Fabriano paper
15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm) • Private collection
2
6
Painting Luminous
Landscapes
Step by Step
A
ll of the demonstrations in this chapter have been painted
with transparent watercolors using my four-step process.
Transparent watercolors are great for achieving a lumi-
nous glow in your work; however, the techniques and principles applied
in these demonstrations work equally well with opaque and semiopaque
watercolors, and even with oils and acrylics.
When you complete a painting using the four-step process explained
in detail over the next several pages, you will achieve a variety of strong
midvalues that act as the glue holding the shapes together. Your darks
will be richer, giving the painting drama and strength. You will have
an area of clean, unpainted white paper, giving the painting light and
sparkle. And most importantly, you’ll have a strong center of interest to
lead the viewer’s eye.
3
The Four-Step Process
I discovered through teaching watercolor that many of my students were
M at e r i a l s l i s t
unsure of how to begin a painting. Over the years the same questions kept
Pa p e r
140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed watercolor
popping up—Should I paint the sky first? What would you do to start this painting?
paper
There are no rules about what must be painted first; in reality, each painting is
Pa i n t s
unique and requires its own approach. When I set out to develop the four-step Avignon Orange
Cupric Green Deep
process, I wanted a system that was easy to follow and placed emphasis on how Golden Lake
to begin a painting, as well as one that added an element of structure to the Permanent Violet Blueish
Primary Blue-Cyan
painting experience. Focusing on values was the way to accomplish these goals.
Brushes
The key to creating depth and luminosity in your watercolors is developing 1- and 2-inch (25mm and 51mm) flats
your mid and dark values in the beginning stages of the painting rather than 1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle
no. 6 rigger
the end. You can have beautiful colors, intriguing shapes and interesting tex- no. 8 round
tures, but values are what make the painting inspiring. Another important part
Other
1-inch (25mm) masking tape
of my four-step process is to preserve a bit of the white paper as a way to plan
2B pencil
sparkling highlights down the line. Mounting board
Tissue and paper towel blotter
Here are the stages that make up the four-step process: Tissue
Two water containers
Step 1: Block in shapes and midvalues while saving white paper. The white of
the paper left will be the center of interest.
Step 2: Add the darkest darks to illuminate the midvalues and white paper.
Step 3: Glaze selectively over the white space that you do not wish to preserve.
Step 4: Add finishing details and refine.
I have taught the four-step process for a long time, and I still hear positive
feedback from students who have achieved success with it. Many say it has
changed the way they paint and that they are no longer as intimidated by
watercolors as they used to be. I encourage you to refer to these next few pages
as you work through the demonstrations later in this chapter.
4
Step One: Block In Shapes While Saving Whites
After you complete your preliminary sketch, begin painting they will all fall near the midvalue range. The goal of step 1
the midvalues. The most important part of step 1 is to leave is to establish the painting’s colors and create the center of
some white of the paper where the center of interest will be. interest by preserving some white of the paper.
Some midvalues will be lighter and some will be darker, but
Draw the Largest Shapes

Draw a simple sketch of the tree and grass, and suggest the tops of the
background trees. Focus mainly on the larger shapes. In this exercise the
base of the large tree will be the center of interest.
Begin the Midvalues While Saving Some White Paper

Wet the entire piece of paper with a 2-inch (51mm) flat brush. Use this brush to
apply a light, wet wash of Primary Blue-Cyan starting at the top of the paper. Make
long, overlapping horizontal strokes working downward. Since this is a light color,
it’s OK to paint over the trees. As you work downward, the paint in your brush
should get thinner giving you a graded wash. While the paper is still wet, use a
1-inch (25mm) flat brush and drier combinations of Golden Lake, Permanent
Violet Blueish, Cupric Green Deep and Avignon Orange to paint the background
trees. Leave an area of white at the base of the trees to suggest a sunlit field and
paint around the large tree. Darken the colors at the base of the background trees
to help anchor them to the ground. If necessary, use a 1-inch (25mm) barely damp
stiff bristle brush to softly blend some of the colors on the wet paper. Use the
1-inch (25mm) flat brush and varied combinations of Golden Lake and Avignon
Orange to paint the foreground grass. Soften the grass shapes with the barely
damp 1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle brush. Let the paper dry before continuing.
Continue Adding Midvalues

Paint the tree with a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and a no. 8 round and a
combination of Permanent Violet Blueish, Avignon Orange and Golden
Lake. Add more color and darker midvalues to the grass with the 1-inch
(25mm) flat brush and combinations of Golden Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan and
Avignon Orange. Suggest a cast shadow on the grass with a little darker
combination of the same color and soften some of the edges.
5
Step Two: Add the Darkest Values
When step 1 is dry, begin to apply the darkest darks. Like

many beginning watercolor artists, I used to be timid with
my dark tones. The darks are important because they
illuminate the midvalues and white paper, especially with
transparent watercolors. It’s a big leap to overcome the
fear of painting dark values, but when you do, you’ll be
amazed at the impact they make on the painting.
Add the Darkest Darks to Make the Background Brighter

Using a no. 8 round brush, apply a dark combination of Permanent Violet
Blueish, Primary Blue-Cyan and Avignon Orange to the shadow side of the
tree. As you move toward the center of the tree, use a barely damp 1-inch
(25mm) stiff bristle brush to soften the edges. Use the same brushes and
color combinations to darken the shadow on the grass at the base of the
tree. With a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush, darken the grass along the bottom
of the painting with a combination of Golden Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan and
Permanent Violet Blueish. As the extra color in the grass begins to dry, use
a no. 6 rigger brush to splatter clear water on the grass. This technique will
produce small backruns that resemble weeds. With the darkest darks in place
it’s easy to see the dramatic difference in the painting. The background trees
now appear brighter and more colorful, while the unpainted white paper
looks cleaner and brighter.
6
Step Three: Selective Glazing
Step 3, the easiest step, begins after you’ve got your darks a clean and luminous quality. It’s important to leave some
in place. Begin by studying the area of the center of inter- of the white while toning down the unwanted white to
est that you’ve left as the white of the paper. Selectively help draw the viewer’s eye. Placing some rich dark tones
add thin glazes of color to any of the white areas that you adjacent to the white paper is a good way to make the cen-
do not want to keep. The thin transparent glazes allow the ter of interest stronger and more dramatic.
white of the paper to shine through the colors giving them
Selectively Glaze Some of the White Paper Notice how rich the colors in the painting appear because of the small
Use a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and a wet mix of Golden Lake to add some areas of white paper. When glazing color in the third step, do so sparingly
color to the field behind the big tree. As you paint the field, be sure to leave so you don’t get carried away and lose the unpainted paper that you have
some white paper at the base of the trees to suggest sunlight hitting the top carefully preserved up to this point.
of the grass. While this color is still wet, use the same brush to add a small
touch of Primary Blue-Cyan and Avignon Orange to the Golden Lake. Use a
1-inch (25mm) barely damp stiff bristle brush to soften an occasional edge.
Add a thin glaze of Golden Lake to the foreground grass using the 1-inch
(25mm) flat brush and softly blend the color as you approach the base of the
large tree. This will allow the color of the grass to blend with the base of the
tree so the two shapes flow into each other, creating a soft transition. Leave
most of the base of the tree as unpainted paper and use a no. 8 round brush
to add a few suggestions of bark with a combination of Permanent Violet
Blueish and Golden Lake.
7
Step Four: Add Detail and Refine
This is the most fun of the four steps because you can get
out the small brushes and add the final details and textures
that give the painting its completed look. It’s also a good
opportunity to evaluate the shapes and dark values and
refine them if necessary.
By completing most of your paintings with larger
brushes, you will be able to create faster and looser shapes.
In my own paintings, I usually have a 90:10 ratio of large
to small brush usage.
Add the Smaller Branches and a Second Tree

Use a no. 6 rigger and a dark combination of Primary Blue-Cyan, Permanent Violet Blueish and Avignon
Orange to paint the smaller branches and the second tree. To add more texture to the foreground grass,
use the same dark combination of colors and the rigger to splatter some small drops in the grass to
resemble weeds. Be sure to cover any part of the painting you do not want to splatter. When the small
tree has dried, use the rigger and a dark combination of Golden Lake and Avignon Orange to add a few
leaves to the smaller tree. This not only makes the scene more colorful, it also adds a nice dark value in
front of the background trees. Finally, use the rigger and a mixture of Golden Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan
and Permanent Violet Blueish to suggest a few individual blades of grass at the top of the knoll.
8
Close-Ups: Dark Values and Details
These close-ups illustrate the power of using dark, rich

values next to whites and midvalues. A little bit of texture
goes a long way in producing suggested shapes such as
tree bark and grass. Practice this four-step exercise several
times to help you gain confidence in placing your darks
and preserving whites. The difference it will make in your
paintings is quite extraordinary.
Base of the Tree, Right Side Base of Tree and Grass Texture
The white paper in the background gives the darks more strength. Allowing the tree and grass to become one shape makes the transition
gradual and softer.
Top of Grass, Right Side of the Painting Tree Trunk and Branches
The grass is composed mainly of color and splattered texture with just a small Charging one color into an existing wet color adds texture as well as color.
amount of definition at the edge.
9
S a v e t h e W hi t e o f Y o u r Pa p e r
Snow Scene M at e r i a l s l i s t
Pa p e r
Snow scenes are always popular subjects with watercolor artists because the paper
painting is half finished before you put a brushstroke on the paper. You can
Pa i n t s
give your snow depth and dimension by suggesting shadows that conform to Brown Stil de Grain
Golden Lake
the terrain on which the snow is lying. These soft shadows create the illusion of Payne’s Grey
movement on the surface of the snow. The colors of the shadows are impor- Permanent Green Deep
Permanent Violet Blueish
tant in designing your painting. Typically snow acts as a reflector in a subtle Primary Blue-Cyan
way and can change in appearance as the sky above it changes. On bright and
Brushes
½- and 1-inch (13mm and 25mm) flats
sunny days snow has bluer shadows that reflect the blue sky, whereas on over-
1- and 1½-inch (25mm and 38mm) stiff
cast or gray days the shadows are usually gray. Taking the time to study your bristles
no. 6 rigger
subject and note the subtleties will be time well spent. no. 8 round
Other
2B pencil
Reference Photo Kneaded eraser
This photograph shows Tissue
beautiful, subtle shading
between the ridges of
snow and has soft gray
cast shadows similar to
the value and color of
the overcast sky. Even
though the sky is cloudy,
there is enough diffused
light in the sky to create
some beautiful shadows.
Sketch the Simple Shapes

