Yellows

[Gerri]

Hi, just a quick question on yellow colored pencils. I'm wondering if anyone here has trouble working with them. I read somewhere that the prismacolor ones are softer. I'm attempting to do a sunflower, and I find that they seem 'waxier' (is that a real word??), and muddy very easily. I've also noticed, I think, that not too many people do yellow flowers in cp, is this the reason?

[Andrea]

I don't know about being waxier, I did a picture of lemons using yellow prismacolours. I didn't find them too bad but struggled to get realistic shadow areas.

[Juno Kughler Carlson]

I think people get nervous sometimes about yellow because it can sometimes be so bright and brassy. I work mainly with Prismacolors, so I don't know about some of the other brands. Generally I find the muddiness comes from using deeper color values too quickly or heavily. You can get a soft, sunwashed tone with a blend of cream and jasmine. Maybe using that as your base color and slowly building your midtone areas with goldenrod, mineral orange graduating to the darker terra cotta and browns for shadow areas? Having a light undercolor like that can give more light and translucency. You can lightly use mineral spirits and a small brush to blend your colors if you start to get that waxy buildup or just rub the area gently with a piece of tissue.

[Martina]

I agree with Andrea and Juno. I do not fear yellows and to mute or brighten them the way Juno wrote is a wonderful hint.
But you are right, some yellows are somewhat "scratchy". Not Prismas but sometimes the Coloursofts are kinda harder - in my opinion.
Since I mostly use Supras I also have no problem with wax bloom and in my eyes (ouch - better I use my fingers ;-)) the Supras are softer than any wax based pencil. But this is a VERY subjective feeling and I am pretty sure that I'm nearly alone with thinking this way.

Juno,
your tips are definately great. To use a light underpainting gives light areas more brilliance and glow - I (stupid me) often forget about it. Hm - I just have a problem to express what I mean but hope you understand me though.

[MJ]

I was looking at some of my CP drawings and noticed I have used more yellow than I thought. I don't recall having a problem with using them, and I use mostly prismas but also like the oil based Lyra pencils as they tend to be really creamy. I agree with Juno, you really can't just use yellow, you have to build the tones gradually with oranges and browns. Also if you really want your yellows to stand out, then try using violet blue as your shadows or in your background as the opposites will compliment each other.

Martina, I agree, the Derwent CS pencils do seem a bit harder, but they do have some really lovely colors that Prismacolor doesn't offer. Sometimes I find that after I sharpen my pencil I roll the tip on a piece of sandpaper and that does help get rid of the scratchy problem. This works great with graphite pencils too!

[Gerri]

Thanks you guys for the advice, Andrea, I'm with you, struggling to get realistic shadows; the photo ref has the deeper shadows along the rust shades, but some of the other petals have very little of the rusts, reds and oranges. You did very well on the lemons. Juno, like you I use prismacolors. Thank you for suggesting those colors, the only one I haven't used is mineral orange, as I don't have it. I have been using jasmine and cream, but not for the base, I'll have to try that. For the petals without the oranges I used a light underpainting of ochre green, and then cream on top of that. It's not too bad. It didn't look good on white stonehenge, but better on a light blue mi-tientes. On my first try I was using colors along the blue and violet colors, on white stonehenge but that went really muddy. Martina, I don't find them really scratchy, but they aren't seeming to spread as well on the paper, it's hard to explain, but they're seeming to leave patches which are thicker and waxier every once in a while. MJ, I was thinking of using some violet or indigo blues in the background. I like to emphasize light and shadows in my pictures, and was thinking along the same line as you.

I'll have to keep plugging away at this and see what I end up with, I really want to try showing how the deeper shadows have the oranges, and the lighter don't, so there's more variety in the colors on the different petals. Whether it works out or not remains to be seen I guess!!

[Ali Murphy]

I often undercolour with yellow for my green frogs, makes the green brighter. A trick I learned doing Zostov, Russian folkart as you are always working on a black or dark background and need to make the colours stand out. White under pinks and reds often makes them 'pop' too, especially on a dark surface. I also used Yellow undercolour for the bird of paradise on hte orange to make it stand out

[Ann]

Some really good tips in these comments - this is what this site is all about 'chatting to other artists' and sharing tips and ideas. Greeeeaaaat!!

Been off-line for a week on holiday - lots of lovely emails when I got back though!!

I did manage to do my ATC whilst I was away but very little else in the way of drawing - I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms! lol!!

[Martina]

I noteiiced very well that you ween't here and missed you.
Hope your suffer will have an end now. *lol

[Gerri]

I agree with you Ann, it's wonderful to be able to chat, get tips and suggestions.. Ali, thank you for adding the information on under coloring!

[John Lasco]

Hi, I'm new to the group, but my experience with Prismacolor yellows has been positive - but some are easier to blend than others. You have to experiment - also try the lighter earth colors - my all time favorite blender is the Prismacolor cream. I also like the Derwent 'coloursoft' pencils - the yellows are all great to blend.

[Martina]

Back to Prismas I wonder why all other brands have more yellows than Prismacolor. They only have three reall yellows the rest is more orange for me - ot am I blind?
Caran d'Ache and Coloursoft has much more. Thank heaven we can mix all pencil brands.

Same is with green - the color range of green is much better with Coloursoft and Pablos and Caran d'Ache's Luminance has a great choice of green - a wonderful and really dark green.

[Andrea]

I am so lucky that my Aunt is sending me a tin of Luminance from the UK for my birthday. I can't wait to try them out. Clapping my hands in glee!!!!