Cat in colored pencils on sanded paper

Explore practical methods to build a black background on sanded paper for colored pencils, including panpastel, neocolor2 washes, and indigo-led layering, with tips on thin layers and masking.

Block in the eye’s base with white highlights and earth tones, then blend with a panpastel. Move to the nose using black and cool greys, lifting white lines as needed.

Master starting the other ear in a cat drawing on sanded paper by laying a light first layer with cold greys, then using blacks for depth and definition.

Apply a base layer of cold grey 2 on black paper to build midtones, then vary pressure and sharpen the pencil to form ear hairs and fur clumps.

Render fur strands with colored pencils on sanded paper, using light over dark and dark over light to build shadows. Watch real-time steps as black forms new shadows.

Mask the background, prepare and spray with textured fixative, then build depth with layered colors for the eye and fur, while managing fixative droplets and drying times.

Continue shading the next piece of fur by establishing midtones and softening transitions from darks to lights, using panpastel, a paintbrush, or a color shaper.