10
1 Paint the Sky and Begin the Mountain

Tilt the paper slightly toward you and wet the area of the sky
while keeping the distant ridgetop dry. Use a 1-inch (25mm) flat
and varied mixes of Payne’s Grey, Permanent Violet Blueish and
Brown Stil de Grain to paint the sky leaving some areas of the
sky lighter to suggest filtered sunlight. While the sky is still wet,
use the same colors mixed together into a gray to suggest some
shadows in the ravine between the two ridges. Use a barely damp
1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle brush to soften the top edge of the
shadow. Before the paper dries, use a no. 8 round brush and drier
mixes of Golden Lake, Permanent Green Deep and Brown Stil
de Grain to suggest small pine trees on the ridges. Paint the rock
formations with a no. 8 round brush and darker mixes of Perma-
nent Violet Blueish and Brown Stil de Grain. Let dry.
2 Establish a Pattern of Light and Shadow

Add more of the shadow gray to the upper ridge using a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush.
Softly blend some of the edges with a barely damp 1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle brush.
Use the same flat brush and colors to suggest the shadows between the lower two ridges
while including some subtle cast shadows that roll down the ridge following the curve of
the terrain. Again, use a barely damp 1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle brush to soften some
of the edges. While the shadows are still wet, use a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and a dry
mix of Brown Stil de Grain and Permanent Violet Blueish to suggest the outcropping of
aspen trees along the ridgetops. Allow the tops of the trees to soften on the wet paper.
Use the 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and dry mixes of Permanent Green Deep and Brown
Stil de Grain to include a few pine trees in the damp shapes.
11
3 Paint the Evergreens

Use a 1½-inch (38mm) bristle brush and a relatively dry mix of Permanent Green Deep, Brown Stil de
Grain and Primary Blue-Cyan to paint the dark pine trees. For best results load the brush with the dry color,
place the corner of the brush at the base of the tree and gently press downward. It’s a good idea to practice this
technique on a separate piece of paper before attempting this on your painting. Vary the colors of the trees as
you paint them and vary the size of the trees. While the trees are still wet, use a beveled brush handle or knife to
scrape a few tree trunks just as the shapes are losing their shine. To add more depth to the painting, make some
of the trees darker than others. The sharp edges of the larger trees are a nice contrast to the softer edges of the
smaller distant trees that were rendered on wet paper.
Vary Edges and Shapes to Create an Illusion of Distance Discover the Effectiveness of a Bristle Brush
Darker shapes with crisp edges against a backdrop of soft shapes create the This close-up illustrates how effective a bristle brush is for creating ever-
illusion of distance and atmosphere. green trees.
12
4 Develop the Light and Shadow

Add more of the shadows on the snow using a 1-inch (25mm) flat and the gray mix
of Primary Blue-Cyan, Permanent Violet Blueish and Brown Stil de Grain. Suggest that
the trees are nestled in the snow by painting a mix of the gray shadow color at the base
of the trees and blending away the top edges with a barely damp 1-inch (25mm) bristle
brush. Use the 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and the same gray mix to tone down the bot-
tom edges of the painting while leaving some areas of white paper to suggest light on the
snow. Use a 1½-inch (38mm) bristle brush and a dry mix of Golden Lake and Brown Stil
de Grain to suggest grassy shapes in the foreground.
13
5 Show Scale With Foreground Details

Lift some of the color from the rocks at the top of the distant ridge by wetting small areas with a no. 8 round
brush, waiting four or five seconds, and blotting with a piece of facial tissue. This will create the illusion of
highlights and add more dimension to the rocks. Paint the tops of the aspen trees in the foreground with a wet,
light mix of Golden Lake and Permanent Violet Blueish. While the shape is still wet, use a 1-inch (25mm) damp
bristle brush to blend away the bottom edge. When the tree shapes are dry, use a no. 6 rigger brush and a dark
mix of Brown Stil de Grain and Permanent Violet Blueish to paint the tree trunks and larger branches of the
aspen trees, and some of the pine trees. Use the rigger brush and a mix of Brown Stil de Grain and Permanent
Violet Blueish to add a little splatter to the aspen trees and in the foreground to suggest ground clutter.
Notice how overlapping shapes and diminishing the sizes of the trees as they recede into the distance adds
depth to the painting.
A Salt Lake Moment

Watercolor on 300-lb. (640gsm) Fabriano Artistico paper
15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm) • Private collection
14
Ca p t u r e R e fl e c t i o ns W e t - o n - W e t
Peaceful, Still Lake M at e r i a l s l i s t
Pa p e r
Lakes with reflections are beautiful and serene, but can often require some special paper
techniques to capture the glassy surface of the water with a shimmer of a reflec- Pa i n t s
Avignon Orange
tion. Still water casts not only the colors above the water but also the shapes. It is Brown Stil de Grain
an excellent opportunity to use a wet-on-wet technique for the reflections to give Green Blue
Indian Yellow
the shapes a softer blurred edge in comparison to the shapes being reflected. Permanent Green Deep
Permanent Yellow Lemon
Primary Blue-Cyan
Brushes
½-, 1- and 2-inch (13mm, 25mm and
51mm) stiff bristles
51mm) flats
no. 6 rigger
no. 8 round
Other
2B pencil
Kneaded eraser
Knife
Reference Photo Tissue

This photograph, taken by Annie McMullen, shows a beautiful reflection
of color and shapes that suggests a slight breeze because of the shimmer
on the water. The trees on the shore are slightly lighter in value than the
reflections. The angle of the waterline is tilted in the photograph, which is a
common problem when taking pictures of anything that is generally level. To
make the painting read properly, we will level the waterline.

Make certain that the waterline is level and not
directly in the center of the painting.
15
1 Paint the Water

Wet the area of paper from the waterline to the bottom of the
paper thoroughly, wait a few minutes and wet it again. Tilt the
paper and use a 2-inch (51mm) flat to apply a wet, rich wash of
Primary Blue-Cyan starting at the waterline and working down
to the bottom of the painting. While the paper is still wet, use a
1-inch (25mm) flat and a dry mix of Avignon Orange and Indian
Yellow to suggest some of the color of the background hills at the
top of the reflection. Use the same brush to apply dry and varied
mixes of Permanent Green Deep, Brown Stil de Grain and Green
Blue to suggest the reflections of the trees. Start at the waterline
and pull down with the brush being certain to vary the colors
and sizes of the trees. Use a 2-inch (51mm) bristle brush to apply
a heavy application of Indian Yellow, Brown Stil de Grain and
Primary Blue-Cyan at the bottom of the painting to suggest grass
in the foreground. When the paper has lost its shine, use a damp
½-inch (13mm) flat to lift a few suggestions of shimmer across
the reflections. Painting the reflections first before you paint the
objects that are casting the reflections allows you to be more
expressive with your brushstrokes and gets the reflections in
place quickly while the paper is wet. Let dry.
2 Paint the Background and Sky

Wet the paper from the waterline to the top of the paper and
use a 2-inch (51mm) flat and a wet mix of Primary Blue-Cyan
to paint the sky. With the paper only slightly tilted toward you,
start at the top and apply the color as a graded wash, getting
lighter as you approach the waterline. While the sky is still wet,
use a 1-inch (25mm) flat and a dry mix of Avignon Orange and
Indian Yellow to paint the distant hills. Vary some of the colors as
you paint the hills to add interest to the shapes. While the shapes
of the hills are still wet, use a no. 8 round brush and a dark, dry
mix of Primary Blue-Cyan and Brown Stil de Grain to paint the
distant trees. Leave some white, unpainted paper at the bottom
of the hills and along the waterline in a few spots. Use a ½-inch
(13mm) flat and a mix of Indian Yellow and Primary Blue-Cyan
to paint the area of grass along the waterline on the right side of
the painting. Let dry.
16
3 Develop the Middle Ground

Paint the large trees along the shoreline with a 2-inch
(51mm) bristle brush and heavy mixes of Brown Stil de Grain,
Green Blue and Indian Yellow. Vary the heights of the trees and
keep the shapes relatively in line with the reflections below the
shapes. As the trees begin to lose their shine use a beveled brush
handle or knife to scrape a few tree trunks into the shapes. Use a
damp ½-inch (13mm) bristle brush to lift small highlights on the
distant ridges.
4 Develop the Foreground

Paint the foreground grass with a 2-inch (51mm) bristle brush and a dark mix of
Brown Stil de Grain, Indian Yellow and Permanent Green Deep. Use the same colors and
brush to suggest some reflections of the grass.
17
5 Strengthen the Lights and Darks

Use a ½-inch (13mm) flat and a wet mix of Avignon Orange and Brown Stil de Grain
to suggest a few cast shadows on the shoreline. Use a damp ½-inch (13mm) bristle brush
to loosen and blot some of the grass on the right side of the shoreline. When dry, glaze
a wet wash of Permanent Yellow Lemon to suggest sunlight hitting the grass. Use a
½-inch (13mm) flat and dark mixes of Brown Stil de Grain and Green Blue to strengthen
the reflections at the base of the shoreline. Soften some of the edges with a damp ½-inch
(13mm) flat. Use the same brush and a wet mix of Primary Blue-Cyan to paint a few
streaks across the water in the foreground. Soften some of the edges with a damp 1-inch
(25mm) bristle brush. Use the same damp brush to scrub and blot a few more sugges-
tions of shimmer on the water.
18
Add More Trees Paint the Reeds

Use the no. 8 round and a medium-dark mix of Brown Stil de Grain and Use a rigger and a medium-dark mix of Brown Stil de Grain and Indian Yel-
Green Blue to add a few more trees to the distant hills. Paint the trunks of low to paint the reeds next to the water. Adding some Green Blue to the mix
the trees with a no. 6 rigger and Brown Stil de Grain. to darken the colors, use a rigger to add a few dark suggestions in the grass.
6 Add the Finishing Details High Vintas Lake

