Prismacolor on paper, 4 x 6"

If you want to favorite this, here's the link -- please critique the text on BOTH versions if you don't mind, the text is part of the Deviation as this is How To. Let me know if it's helpful and which version is more helpful!

This is a demonstration of a four-step process for rendering textureless smooth Prismacolor drawings.

A) Basic outline in Dark Green, if I wanted to make the highlight cross the edge I would have faded the outline by the highlight but I used dark edges here for simplicity. Do this over a light pencil sketch (would not have scanned well) for just the outlines of what you want to draw.

B) First tonal layer in Dark Green, the darkest color of what you want to draw. Pay attention to values. Use gentle strokes with a blunted pencil, make strokes curve around the shape of the form, shade carefully as if using a soft graphite pencil like 6B. The drawing should look like a monochrome value drawing at this stage. (It can be the final stage if you like this look, especially in Indigo or Sepia). Strokes should flow in the direction of the form and blend gently into each other, go lighter when going across the area already drawn and overlap them to avoid unwanted spots. Or develop unwanted spots into imperfections in the leaf. Play with the value drawing till it looks good by itself.

C) Second tonal layer in a related medium value, a brighter shade of the same color: Apple Green. This brightens the drawing a lot. Still use softer strokes with less pressure, gradually shade the way you did the previous layer and don't completely cover the highlight but go softly over it. Leave some of the highlight if you want a white highlight. Stopping at this stage leaves a nice "textured" drawing rich in color.

D) Final burnishing layer, Cream, blends the two shades of green into a brilliant color. Cream will fade the darks, so go over the darkest darks again with Dark Green to detail them. You can also use other colors into it to tone it, one good combination is to use blue or indigo into shadows, or sepia to darken the darks still farther. Vary the foliage between leaves.

But this is the basic process for textureless drawing. A colorless burnisher won't change the darks at all, but a light color like Cream will warm the highlights or cool them in the direction of the color -- Lavender would have made the leaf look as if it was in shadow. Yellow would have made it look sunny. Enjoy! Try this at home!