One thing people always tell me they struggle with when drawing with coloured pencils is backgrounds.

They can feel slow… overwhelming… and very easy to accidentally overwork.

But honestly? Backgrounds don’t need to be complicated to look beautiful. 

In fact, when approached the right way, backgrounds can completely transform your artwork – adding atmosphere, depth, and realism without distracting from your main subject.

My Top Tips For Drawing Beautiful Coloured Pencil Backgrounds

1. Start LIGHTER Than You Think

One of the biggest mistakes artists make with backgrounds is pressing too hard too soon.

Your first layers should feel soft, light, and gentle. It’s much easier to slowly deepen colour and values than try to fix heavy pencil pressure later.

Building gradually gives you far more control and creates a much softer, more realistic finish.

2. Harder, Drier Pencils Are Your Best Friend

Especially for those first layers.

Harder pencils blend beautifully and help create smooth foundations without everything becoming muddy or waxy too quickly.

They’re perfect for softly building colour and atmosphere in the background before adding richer details later.

3. Build Colour Before Adding Darks

I nearly always layer brighter colours first and slowly bring darker tones over the top afterwards.

This helps backgrounds feel much more vibrant and alive.

If you jump straight into dark colours too early, backgrounds can often lose their softness and depth.

4. Think in SHAPES, Not Tiny Details

You don’t need to draw every leaf, blade of grass, or texture perfectly.

Soft shapes, subtle colour changes, and gentle transitions often create a much more realistic effect than over-detailing everything.

Sometimes LESS detail actually creates MORE realism.

5. Let The Process Be Slow

Coloured pencils ARE slow… and honestly, that’s part of the magic 🥰

Backgrounds can feel incredibly calming and meditative when you stop trying to rush them.

Instead of focusing on how long they take, try enjoying the layering process and watching the drawing slowly come to life.

Want To Learn How To Draw Better Backgrounds?

If backgrounds are something you struggle with – or something you’d love to finally feel more confident with- come and join me for Coloured Pencil Week (24th–31st May 2026) for just £10 / $13 

Suitable for all abilities, including complete beginners!

During our elephant session, I’ll teach you how to:

✨ Create gentle, natural backgrounds with sky, greenery, and soft textures
✨ Make your subject sit INTO the page, not just on top of it
✨ Use lights and darks to connect your subject and background beautifully
✨ Keep backgrounds simple so they enhance your drawing rather than overwhelm it
✨ Build depth and atmosphere so your drawings feel more realistic and 3D

These are skills you’ll be able to take forward into all your future coloured pencil drawings too.

Trust me – once you’re shown the right steps, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your artwork 🥰

And if you can’t make the live sessions, don’t worry. You’ll have access to all replays until 8th June, so you can pause, rewatch, and draw in your own time.

Join Coloured Pencil Week: https://colouredpencilweek.com/ticket-2026-organic