Finish the painting with a no. 8 round brush and a dark mix 15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm) • Private collection
of Brown Stil de Grain and Green Blue to suggest a few more trees
on the distant hills.
19
Es t ablish M o o d W i t h T e m p e r a t u r e
Foggy River M at e r i a l s l i s t
Pa p e r
The atmospheric conditions that are present in a foggy landscape suggest a wet paper
and sometimes cold location depending on the colors that we use. Fog can some- Pa i n t s
Brown Stil de Grain
times be presented as a warm, damp atmosphere if we incorporate a little bit of Golden Lake
warm color in the initial washes. Let the mood you are trying to suggest and the Orange Lake
Permanent Violet Blueish
reference material guide your decision as to the warm or cold conditions. Primary Blue-Cyan
Brushes
1-inch (25mm) stiff bristle
1- and 2-inch (25mm and 51mm) flats
no. 6 rigger
no. 8 round
Other
2B pencil
Credit card
Kneaded eraser
Tissue
Reference Photo
This is just one of dozens of small rivers that run from the mainland onto
the beaches and eventually to the ocean. I was particularly inspired by the
wonderful shapes and foggy atmosphere at this location. The photograph
is relatively colorless; however, and the rock in the center of the photograph
does not lend itself to a good composition. To improve the composition we
will move the rock higher and more to the right. While we’re at it, let’s add a
little more color and richer values.
20
1 Paint the Sky and Land Shapes

Tilt the paper slightly toward you, wet the entire piece of
paper, wait a few moments and wet the paper again. Working
quickly before the paper dries, use a 2-inch (51mm) flat and a
wet mix of Golden Lake, Permanent Violet Blueish, and Primary
Blue-Cyan to paint the sky and area that will be water. Paint the
suggestions of distant rock formations in the fog with a 1-inch
(25mm) flat and a semidry mix of Brown Stil de Grain, Perma-
nent Violet Blueish and Primary Blue-Cyan. Use a damp 1-inch
(25mm) bristle brush to blend some of the edges as you paint,
leaving areas of unpainted paper with soft edges to suggest fog.
As you move closer into the distant shapes, use darker values
of the same colors. Suggest the larger rock formation on the left
with a 1-inch (25mm) flat and a mix of Orange Lake, Permanent
Violet Blueish and Brown Stil de Grain. Let dry.
2 Develop the Shapes

On dry paper continue blocking in the shapes of the rocks and beach with a 1-inch
(25mm) flat and darker midvalues of Orange Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan, Brown Stil de
Grain and Permanent Violet Blueish. Use a 1-inch (25mm) damp bristle brush to blend
and soften some of the edges. Using a 1-inch (25mm) flat brush and a no. 8 round
brush, continue defining the shapes of the distant rocks using varied combinations of
Orange Lake, Permanent Violet Blueish and Primary Blue-Cyan.
21
3 Establish Light and

Shadow Areas
Paint the rocks on the left with a 1-inch
(25mm) flat and varied dark mixes
of Orange Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan,
Permanent Violet Blueish and Golden
Lake. Toward the top of the rocks suggest
bushes with a 1-inch (25mm) flat and dark
mixes of Primary Blue-Cyan and Golden
Lake. To achieve the leafy appearance on
the bushes, hold the brush level with the
surface of the paper and use the side of the
brush to scumble the shapes. When the
paint on the rocks has lost its shine, use a
credit card to scrape the highlights on the
rocks. Use a no. 8 round and wet mixes of
Permanent Violet Blueish, Brown Stil de
Grain and Primary Blue-Cyan to paint the
foreground rocks on the beach.
4 Work on the Reflections and Foreground

Paint the dark reflections using a 1-inch (25mm) flat and the same colors that were used to paint the rocks.
Vary the colors and leave some areas of white paper to suggest a slight movement in the water. Use the same
colors and a no. 8 round to add more colors to the foreground rocks on the beach. Use a no. 6 rigger and the
dark mix of Primary Blue-Cyan and Permanent Violet Blueish to suggest a few dark accents on the large rock
formation. Use a damp 1-inch (25mm) bristle brush to soften some of the edges.
22
5 Darken a Few Areas Here and There

This painting requires very little glazing because much of the white paper is suggest-
ing water with a reflection of the light sky. Add a little bit of light grayish blue made up
of Primary Blue-Cyan, Brown Stil de Grain and Permanant Violet Blueish to the water
areas using a no. 8 round brush. Be careful to leave areas of white paper that suggest
shimmer on the water. Use a 1-inch (25mm) flat and a light mix of Permanent Violet
Blueish, Brown Stil de Grain and Primary Blue-Cyan to darken some of the foreground
beach and rocks.
23
6 Strengthen the Fog and Water

Use a damp 1-inch (25mm) bristle
brush to scrub and blot some of the color
from the distant rocks to suggest layers of
fog hovering over the ground. Enhance
the reflections using a rigger and dark
mixes of Permanent Violet Blueish and
Brown Stil de Grain to suggest a little
movement. Let these areas dry, then use
the rigger to apply small ripples of move-
ment in the reflections by applying clean
water, waiting a few seconds, and then
blotting and wiping hard and vigorously.
7 Strengthen the Depth of the Scene With Foliage and Foreground Details Meandering
Use a rigger brush and a dark mix of Golden Lake, Primary Blue-Cyan and Permanent 15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm) • Private collection
Violet Blueish to add more leafy clusters to the edges of the existing bushes on top of the
rocks. Use the same brush and a dark mix of Permanent Violet Blueish and Orange Lake
to paint the small branches on the bushes. Use the same dark colors that you used for the
rocks and a no. 8 round brush to paint the foreground rocks that are lying on the beach.
Then add some splatter to the beach with a wet mix of Permanent Violet Blueish and
Brown Stil de Grain. Be sure to cover the sky and water before splattering.
24
A v o id M u d
Sunset M at e r i a l s l i s t
Pa p e r
The photograph below was an inspiration for me to paint a sunset over a field of paper
snow. Before we start on the actual painting, take a few minutes to familiarize Pa i n t s
Brown Stil de Grain
yourself with the colors that we will be using. The vibrant sunset colors in this Indian Yellow
scene have a tendency to get muddy, so we’ll explore using buffer colors to keep Orange Lake
Payne’s Grey
color vibrant and avoid mud. Permanent Violet Blueish
Primary Blue-Cyan
Primary Red-Magenta
Brushes
1- and 2-inch (25mm and 51mm) stiff
bristles
51mm) flats
no. 6 rigger
Other
2B pencil
Kneaded eraser
Knife
Tissue
Reference Photo
The photograph does not have as much color in the sky as we want for this
vivid sunset painting, so we’ll add more color to paint our sunset.
25
What Are Buffer Colors?
A buffer color is a color that works equally well with two complemen-
tary colors. When the two complementary colors are mixed together,
they gray each other down and can easily become muddy if additional
colors are added.
The buffer color keeps the two separated enough that you don’t
get mud and each color maintains its own identity.
In this demonstration we are using Indian Yellow and Permanent
Violet Blueish in the sky. This is a recipe for mud if you don’t find a way
to separate the two colors. Primary Red-Magenta mixes beautifully with
Indian Yellow to become a clean pinkish-orange color. It also mixes well
with Permanent Violet Blueish, becoming a crimson color.
1 Add First Layers Wet-On-Wet

Begin by tilting the paper slightly toward you and wet the paper thoroughly from the
horizon line to the top of the paper. With a 2-inch (51mm) flat add a wet mix of Indian
Yellow along the horizon using horizontal strokes moving upward into the sky. Next
introduce a wet mix of Primary Red-Magenta. Using horizontal strokes, bring some of
the Primary Red-Magenta down into the Indian Yellow. Follow this with a wet wash of
Permanent Violet Blueish starting at the top and moving down into the Primary Red-
Magenta. Each time you introduce a color, you are wetting the paper, so keep working
the colors until they blend softly.
Before the paper dries, use a 1-inch (25mm) bristle brush and Orange Lake to suggest
a few trees on the horizon in front of the sun. As the trees get farther away from the sun,
begin adding some Brown Stil de Grain and Payne’s Grey to make the shapes darker
toward the edges. Use a damp brush to soften the bottom edge of the trees. Let dry.
26
2 Create the Snow Shape
Use a 1-inch (25mm) soft flat and a wet mix of Primary Blue-
Cyan and Payne’s Grey to suggest a dip in the snow. The top edge
3 Develop the Snowy Field
Thoroughly wet the bottom of the paper up to the lower edge
of the existing blue shape with a 2-inch (51mm) bristle brush.
of the shape should be softly blended using a 1-inch (25mm) flat While the area is wet, start at the bottom of the paper and lay a
and a barely damp bristle brush. Use a slightly damp bristle brush semi-wet mix of Primary Blue-Cyan and Payne’s Grey. As you
to scrub away some color suggesting the sun. As you lift the color, move near the top of the shape, use less paint and a slightly damp
blot it with a piece of tissue. bristle brush to soften the top edge. It may be necessary to repeat
the color application two or three times to get it dark enough.
Always begin at the bottom and blend upward. If the color seems
weak, add more each time with less water in the paint.
Before the paper dries, use the 1-inch (25mm) bristle brush
and a dry mix of Orange Lake, Brown Stil de Grain and Payne’s
Grey to suggest a few clumps of grass on the ridgetop.
4 Develop Tree Shapes

Use a ½-inch (13mm) flat and Indian
Yellow to suggest a few tree shapes in front
of the sun. As you move farther away
from the sun, begin adding some Brown
Stil de Grain and Orange Lake. Use a damp
1-inch (25mm) bristle brush to gently
soften some of the edges. Notice how the
snow is beginning to look whiter with the
darker addition of paint.
27
5 Add Form to Tree Masses

Starting at the edges of the painting use a 1-inch (25mm)
bristle brush to paint a dark mix of Permanent Violet Blueish,
6 Add Middle Ground Trees
Use a dark, wet mix of Orange Lake and Payne’s Grey with a
1-inch (25mm) flat soft brush to paint the pine trees in the middle
Orange Lake and Brown Stil de Grain in the trees, alternating ground, taking them above the distant trees to create depth in the
colors as you go for variety. As you move closer to the sun, begin painting. Use a no. 6 rigger brush and the same colors to suggest
adding more Orange Lake to the mix to suggest a glow on the the small branches and tall, upright trees. As the shapes get close
trees. Suggest a few tree trunks on the bottom edge of the shapes. to the sun, add more Orange Lake to the color mixes. While the
Use a damp 1-inch (25mm) bristle brush to soften some of the paint is still wet, the tall, upright tree on the left nearest the sun
treetops. Before the trees dry and just when they have lost their should be painted with Orange Lake, adding a few dark accents
shine, use a knife to scrape in a few individual tree trunks. Be with some of the darker colors you have mixed. At this stage of
careful that you put in only a few. the painting do not get into too much detail with the trees. Merely
suggest their location and shapes.
7 Develop Middle Ground

Use a rigger and Orange Lake to paint
the trees directly in front of the sun. The
shapes should get darker toward the tops
and bottoms. Use the rigger brush with
clean water to blend the orange and
darker shapes together. When you paint
the tree shapes that cross directly over the
sun, use a tissue to blot some of the color.
28
8 Add Shadow Shapes

