Watercolor Pencil Tips and Techniques with Professional Grade Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils

“What beauty is, I know not, though it adheres to many things”

– Albrecht Durer, 1471-1528

Inspired by the passion and artistry of the great German Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer, Faber-Castell offers its line of professional artist grade watercolor pencils. A versatile medium, they provide a combination of the trusted dependability and control of high-quality colored pencils, along with the exciting creativity of watercolors.

Embracing the playful behavior of these pencils with their ability to create unexpected artistic marks and effects, results in truly unique and beautiful artwork. Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils come in 120 vibrant, lightfast pigments, offered both in sets and open stock. Such a generous range of hues gives unlimited color mixing possibilities. They are also color-matched to all other Faber Castell Art & Graphic Products, enabling reliable mixed-media projects. The thick 3.3 mm leads dissolve smoothly with water, producing brilliant washes and fine detail, and handle color gradations and transitions with ease.

3 Basic Methods for Using Watercolor Pencils

Draw and color first, then add water

Draw and color your image as you would with regular colored pencils, then activate the paint with water. You can use a paintbrush or a water brush. A soft, round #8 brush is a good general choice to use, as it is large enough to spread color yet can still be formed to a point for handling more detailed work. Use a larger, soft flat brush for covering big areas and backgrounds.

Create a paper palette

Heavily apply small areas of color onto scrap watercolor paper, then activate the color with water. You can then pick up the paint with a wet brush. You can also mix colors by coloring them side by side and adding water. This method is very effective for creating soft washes.

Pick up color directly from the pencil tip

Paint by simply applying a wet brush to the pencil tips. This method offers fine control and is convenient for small details.

Additional Basic Tips:

Always work with a piece of scrap paper that is the same paper you are using for your artwork. Use this for experimenting with colors and techniques before using them on the final artwork.
Use a good sharpener to give your pencils a fine tip.
Use watercolor paper for its strength and ability to absorb water. Experience the difference between the smooth qualities of hot press and the rougher, textured qualities of cold press paper. A 140lb cold-press watercolor paper is most commonly used as it encourages even color distribution and softer edges.

Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils are available in 120 colors (open stock) & in sets