Prismacolor Pencils

Using a light table I lightly trace with a col-erase light blue pencil a clean version of my sketch.

I had to adjust this scan in Photoshop to make it easier to see and it still came out super-light. Which is really what I wanted, but doesn't make for a great scan.

After I traced I went back and erased the lines a bit. All I want is the faintest trace for my guidelines since I don't plan on inking this piece.

With a few light pencils I trace over the faint blue lines to mark out different areas of color.

If you decide to try and erase more of the blue pencil after this be careful; the prisma pencils can smear a bit.

Using some dark pencils I start coloring in the areas I want darkest with either hatching or crosshatching.

No need for me to blend yet, I'm just figuring out where the darkest spots are all over the character.

Expanding the dark areas a bit, sitll using mostly hatching or crosshatchin pencil strokes.

I'm mostly working with just the greens of his body now. I tend to stick to one section until I'm finished with it.

He's starting to look a little too 'green' at this point. The single color has no depth by itself, so I add a new dimension by using a dark purple pencil to the darkest areas. I use purple in his hair as well.

Using such color-contrasts can really make a picture 'pop,' especially if you are working with a limited color scheme.

You do have to be careful when using color-contrasts, however. If you go overboard it can look terrible.

I wanted to use just enough purple to give the dark areas more definition, but still have them blend in when I add more green.

If you happen to color over an area and don't like it, there is a possibility of lifting the color off, as I did with his face. I simply used several pieces of scotch tape and a white plastic eraser. I couldn't get rid of all the color (and I had colored more before I lifted a bunch off), but it does remove a good amount.

By now I'm blending the colors more and using less hatching strokes. By brushing the pencil lightly and not picking it up I can create a soft blended effect on the figure.

You may also notice I leave areas around the edges white or very light. This is for later.

Here I've added more tones to his hair using pencil strokes to mimic the direction hair would flow. I've also colored his claws with a dark aqua blue-green.

Using dark pencils again I go back and outline the various parts of his body in lieu of ink.

I have also added a light yellow-green to the edges of his body to give the impression of a second light source.

Now I have started the background. Sticking with the color scheme I had in mind when I started I begin by sketching in yellow clouds.

I use the pencil at an angle near flat to the paper so I cna get the largest amount of soft coverage.

Here I've gone back with the peach pencil to give the cloud things more definition. I keep the strokes light because I'm not sure how vivid I want the background to be.

More yellow pencil to soften up the cloud and to lessen the peachy color. Tho' I am going for a triad I don't want to to be an overwhelming, saturated scheme.

A bit of adjustment on the computer to make the colors a bit more accurate to my scan and there you go.