Use a ½-inch (13mm) flat and a wet mix of Primary Blue-Cyan and Permanent
Violet Blueish to paint some cast shadows on the top of the ridge. Use a damp ½-inch
(13mm) flat to softly blend the shadows into the blue background. Remember that cast
shadows follow the contour of the terrain, so give them a slight curve to suggest that the
ground slopes downward. Use a lighter mix of the same color to suggest a few shadows
on the snow at the base of the trees near the sun.
29
9 Refine the Trees

Use a 1-inch (25mm) flat and a wet
mix of Orange Lake, Permanent Violet
Blueish and Brown Stil de Grain to suggest
a crown of branches and leaves on the
top of the trees. Use a clean, damp 1-inch
(25mm) bristle brush to soften some of
the edges. Vary the colors a little, getting
more orange as you approach the sun.
Let dry.
10 Finish the Painting Last Light

Watercolor on 300-lb. (640gsm) cold-pressed Fabriano paper
Use a rigger to suggest some of the finer details of the trees by including the 15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm) • Private collection
smaller branches with a mix of Orange Lake and Payne’s Grey. Stop the tiny branches
at the crest of the trees. Go back into the trunks of the closer trees and add a little more
dark to give the area more contrast. Use the rigger and a mix of Orange Lake and Brown
Stil de Grain to suggest a few random leaves.
30
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31
Grayscale Coloring Guide
Tips, Techniques & Tutorials
Nicole Stocker
A Comprehsive
Grayscale Guide
Coloring of Guide
Tips, Techniques Tips,
& Tutorials
Techniques & Tutorials
Table Of Contents
Introduction 5
What is Grayscale Coloring? 6
How to Color Over Grayscale 8
What Coloring Medium Should I Use? 9
5 Essential Steps for Grayscale Coloring Success 10
Step 1: Choosing Colors Using the 3 Tone Rule 11
Step 2: Layering 13
Step 3: Increasing Contrast 13
Step 4: Blending 15
Step 5: Finishing Touches 16
See the Full Process: 10 Stages 16
Grayscale Coloring in Action 22
14 Unique Grayscale Coloring Tips 23
TIP 1: Making Your Subject Stand Out 24
TIP 2: Coloring Water Droplets 26
TIP 3: The One Color Technique 28
TIP 4: Details Using Ink or Gel Pens Over Colored Pencils 30
TIP 5: Outlining with Ink or Gel Pens for a Finished Look 32
TIP 6: Soft Pastels and Pointillism for Texture 33
TIP 7: Cloud Coloring Technique 34
TIP 8: Creating the Effect of a Water Background 36
TIP 9: The "Erase with Tape" Trick 38
TIP 10: Getting a Smooth Background 40
TIP 11: Using an Eraser to Achieve Softness 42
M ore g ra ys c a le c oloring re s ourc e s for be g inne r & a dva nc e d c oloris ts : www.hue lis h.c om/g e t-s ta rte d
Copyright © Nicole Stocker. All Rights Reserved. -- Page 2

TIP 12: Using Colored Pencils Over Water-Based Markers 44

TIP 13: Increasing Impact & Depth with Color 51
TIP 14: A Limited Palette That Gives You All You Need 52
Step-by-Step: How to Color Water Drops 54
Step-by-Step: How to Colors Eyes & Feathers 60
How to Paint Grayscale 65
Materials Needed 66
Selecting Your Color Palette 66
A Brief Overview of the Process 67
The 6 Techniques for Painting Grayscale 68
Application of the Techniques From Start to Finish 74
Gerbera Daisy Painting Process 74
Lotus Flower Painting Process 83
Grayscale coloring tutorials with free practice coloring pages 102
Full length color-alongs 102
More grayscale coloring tutorials with free coloring pages 103
Additional grayscale coloring tutorials 104

The colored pictures and practice coloring pages

in this e-book are from:
Premium Quality Grayscale Coloring Books

Printed one-sided on perforated, 100lb, archival quality paper.
www.huelish.com

Introduction
This e-book is a comprehensive collection of grayscale coloring tips,
techniques & tutorials. Everything you find in this book is the result of lots of
fun and experimentation, the best way to discover new techniques!
Grayscale coloring is an enjoyable and relaxing way to color as you let the
gray guide you on where and how dark or light to color. It is an excellent way
to learn about highlights and shadows which will enhance your coloring
abilities across all forms of coloring.
All colored examples in this e-book are from the premium grayscale coloring
books Beautiful Nature and Beautiful Creatures by Nicole Stocker. However,
these techniques can easily be applied to any grayscale pictures.
You may wish to join the Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Nature Facebook
coloring group where you can share your completed coloring pages, see
colored pages completed by others, ask questions and get more tips,
tutorials and guidance on grayscale coloring.
I'd like to extend a very big thank you to Jones Flores and Julie Flores for their
invaluable contributions to this e-book.
I hope this e-book will serve as a useful resource as you explore grayscale
coloring.
Warmest regards,
Nicole Stocker
www.huelish.com

What is Grayscale Coloring?

First, let's start with what "grayscale" means. Very simply put, grayscale is a range
of gray shades from white to black. A grayscale image is composed exclusively of
shades of gray, varying from black at the weakest intensity to white at the
brightest intensity.
Grayscale coloring is basically taking a grayscale image and then coloring it.
Imagine coloring an old black and white photograph. That is grayscale coloring.
You just color right over the grayscale. You fully cover the grayscale with color
making sure to let the gray guide you, matching the darkness or lightness of your
colors to the levels of gray.
In doing this, there is a range of preciseness. You can be extremely precise and
exact with your color in order to capture and enhance every detail (e.g. expertly
coloring each little bump in the rooster's wattle being sure to accentuate lights
and darks) or you can be much less precise and just color right over the details
with one color and those details will still come through and enhance your nal
picture.

In the rooster example above, the approach falls right in the middle. Some of the
bigger details (e.g. folds in the wattle) are accentuated by applying the appropriate
lights and darks but the tiny details were not captured precisely.
However, in the walrus example below, the very talented Ann Reid has made a
point of capturing every single detail! Ann has carefully accentuating every single
grayscale detail by emphasizing it with colored pencil in a color that aligns with
the depth of the grayscale rather than just coloring right over it and letting the
grayscale detail show through.
The wonderful thing about grayscale coloring is the entire range of extremely
precise to not very exact yields a great result and allows the colorist to choose the
approach they find most enjoyable and rewarding.

How to Color Over Grayscale

If you are new to grayscale coloring then a great place to start is the
following video tutorial series with its accompanying practice coloring
page: How to Color Grayscale with Colored Pencils: the Basics
When coloring over grayscale the gray serves as your guide. Think of it as an adult
color by numbers without the numbers. Instead, the darkness or lightness of the
gray tells you how dark or light a color to use and where to apply it. Simply put:
Light colors over light grays

Dark colors over dark grays
Medium colors in between to seamlessly blend light to dark.
Key Grayscale Coloring Tips:
Follow the 3-Tone Rule when deciding on your colors. For every color you
plan to use on a subject, have a variety of 3 tones of that color. This way
you'll have the variety of tones you will need to apply on the light, medium &
dark areas of grayscale.
Use light pressure when applying colored pencils. This helps you add
multiple layers to produce vibrant results.
Apply colored pencils with light pressure in a circular motion. This helps the
pigment of the pencils to get into the small tooth of the paper for better
blending and to avoid grainy results.
Contrast between highlights and shadows is what will create the shape and
depth to your picture. That is why matching the darkness or lightness of your
color to the darkness or lightness of the gray is very important.

Start by marking your colors with a light layer of the lightest and darkest
colors over the lightest and darkest grays. This will help "hold" those areas as
light or dark as you add more and more layers.
Even if a part of your uncolored picture seems extremely dark you can and
should still go over it with a dark color. It will make it pop and really help
bring your image to life as it contrasts against the lighter areas.
When you apply your medium colors don't be afraid to overlap with your
already applied lights and darks (e.g. if you are coloring fur). This will provide
a more seamlessly blended result. Just be sure to avoid those more distinct
areas that should be left as a strong highlight or shadow.
It doesn't have to be perfect! You will be amazed by how helpful the grayscale
is not only in guiding you but also in enhancing your final picture.
What Coloring Medium Should I Use?

Colored pencils are the go to medium for coloring over grayscale and probably
the easiest for beginners. However, any medium that can be blended (e.g.
watercolor pencils, acrylic paint, pastels, blendable markers, etc.) can work.
Blending is important for capturing the various levels of gray and transitioning
from one to the next seamlessly.
Gel pens and fine tipped markers can work well for detail work (e.g. whiskers).
Soft pastels are wonderful for backgrounds because you can cover a large area
quite evenly and easily while still allowing the subtle grayscale details to come
through.
UP NEXT
Learn the 5 essential steps for grayscale coloring success.
Use the practice page provided below to color along with the
written tutorial so you can put the steps into action!

5 Essential Steps for

Grayscale Coloring Success
When coloring grayscale there are 5 essential steps to follow for success:
Choosing Colors
Layering
Increasing Contrast
Blending
Finishing Touches

These steps can be followed for any grayscale image you color. In order for you to
see these steps in action, Jones Flores (a very talented artist & grayscale colorist)
has outlined how she followed these steps for the succulent you see above.
Below you will find a coloring worksheet for the succulent as well as a color chart
and an image progression of Jones' coloring process from start to finish so that
you can try out the steps and follow along with Jones' process. This is an excellent
way to get familiar with these important and worthwhile 5 steps. This will set you
up for success when you begin tackling other grayscale pictures.
Download the Coloring Worksheet

Download & print this grayscale coloring worksheet for the succulent from Beautiful Nature
so you can color along with Jones' guidance. Click the link below or enter the following link
into your browser address bar:
https://www.huelish.com/uploads/5/7/9/9/57994927/succulent-grayscale-coloring-
worksheet.pdf
>> Download Coloring Worksheet <<
Step 1: Choosing Colors Using the 3 Tone Rule

To simplify grayscale coloring we have classified it into 3 major areas: light,
medium and dark. To assist with your color selection, Jones developed the 3 Tone
Rule.
The 3 Tone Rule is choosing 3 shades of the same color for each color
you plan to use in your picture.
To see how this works, here are the color selections Jones made for the succulent:
The major color is Green so Jones picked:
Chartreuse = light green tone which applies to the light gray areas
Grass Green = medium green tone which applies to medium gray areas
True Green = dark green tone which applies to dark gray areas

To enhance her palette, Jones chose Blue to increase the contrast which applies
for the shadows. Again, by applying the 3 Tone Rule, Jones chose the following for
her Blues:
Light Aqua = light blue tone

True Blue = medium blue tone
Ultramarine = dark blue tone
Additional colors would be for highlighting and shadowing.
White, Creme and Canary Yellow = highlighting

Black = shadowing
Prismacolor Premier Color List for the Succulent

To find the Faber Castell Polychromos equivalents, check out this awesome
Prismacolor/Polychromos pencil comparison chart created by Claire of Colour
with Claire.

