One of the questions I’m asked most often is:“How do you know which coloured pencils to use?”
And the honest answer is… there isn’t a magic formula.
Choosing colours is a skill that develops over time, but one of the biggest mistakes I see artists make is assuming fur is only one colour.
Black fur isn’t black.
Grey horses aren’t grey.
The more colour you can see, the more realistic your drawings become.
Grey Horse Colour Recipe
Try combining:
- Cold Grey I
- Warm Grey II
- Raw Umber 10%
- Light Ochre
- Burnt Sienna
- Dark Indigo
Optional extras:
- Nightshade
- Granite Rose
Warm Black Fur Colour Recipe
Try combining:
- Dark Indigo
- Black
- Cold Grey I
- Cold Grey IV
- Warm Grey IV
- Burnt Sienna
Optional extras:
- Cobalt Blue
- Caput Mortuum Violet
- Granite Rose
Most people reach straight for black. I do the opposite.
I start by looking for all the colours hiding underneath.
Dark Indigo is one of my favourite pencils for black fur because it adds richness without making the animal look blue, while Burnt Sienna helps bring warmth into the fur.
The result? A black animal that looks alive rather than flat.
Look Beyond What Your Brain Tells You
The next time you’re choosing colours, don’t ask:
“What colour is this fur?”
Ask:
“What colours can I see hiding underneath?”
You might be surprised by what you find.
What If Choosing Colours Was Easier?
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on something designed to take the guesswork out of choosing colours and help you feel more confident when starting a drawing.
Join the free waitlist HERE if you’d like to be the first to hear about it!
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