Colour Pencil Drawing for Beginners: A Gentle Place to Start
Colour pencil work is small, calming, mindful mark making. It is also one of the friendliest ways to begin drawing, because you can go slowly, build colour gradually and fix things as you go.
The short answer: you only need a small set of good quality coloured pencils, smooth paper and some patience. Press lightly, build colour in layers, and enjoy the process.
Why colour pencils suit beginners
They are cheap to start with and easy to carry.
You can work slowly and control the result.
There is no mess, and no drying time.
They go well with other materials in a sketchbook.
What you need
Any good quality coloured pencils will work beautifully. My personal favourites are Faber-Castell Polychromos and Derwent pencils. This is not an exclusive list, and I always encourage using what you already have first before buying anything new. Smooth paper helps the colour blend.
Three habits that make a difference
Press lightly. You can always add more colour, but it is hard to take it away.
Build up in layers, starting with the lightest colours.
Sharpen your pencils often so your marks stay controlled.
colour pencil drawing for beginners
Try this first exercise
Draw a small box and fill it with one colour, pressing as lightly as you can. Add a second layer in the same direction. Now add a different colour over the top and see what happens. This simple colour swatch teaches you more than you might expect about layering and blending.
Common beginner mistakes
Pressing too hard too early, which flattens the paper and stops layers building.
Using too many colours at once. Start with three or four.
Rushing. Colour pencil rewards slow, steady work.
Where to go next
When you want to go deeper, my course Colourful Pencil Portraits is a great next step. We also explore colour pencil often in the live classes of the Sketchbook Circle. You might also enjoy watching me draw a highlander cow in colour pencils.
Browse all my courses to find your next project.
Colour pencil drawing for beginners is small, calming, mindful mark making, and one of the friendliest ways to begin, because you can go slowly, build colour gradually and fix things as you go.