Step 2: Layering
In order to build up color intensity and depth it is important to do many light
layers of colored pencil. Apply your layers using light pressure and a circular
motion.
Apply your White and/or Creme (for highlights) to the very brightest/lightest
areas of the succulent. This will help "hold" those areas as the lightest areas
when layers of your lightest tone (Chartreuse) are applied.
Apply your light tone (Chartreuse) being sure to target the light gray areas.
You can also apply it on the medium gray areas since your main goal is to
create as many layers as possible and you will layer your medium tone on
top of the Chartreuse in the medium gray areas next.
Apply your medium tone (Grass Green) on the medium gray areas. Like with
the step above, it's okay if your medium tone is applied to your dark gray
areas because you will layer your dark tone on top of the Grass Green in the
dark gray areas next.
Apply your dark tone (True Green) on the dark gray areas.
Apply multiple layers of each tone on it's related gray area until you have
built up enough color intensity.
Step 3: Increasing Contrast

Shadowing , outlining and highlighting are key to increasing contrast.
By focusing on shadowing and outlining the existing highlights will intensify due
to the increased contrast that has been created.

HIGHLIGHTING
Add further layers to your brightest areas to ensure they are as bright as possible.
Layer with White, Creme and Canary Yellow to further brighten the very lightest
areas. These will be your highlights.
TIP: Colored pencils are not as opaque as wet mediums like paint or ink pens and
it is always a challenge to bring out the brightness of light colors. By creating
contrast between your highlights and shadows, you will be able to intensify the
appearance of your highlights.
SHADOWING
Add layers using the 3 shades of Blue. However, this time only target the medium
and dark gray areas of the leaves. Using one tone at a time:
First the Light Aqua on the medium and dark areas.

Then, True Blue and Ultramarine on the dark areas.
If you nd that the shadows become too blue or the blue layer has sharp
blue lines in it then you can balance them back to a greener color or just
soften the sharp lines by applying a layer of Canary Yellow or Creme.
OUTLINING
This is the process of defining the shadows by creating thin lines using the color
of the shadow.
Use Ultramarine mixed with Black for the dark outlines.

Observe the outlines of the leaves that are dark instead of those that are
light. By increasing the contrast of the surrounding area, we are able to
further emphasize the light edges of the leaves.

Step 4: Blending
There are many options for blending as outlined below. For the succulent, Jones
burnished with Creme for the light areas and Grass Green on the medium areas.
Jones did not burnish the dark areas, she just left them as is after lots of layering.
If you do wish to burnish the dark areas then do so with Grass Green after
applying multiple layers of Green and Blues mixed with Black.
BURNISHING
A blending technique that will not require any spirit or blending medium other than a
burnishing pencil or the colored pencil itself. This is applied by using heavy pressure on the
pencil and flattening out the surface or tooth of the paper. With the force applied, the
multiple layers are now mixing together. Here plays the importance of creating as many
layers as possible. Burnishing is done as the final layer.
BABY OIL or PETROLEUM JELLY (Vaseline)

These are common household products that can be used as a blending medium. You can
use a cotton bud or a small old paint brush with soft bristle by dabbing it directly and
wiping off the excess on a tissue paper or any scratch paper. A small amount will go a long
way and will help you avoid bleeding or staining the back of the paper. Blend in a circular
motion. Again, do this once you are finished layering colored pencil as it will become difficult
to add another layer once this blending technique has been applied.
GAMSOL or ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRIT

Commonly used by artists but colorists can also use this with caution. Make sure that you
are in a well-ventilated area when using spirits. Jones has a small sealed container where
she pours a small amount for her to use. She dabs the paint brush and wipes the excess on
a scratch paper or tissue paper before blending. A small amount will be enough. This
medium dries quickly (less than a minute) and it allows additional layers as long as you
haven’t flattened the tooth or surface of the paper.
T IP: Tooth of the paper is the nooks and crannies you see when you apply your colored
pencils and nd a grainy texture. That texture results when the pigments of the colored
pencils are not able to reach the tooth of the paper. Circular motion pencil strokes help the
pencils to get into the nooks and crannies which results in smoother blending and output.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Once the layering, shadowing, outlining & blending are complete it is now time to
apply any finishing touches.
Depending on the picture you are coloring, it can be anything from tiny white dots
with white ink pen on the brightest spots in your picture to a sharp black pencil to
add ecks of dark detail like in this succulent. The small nishing touches are
what can truly complete a picture and take it to that more realistic level.
To provide that nishing touch for the succulent, Jones wanted to add some nal
details using her Pencil Flick Trick for the small spikes on the edges of the
succulent leaves.
To apply this technique make sure that your pencil is well sharpened. Then, on a
scrap piece of paper try creating a small check. Point and ick. It is like creating a
very short line with medium to sudden light pressure. Now apply this technique
to the actual picture .
Observe the black thorn-like things on the edges of the leaves. These small details
are the key to realistic artwork. This is also applicable when coloring other
subjects with fur, hair, petals, etc.
See the Full Process: 10 Stages

Here are the 10 stages of coloring the succulent that Jones advanced through.
These stages embody the 5 steps outlined above:
1. Choose Colors
2. Layer
3. Increase Contrast
4. Blend
5. Finish






Grayscale Coloring in Action

For a little inspiration, check out these two videos to see examples of grayscale
coloring pages being brought to life with color. Just click on each video image to
launch it in a new window or enter the link into your web browser's address bar.
Time Lapse: Coloring a Ladybug

https://youtu.be/5WqwDjjqMI4
40+ Animated GIFs of the Grayscale Coloring Process

https://youtu.be/fOlbBwrSr9I

14 Unique Grayscale Coloring Tips

Now that we've covered some of the basics of what grayscale coloring is
and how to do it, it's time to move on to our 14 tips for taking your
grayscale coloring to the next level.
The following tips are provided by Jones Flores and Nicole Stocker.
TIP 1: Making Your Subject Stand Out 24

TIP 2: Coloring Water Droplets 26
TIP 3: The One Color Technique 28
TIP 4: Details Using Ink or Gel Pens Over Colored Pencils 30
TIP 5: Outlining with Ink or Gel Pens for a Finished Look 32
TIP 6: Soft Pastels and Pointillism for Texture 33
TIP 7: Cloud Coloring Technique 34
TIP 8: Creating the Effect of a Water Background 36
TIP 9: The "Erase with Tape" Trick 38
TIP 10: Getting a Smooth Background 40
TIP 11: Using an Eraser to Achieve Softness 42
TIP 12: Using Colored Pencils Over Water-Based Markers 44
TIP 13: Increasing Impact & Depth with Color 51
TIP 14: A Limited Palette That Gives You All You Need 52

TIP 1: Making Your Subject Stand Out

To make your subject jump out of the picture, ensure there is nice contrast
between light and dark where your main subject meets your background.
In the case of the hibiscus flower, Jones was sure to enhance the lightness at the
edge of the petals so they stood out against the darker background. As you can
see, the hibiscus looks like it's coming out of the picture!
The final touch was a blurred and dark background. Jones stripped out the busy
details of the background by using different shades of one color that fade into the
black. She chose pink because it compliments the color of the flower rather than
competing with it. This, combined with those white edges, made her beautiful
hibiscus really stand out!
If you look at the collage of progressive shots below, you will see that Jones built
up the dark shades of the petals first. Then she used white pencils on the lightest
parts and petal edges. When coloring the edges she burnished (heavy pressure)
with white pencil to give it a velvety texture.

Coloring Progression for the Hibiscus Flower

C oloris t: Jone s Flore s . C oloring B ook: B e a utiful Na ture
M e dium U s e d: Pris ma c olor Pre mie r c olore d pe nc ils
Step 1 & 2 : Build up the dark shades of the petals first.

Step 3 & 4 : Use white pencils on the lightest parts & petal edges.

TIP 2: Coloring Water Droplets

Step 1: Outline each water droplet with a thin black line (or other dark color).
Step 2: Highlight the light area of the droplet with white.
Step 3: Follow the grayscale for determining the lightness or darkness of color to
use for the rest of the droplet. Choose colors from the same color palette used for
the rest of the leaf.
Water drops often have some shading near the edges of the drop, this extra
shading helps with the 3D effect. It's the contrast of the darkest and the lightest
colors that bring out the 3D effect on the water droplets.
C oloris t : Jones Flores

C oloring B ook : Beautiful Nature
M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils (burnished), Pilot G-Tech 0.3 Black Pen, Fiber Castell Fibre Tip
Coloring Pens blended by paint brush and Rotring Isograph White Pen

Coloring Progression for the Leaf and Water Drops

Col ori st: Jon es Fl ores

TIP 3: The One Color Technique

The one color technique is about using different shades of one color (as well as
black and white) for the entire picture. You'll find it provides quite a beautiful
result and it simplifies your color choices.

C oloring B ook : Beautiful Creatures
M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, Dong-A Ink Pens, White Pigment Pen, Black Permanent
Marker and for the background, Soft Pastel mixed with baby oil.
It doesn't matter how many sets of colors you have, the important thing is how
you build up the values of your light to dark shades. Always plan out all your
colors before getting started. For the fox, the main colors used were the following
Prismacolor Premier pencils: Ultramarine, True Blue and Light Aqua .

The grayscale coloring process for the fox was as follows:
Darkest = Black
Darker = blending Black with Ultramarine
Dark = Ultramarine gradually mixed with True Blue
Medium = True Blue mixed with Light Aqua
Light = Light Aqua mixed with White
Lightest = White
The secret is BLENDING! Also, be sure to emphasize where the shadows should
be (follow the gray for this) because the darkest and lightest lines will define the
details.
This tiger is another example of the one color technique. The following
Prismacolor Premier colors were used: Light Cerulean Blue, True Blue,
Ultramarine, Indigo Blue, White & Black .
C oloris t : Jones Flores. C oloring B ook : Beautiful Creatures
M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, Berkeley Turpentine applied with a paint brush,
white pigment marker and soft pastels.


