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.