TIP 4: Details Using Ink or Gel Pens Over Colored

Pencils
After burnishing it is difficult to add more layers of colored pencils. Burnishing is
when you apply your pencils hard and push the colors onto the paper. However,
with wax-based colored pencils like Prismacolor Premiers you can use ink or gel
pens to add colors & details on top.
When you apply ink or gel pen on top of colored pencil the ink will not dry that
fast unlike when you apply it to fresh paper. Since it doesn't dry very fast you
have the opportunity to smudge it with your finger or blend it with a paintbrush.
C oloris t : Jones Flores. C oloring B ook : Beautiful Nature
M e diums U s e d : Soft Pastels mixed with Hair Coat Oil (like Argan Oil) for the background, Primacolor Premier colored
pencils, Dong-A Ink Pens blended by paintbrush

Examples of this technique:
In the tulips above there are lines that give texture to the petals. Using ink
pen over the colored pencil, those lines were followed and then the ink was
blended with a paintbrush so that the lines did not stand out too much.
In the peony below, white ink pen was used to outline the edges and
smudged a little on the tip of the leaves to give it a good
blend. This compliments the light on the edges of the leaves. A brown gel
pen was used on the petals to give a more dramatic effect and to help them
pop out more!
C oloris t : Jones Flores C oloring B ook : Beautiful Nature

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier, Soft Pastels blended with Hair Coat Oil, Faber Castell Fibre Tip
Coloring Pens & Dong-A Ink Pens blended by paintbrush. Uni-Ball Signo White Ink Pen

TIP 5: Outlining with Ink or Gel Pens for a Finished

Look
That final touch can take a colored picture from good to great. A very thin line
outlining parts of your subject can give it that finishing touch and make your
image really pop!
A good way to do this is with an ink pen with a very small point in order to achieve
that very fine outline and create the sense of a 3D image. If you use too thick of a
line then it will look overdone and not have the same effect. No need to outline
the entire subject, just the parts you want to emphasize or what the camera is
focused on.

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier with Berkeley Turpentine applied with brush and Dong-A Gel Pen
In the case of the crab above, an ink pen with a very small point was used to
create a very fine outline on the pinchers, legs and eyes. A Violet ink pen was
used to outline the eyes and Red was used for the pinchers and legs.

TIP 6: Soft Pastels and Pointillism for Texture

To enhance and emphasize the texture of this picture soft pastels and pointillism
(small distinct dots) were used.
First, the the rooster's comb and wattle (the reddish parts on the head and under
the beak) were colored with red soft pastels. Then small dots were applied with
white soft pastel. Some dots were smudged to enhance the texture. Then,
Prismacolor Premiers were used to deepen and enhance color where needed as
well as to further define specific details (e.g. the folds).

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier, Dong-A Ink Pens, White Pigment Pen & Soft Pastel mixed with Hair Coat Oil
SOFT PASTEL TIP FOR BACKGROUNDS: The background was done with soft pastels
& baby oil for blending. Apply the pastels generously and push the pastels into
the paper with your nger. Then, add baby oil with your ngertips to smooth out
and blend the pastels.

TIP 7: Cloud Coloring Technique

When coloring clouds the key is to add more colors than just white. There are
shadows in clouds so white clouds aren't just white.
The grayscale (original) version of the image below showed this shading so you
just need to follow it when determining where to use white and where to use a
darker shade.

M e diums U s e d : Primacolor Premier colored pencils mixed with Berkeley Turpentine, Dong-A ink pens and White
Pigment Pen.

Clouds in the Sky
Step 1: White Prismacolor was applied lightly on the clouds as the base color.
Step 2: a little Silver in the middle to give it shadow and weight.
Step 3: a mix of Light Cerulean Blue and True Blue on the blue skies.
Step 4: the final touch was burnishing with White Prismacolor to enhance the
overall brightness of the sky and clouds.
Clouds in the Reflection
With a reflection in water you need to consider the color of the water and the
impact it has on the color of the clouds in the reflection. Therefore, you will still
apply a similar approach as the clouds in the sky but you will incorporate some
darker colors.
For the reflection in the picture above, the following steps were taken:
Step 1: Black, True Blue, Dark Green and Olive Green were used on the
clouds' reflection to emphasize the depth of the water and brightness of the
clouds.
Step 2: Ink pens were used to detail the ripples to give the effect of reflection.
Step 3: Finally, white dots (pointillism) were added on the surface of the water
to make it sparkle!

TIP 8: Creating the Effect of a Water Background

The secret to achieving the feeling of a subject floating on water is the PATTERN!
Regardless of what the actual background is, if you want the subject of your
picture to look like it is floating then just follow the outline of the subject to create
the curves. Those curves will become the pattern of the ripples in the water, just
like in the leaf below.

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, Dong-A Ink Pens, Pilot G-Tech 0.3 (Black),
White Rotring Isograph Pen and Acrylic Paint for the background
To turn the background for the leaf into water, the following steps were followed:
Acrylic Paint was used to create the light blue reflection of the skies on water
Ultramarine paint was selected for the shadows of the leaf and to add the
ripples.
Ink pens and Prismacolor Premier pencils were used to add the swirls at the
edges of the leaf to make the ripple effect.

Coloring Progression for the Leaf and Water Background

Colorist: Jones Flores
Notice how the touches that were done to the background, in particular the ripple
effect, really achieved that feeling of floating on water vs. the original background
which was the leaf falling down to the ground.

TIP 9: The "Erase with Tape" Trick

Here's a great trick for lifting color off a page you've colored while allowing you to
make further changes because the paper will remain workable.

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premiere mixed with Berkeley Rectified Turpentine, Scotch Magic Tape, Ink and Gel Pens
and Rotring Isograph Pen (White)
Many, many layers of colors were added to the ferns above. After applying all the
color, Jones realized she wanted to lift some of the color off so she could make
some changes. She tried erasing but that didn't do the trick. That's when she
discovered a way to lighten up colored pencils while keeping the paper workable.
The key is Scotch Magic Tape!

Here's how to erase with tape:
1. Cut a piece of tape long enough to cover the area where you want to lighten
up the colored pencil.
2. Test the stickiness of the tape, make sure it's not too sticky or it could tear
the paper up. You can make it less sticky by sticking it on your skin rst. That
will remove some stickiness.
3. Place the tape on top of the target area, in this case it was placed on the tips
of the ferns.
4. Use a pointed object that isn't too sharp (e.g. a slightly sharpened chopstick
or a pencil). Make sure that it's NOT sharp enough to cut through the tape.
5. Draw over the target area, heavy enough to make the colors stick on to the
tape. Then, gently peel o and the color will come with the tape! Its like
scraping off colors.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Before using this technique on your actual work be sure to
test it on a separate paper so you can avoid any unwanted results.

TIP 10: Getting a Smooth Background

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, Dong-A Ink Pens, White Pigment Pen and Berkeley Turpentine
blended by paintbrush

When coloring a large, not very detailed background with colored pencils you can
be left with the scratchiness of the pencil strokes unless you use a blending pencil
to try and smooth things out but that doesn't always do the trick.
After applying several layers of colored pencil you can achieve a nice softness and
smoothness by applying any of the following by paintbrush over your colored
pencil layers:
Gamsol
Baby Oil
Petroleum Jelly
Argan Oil
Turpentine
To do this, just dab (don't soak) the paintbrush in the blending agent and apply it
on top of the colored pencil. Keep dabbing and brushing until all the tiny white
spots are covered and the texture becomes smooth.
It's important to remember that you must first apply several layers of colored
pencil so that when you apply the blending agent it has enough colored pencil to
blend!
This technique was used by Jones for the background of the spider above. She
used Berkeley Turpentine blended with a paintbrush.

TIP 11 : Using an Eraser to Achieve Softness

Note the beautiful softness of the hair for the lion, squirrel and monkey below.
This softness is achieved by using the lighter shade of the grayscale as the guide
on where to erase a layer of color over it. It then becomes the highlight on the
hair giving it a nice flow.
The key to achieve this is adding layers of color on the paper and then softly
erasing the areas where you find the lightest grayscale.
Once you have covered the grayscale with color it can be hard to remember
where the lightest grayscale was. Consider taking a photo of the coloring page
before you begin. That way, you have a reference photo that you can look at when
you begin erasing.
The Monkey from Beautiful Creatures

Col ori st: Jon es Fl ores

The Squirrel & Lion from Beautiful Creatures

Colorist: Jones Flores

TIP 12: Using Colored Pencils Over Water-Based

Markers
The marker serves as a great base of color that can add some richness and depth
to your image. If the marker color is light enough then the grayscale details
will show through making it easy to figure out where and how dark or light to go
with the colored pencils when applying them over top of the marker.
C oloris t : Nicole Stocker

M e diums U s e d : Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, Tom Bow Dual Brush Pens
The bear was completed using this technique. The bear has a ton of fur detail that
would have taken hours to do with just colored pencils. By coloring the bear and
the background with Tombow Dual Brush Pens, a base of color was achieved.
Next, all focus was put on enhancing the detail with colored pencils.
Overall, having the base layer of marker makes the process faster (but still really
enjoyable) and can help provide more vibrant results.

Below you can see this technique in action. View the step-by-step process for
coloring the peacock from Beautiful Creatures using Staedtler Triplus Fineliners
for the base color and Prismacolor Premier colored pencils over top for the
details.
The Peacock
STEP 1:
As you can see, the grayscale details come through and give depth and detail to
the colored part of the image. Those details will be helpful later on when colored
pencil is used over top because then it will be clear where and how dark or light
to color.
The body was colored with a yellow Staedtler Triplus Fineliner and a green
fineliner around the eye. A white gel pen was used for the white strips around the
eye and the dot of white on the peacock's eye. A very fine point Pigma Micron
black ink pen was used for the eye.

STEP 2:
Next, the yellow fineliner was used to color more of the feathers. No need to be
too precise. The goal was to get a yellow glow.

STEP 3:
Next, the peacock's tail feathers were colored with the yellow fineliner and a light
blue (that came out teal colored because of the gray) was used on the eyes of the
feathers. Lots of strokes of yellow were done on the hair of the feathers, again
aiming to get a bit of a glow effect when the picture is complete.

STEP 4:
The eyes of the feathers were colored with a green fineliner but, as you can see, it
came through very dark because of the gray underneath. Therefore, you need to
take into consideration the impact of the gray when deciding on your color
choices.

STEP 5:
Next, blue, green & magenta (used sparingly & lightly) Prismacolor Premier
colored pencils were used to color the hair using lots of quick strokes. Don't worry
about having them be exact, just stroke in the same general direction as the
feather hair. The more open areas (e.g. the top right corner) were lighlty shaded
over with the lightest blue. Step back every once in a while to make sure the color
is evenly distributed.
As you can see, the colored pencil over top drastically changes the look of the
picture and the yellow underneath shines through nicely.

STEP 6:
Here is the final picture! To complete it, greens and a touch of the magenta were
used for the body and tail feathers and some orange for the beak.
C oloris t : Nicole Stocker C oloring B ook : Beautiful Creatures
Important Notes:
When using a marker over grayscale the marker color will be impacted by the
grayscale. Not only will the final color be darker but it will be altered by the gray. This
seems obvious but it may still be a surprise when it happens. Test the marker on a
similar level of grayscale before you begin to make sure you are happy with the
resulting color.
The lighter the color of the marker the more the grayscale detail will show through
and the less streaking there will be.
Don't give up if you color with markers and your picture isn't looking great. Remember
that adding the colored pencil can really change the look of the entire picture.

TIP 13: Increasing Impact & Depth with Color

By adding a variety of colors to a traditional palette of colors you can increase the
impact, interest and depth to the picture you are coloring.
For example, this cow was initially colored using a predictable palette of browns
with some yellow and black. It was a bit flat so in order to create more depth &
impact some reds and blues were used as accent colors.
C oloris t : Nicole Stocker


To determine where to use the reds and blues, the gray was used as a guide. This
means that the reds and blues were used over the medium to dark gray areas.
The light gray areas were avoided because that would have taken away from the
highlighted areas which contrast with the shaded areas to help create the shape &
depth. An additional light color (e.g. light orange) could have been used for the
lighter areas to add further interest.
By accenting with these bolder/contrasting colors the shaded areas became more
intense and interesting (i.e. more shape & texture) while also creating what seems
to be more of a 3-D effect.
T IP
14: A Limited Palette That Gives You All You
Need
It is quite freeing to limit your palette to just a handful of colors. It can get a bit
overwhelming to work with a lot of colors. Often when one considers using a
limited palette they will stick with somewhat of a monochromatic palette so the
full range of light to dark colors can be covered. However, you would be surprised
by the range you can achieve with just a small handful of very different colors.
When coloring grayscale it is important to make sure you have matched your
color choices to the light, medium and dark grays. Instead of selecting a light,
medium and dark of one color (e.g. purple/pink), try selecting a 3-4 distinct colors
making sure at least one is light, one is medium and one is dark.
For the flower colored below the following four colors were used: yellow, green,
pink & purple.
Specifically:
Flower petals : yellow, pink & purple
Leaves : yellow, green & purple
Notice how there is a light, medium and dark color in each case.

C oloris t : Nicole Stocker C oloring B ook : Beautiful Nature
Steps Followed
1. For the entire picture, the lightest areas were colored with yellow and the darkest areas
with purple.
2. Layered with the medium color (pink for the flower, green for the leaves and background)
for the medium darkness areas being sure to blend/layer a bit with the light and dark areas
to make the transition more seamless. You may only be using a small number of colors but
you still need to do lots of light layers of color, even if it is the same color over & over again!
3. Enhance the dark areas with another layer of purple.
4. Burnish (push harder while coloring to blend and fill the tooth of the paper) with yellow
over almost everything.

Step-by-Step: How to Color Water Drops
Below you will find step-by-step instructions from Jones Flores on exactly how to
successfully color water drops along with a practice coloring image for testing out
the techniques you learn from Jones.
In addition, you can see Jones and her techniques in action with the video tutorial
that is linked to below on how to color the leaf & water drops from Beautiful
Nature.

How to Color Water Drops

In the graphic below, the left hand side is the "Coloring Techniques" so that you
can see how the color and texture changes as you build up the layers. The
"Coloring Process" on the right is how you apply those layers & techniques to the
water drop.

Coloring Stages
Now that you understand how the drops are colored, review the stages below to
also understand how the areas around the water drops are colored and how the
water drops work into the surrounding leaf.


Video Tutorial: Coloring Water Drops

Here is a full tutorial video walking you through all the details from how to do the
background around the drops to the drops themselves.
All color names and materials are explained in the video as well as instructions on
each layer of color and type of stroke or pressure to use.
Just click the video to launch it or go to https://youtu.be/rv7_mMOW80o to watch

it.

Give it a Try!
Here is a set of practice images you can print out and use to test out Jones' water
drop coloring techniques.
*Please note: the images in this e-book have been compressed to keep the e-book file size down and
therefore will not have near the same crispness when printed as in the actual coloring book.

Step-by-Step: How to Colors Eyes & Feathers

Below you will find step-by-step instructions from Jones Flores for coloring the
owl from Beautiful Creatures with detailed guidance on coloring the eyes and the
feathers. Be sure to print out the practice images provided below so you can test
out Jones' techniques.
Choosing Colors
The colors that Jones uses (other than black and white) & pencil brand are just
suggestions. Feel free to use other colors &/or brands. What's important is that
you are paying attention to the lightness or darkness of the colors that you are
using being sure to match them to the level of the gray you are coloring over.
Therefore, for the owl feathers you could easily use browns, greens, reds or any
other family of colors instead of blues.

Jones uses several different colors for different sets of feathers on the owl. With
each color "family" she is applying the same coloring approach but just using a
different set of colors. The great thing about grayscale coloring is that the
grayscale can guide you on where and when to use light vs. dark colors.
Coloring Feathers

Coloring Eyes

Coloring Stages

Give it a Try!
Here are some practice images you can print out and use to test out Jones' eye
and fur coloring techniques.

How to Paint Grayscale
C oloris t/Pa inte r : Julie Flores

Here you will learn all about painting grayscale from an amazing self-taught artist,
Julie Ann Flores. Below, Julie outlines the 6 key techniques she uses when painting
grayscale. She provides an explanation and visual for each technique to paint the
tulip field above from Beautiful Nature.
In addition, Julie provides two sets of images showcasing the 6 techniques and
providing step-by-step guidance so that you can follow along! One is the Gerbera
Daisy and the other is a Lotus Flower, both from Beautiful Nature.

Let's Get Started...
Materials Needed
Container with water

Acrylic paint
Palette
Paint Brushes (Flat, Round, Pointed Round, Detail Round)
Tissues
Selecting Your Color Palette
All your colors can be achieved through mixing of the three primary colors: red,
yellow and blue. You can also use secondary colors (green, purple and orange) if
you don't wish to create all your colors from the three primary colors.

First, prepare your main color. In the tulip field example the main color is orange.
It is a product of the primary colors yellow & red. Therefore, for the highlights use
yellow mixed with white paint. For the shadows, you can use red, or a darker
shade of orange like brown for the shadows by mixing orange with blue or red +
green.
Black and white paint must always be present on your palette for the outlines and
highlights.
Adding another tone or layer of color will always compliment your main color. A
layer of flesh tone paint was added to make the tulip picture more realistic. The
picture was finished with a layer of medium yellow to achieve the desired
vibrancy.
A Brief Overview of the Process
When it comes to painting grayscale the most important thing is keeping the gray
lines as visible as possible in order to preserve your guide. The best rst step is to
create an underpainting. Underpainting is just following the grayscale guide. It is
made up of:
Outlines
Base Color
Highlights
Shadows
It is recommended that you do the Outlines before the Base Color and after the
Finishing Touches because when you add more layers of color it will become
more difficult to see the grayscale.
Highlighting is where you cover the lighter part of the grayscale with white or a
lighter shade of your primary color.
The Shadow effect can be done after doing the Details. You can do Outlines and
the Shadows before or after the Base Color by using a darker shade of a particular
color for the shadowing effect.

To add more life to your work you can apply the Layers of Colors Technique,
adding Details in between layers. Then, finalize your work by covering all the
visible gray with the last Layer of Color. Add more Outlines and darken the
Shadows to emphasize your object.
Remember, it is always important to let your paint dry between layers of color.
The thicker and more absorbent the paper the better it will work for painting (the
paper in Beautiful Nature works very well with acrylic paint) but the longer it will
take to dry.
Here is greater detail on the specific techniques Julie uses:
The 6 Techniques for Painting Grayscale

Technique 1: Line Stroke Technique
Line Stroke Technique
The first step is to to create an underpainting using the grayscale as a guide.

Using a Point Round or Round Brush, follow the Line Stroke Technique to create a
texture-like effect. This technique is very useful when it comes to flower petals.

Using the grayscale as your guide, create lines with a darker paint shade based on
your main color. I wanted my petals to be flesh to orange so I used brilliant red
paint to be my underpainting color. Continue with the Line Strokes while holding
your brush lightly.
The most important note for this technique is how you control your brush. With
your brush pointing downward use the line stroke upward. This makes it easier to
create more fine lines. It is a sketching/drawing-like stroke.
Line Stroke Technique can be used when you’re adding more contrast and details.
It is the technique Julie uses most when painting.
Technique 2: Flat Wash Technique
Flat Wash Technique
Flat Wash is similar to watercolor painting. The base color and layers are both
done in Flat Wash Technique.

For the base color, using a flat brush, mix medium yellow paint with water. But,
make sure you add more water and just a small amount of paint because it is a
base color and therefore you want it to be very fine and thin. Dry or drain some of
it on a tissue before applying it on the coloring book so it won't smudge, or drip
on your work.
Medium yellow or lemon yellow are wonderful colors for the base because they
are more vibrant and transparent, at the same time preserving the grayscale
guide. When you're doing the Flat Wash Technique it is advisable to use
transparent paint rather than opaque. If you're using opaque paint then make
sure you add more water to dilute the paint because it will hide or cover the
underpainting.
Technique 3: Layers of Color
This is a fantastic
technique for making
the painting more
realistic.
Layering can be done

with either Flat Wash
Technique or Line
Stroke (with a Round
Brush). You can add
Layers of Colors of
your choice. Julie
recommends doing
this if you want to add
more life to your work.
Always make sure your
painting is dry enough
before adding more
color.

To achieve more vibrant colors use Flat Wash Technique to add another layer. If
your color is red then try using yellow (Medium Yellow, Lemon Yellow, & Yellow
Ochre) paint to achieve a vibrant effect.
If instead you want to tone down your color you might want to add a layer using
Burnt Sienna paint, it is also one of Julie's favorite and most frequently used paint
colors.
Technique 4: Highlights
Highlighting is mixing your main color with white. Mix it with less than a drop of
water. Use a detail round brush, it adds more dimension to your work to make it
more realistic. If you want a sparkling type of effect you might want to use a dot
technique using Titanium White paint.
Applying Highlights

Technique 5: Shadows
For shadows you should use the darker shade of your primary color. Shade what
would be like the "corners" of the images you are painting. It will add more
shadows and dimension.
In the nishing touches use a black/brown color to emphasize the shadows of

your object. This will create a 3D e ect. You can use Line Stroke Technique to
create more fine shadows with a round brush.
Applying Shadows

Technique 6: Outlines & Details
Outlining Technique can be done either before doing the base or after the
finishing touches. It is worthwhile to do both: outlining before and after using a
detail round brush to outline your object with a darker color. Then, add some
details and finishing touches.
Detailing can be very tricky yet it can also be very satisfying and make the final
result even more realistic.
Outlining Technique

Application of the Techniques From Start to Finish

The step-by-step images below will take you through the steps Julie followed to
paint the gerbera daisy and the lotus flower from Beautiful Nature.
At the bottom of each picture you will see information on which of the 6
techniques she used for that particular step as well as the paint color she used so
that you can follow along.
Gerbera Daisy Painting Process

Here is a practice image so you can paint along with Julie's step-by-step
instructions.

Step 1: Outlines with Black
Step 2: Outlines with Rose Madder

Step 3: Underpainting with Rose Madder using Line Stroke Technique &
Highlights in White
Step 4: Base Color with Medium Yellow using Flat Wash Technique

Step 5: Layer of Cadmium Green using Flat Wash Technique
Step 6: Base Color of Orange using Flat Wash Technique

Step 7: Shadows using Raw Umber + Rose Madder
Step 8: Outlines using Black + Rose Madder

Step 9: Shadows with Rose Madder using Line Stroke Technique
Step 10: Layer of Orange using Flat Wash Technique

Step 11: Highlights in White
Step 12: Highlights in White + Medium Yellow

Step 13: Layer of Yellow using Flat Wash Technique and Outlines in Black
Step 14: Paint the background

Finished!
C oloris t/Pa inte r : Julie Flores


Lotus Flower Painting Process

Here is a practice image so you can paint along with Julie's step-by-step
instructions.

Step 1: Outlines in Brilliant Red + Black

Step 2: Underpainting with Brilliant Red + Black using Line Stroke Technique

Step 3: Base Color with Flesh Tint using Flat Wash Technique

Step 4: Shadows using Scarlet + Flesh Tint

Step 5: Highlights using White + Flesh Tint

Step 6: Shadowing with Rose Madder + White using Line Stroke Technique

Step 7: Shadowing with Flesh Tint + Rose Madder using Line Stroke Technique

Step 8: 1st Layer with Rose Madder using Flat Wash Technique

Step 9: 2nd Layer with Flesh Tint using Flat Wash Technique

Step 10: Outlines using Rose Madder + Black

Step: 11: Highlights using White

Step 12: 3rd Layer with Rose Madder using Flat Wash Technique

Step 13: Outlines with Light Green

Step 14: 1st Layer with Lemon Yellow using Flat Wash Technique

Step 15: 2nd Layer with Light Green using Flat Wash Technique

Step 16: 3rd Layer with Yellow Ochre using Flat Wash Technique

Step 17: Shadowing with Light Green + Yellow Ochre

Finished!
C oloris t/Pa inte r : Julie Flores. C oloring B ook : Beautiful Nature

Grayscale Coloring Tutorials with Free Practice Coloring Pages

The following tutorials all come with a free grayscale coloring practice page (and
some with a downloadable coloring guide as well) so that you can color along
with the tutorial and practice the techniques you are learning.
Full length color-alongs

Tutorial & Color-Along #1: a Grayscale Cat: Watch this recorded version of a live
stream grayscale coloring tutorial and color-along with Jones Flores to learn the
basics of grayscale coloring. A page for you to download and print (the cat from
Beautiful Creatures) so you can color along is included.
Tutorial & Color-Along #2: a Grayscale Landscape: In this recorded version of

another live stream grayscale coloring tutorial and color-along with Jones Flores
you will learn more on the basics of grayscale coloring. You will also learn how to
use Vaseline for blending colored pencil, how to color sky, clouds and water, and
how to color wood realistically. A downloadable coloring page of the ocean pier
picture from Beautiful Nature is included.
Tutorial & Color-Along #3: Lotus Flower Buds: Everything you need to follow
along with this grayscale coloring tutorial is provided: a downloadable coloring
page (the lotus flower buds from Beautiful Nature), the list of required supplies
and a video tutorial teaching you 5 key coloring techniques. The key techniques
you will learn are: creating petal texture, burnishing, outlining to create focus on a
subject, grayscale contrast, and the blurry background technique.
Tutorial & Color-Along #4: Flamingos: Everything you need to follow along with
this grayscale coloring tutorial is provided: a downloadable coloring page from
Beautiful Creatures (the flamingos), the list of required supplies and a video
tutorial covering 5 key coloring topics. Learn about choosing colors, coloring a
sunset background, coloring feather details, creating realistic shadows and where
to put them, and more!

Additional tutorials with free practice coloring pages
How to Color Grayscale with Colored Pencils: the Basics: In this three part video
tutorial series, hosted by Jones Flores, the focus is on the basics of grayscale
coloring. A practice coloring page is provided to support all three parts of this
tutorial series and to give you an opportunity to color along with Jones. The three
parts are: The 3-Tone Rule for choosing colors, Color-Along #1 (the bee from
Beautiful Creatures) and Color-Along #2 (the tulips from Beautiful Nature).
How to Color Grayscale Water: Waves Big & Small: In this two part video tutorial
series, hosted by Jones Flores, the focus is on coloring grayscale water. A practice
coloring page is provided to support both parts of this tutorial series and to give
you an opportunity to color along with Jones. Part 1 is a small waves color-along
using the sunset picture from Beautiful Nature. Part 2 is a big wave color-along
using the wave picture from Beautiful Nature.
5 Essential Steps for Grayscale Coloring Success: Learn the 5 essential steps for
grayscale coloring success. Put them into action with a downloadable coloring
worksheet (the big succulent from Beautiful Nature) and step-by-step guidance.
How to Paint Grayscale: A Downloadable Guide, Practice Page & 4 Video

Tutorials: Learn the 4 key techniques for achieving realism when painting
grayscale. A downloadable step-by-step grayscale painting guide (by Julie Flores),
a practice sheet and four video tutorials are provided.
A Downloadable Guide, Practice Page & Video Tutorial for Coloring Water
Drops: A step-by-step guide (by Jones Flores) for coloring the leaf and water drops
from Beautiful Nature, including detailed instructions, a practice page specifically
for the water drops and a video tutorial.
A Downloadable Guide to Coloring Grayscale Eyes & Feathers: A step-by-step

guide (by Jones Flores) for coloring the owl from Beautiful Creatures along with a
downloadable practice sheet for testing out the eye and feather coloring
techniques.

Additional Grayscale Coloring Tutorials
Layering and Burnishing: In this grayscale coloring video tutorial watch how
Jones Flores uses layers and burnishing to get a beautiful result with
Prismacolor Premier pencils when coloring the dahlia from the Beautiful
Nature grayscale coloring book.
Coloring the Magnolia Tree Flowers with Prismacolor Premiers: Using

Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, the technique of burnishing is used to
get bold, beautiful colors and great blending in this grayscale picture of
magnolia tree flowers from the Beautiful Nature grayscale coloring book.
Coloring the Succulent using Soft Pastels Blended with Oil: Learn how to
color over grayscale with soft pastels and hair oil (argan oil) for blending. In
addition, you will learn how to use colored pencils, ink pens and fibre tip
pens with a paintbrush to enhance details and further intensify the impact of
the final picture.
Using oil pastels and baby oil to color over grayscale: Watch a time-lapse
video and get guidance on how to color over grayscale with oil pastels that
you then blend with baby oil.
Using Derwent Inktense pencils to color over grayscale: Watch this time-lapse
video of the cat from Beautiful Creatures being colored and learn how to
color over a grayscale image with Derwent Inktense pencils.
Grayscale Painting Tutorials

How to Paint a Grayscale Coloring Page
Painting the Peony Buds with Acrylics
Painting a Sunset and Reflection
More grayscale coloring resources

www.huelish.com/get-started

Creating Luminous: Watercolor Landscapes

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Creating Luminous: Watercolor Landscapes

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with transparent watercolors using my four-step process.

Transparent watercolors are great for achieving a lumi-

in these demonstrations work equally well with opaque and semiopaque

watercolors, and even with oils and acrylics.

When you complete a painting using the four-step process explained

sparkle. And most importantly, you’ll have a strong center of interest to

lead the viewer’s eye.

the paper left will be the center of interest.

Step 4: Add finishing details and refine.

as you work through the demonstrations later in this chapter.

Draw the Largest Shapes

Begin the Midvalues While Saving Some White Paper

Continue Adding Midvalues

When step 1 is dry, begin to apply the darkest darks. Like

Add the Darkest Darks to Make the Background Brighter

Add the Smaller Branches and a Second Tree

These close-ups illustrate the power of using dark, rich

Sketch the Simple Shapes

1 Paint the Sky and Begin the Mountain

2 Establish a Pattern of Light and Shadow

3 Paint the Evergreens

4 Develop the Light and Shadow

5 Show Scale With Foreground Details

A Salt Lake Moment

Peaceful, Still Lake M at e r i a l s l i s t

Reference Photo Tissue

Sketch the Simple Shapes

1 Paint the Water

2 Paint the Background and Sky

3 Develop the Middle Ground

4 Develop the Foreground

5 Strengthen the Lights and Darks

Add More Trees Paint the Reeds

6 Add the Finishing Details High Vintas Lake

Sketch the Simple Shapes

1 Paint the Sky and Land Shapes

2 Develop the Shapes

3 Establish Light and

4 Work on the Reflections and Foreground

5 Darken a Few Areas Here and There

6 Strengthen the Fog and Water

Sketch the Simple Shapes

What Are Buffer Colors?

1 Add First Layers Wet-On-Wet

4 Develop Tree Shapes

5 Add Form to Tree Masses

7 Develop Middle Ground

8 Add Shadow Shapes

9 Refine the Trees

10 Finish the Painting Last Light

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TIP 12: Using Colored Pencils Over Water-Based Markers 44

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The colored pictures and practice coloring pages

Premium Quality Grayscale Coloring Books

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What is Grayscale Coloring?

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How to Color Over Grayscale

Additional colors would be for highlighting and shadowing.