Colored Pencil Techniques Art Project for Kids • Kids Activities Blog

School-aged kids will learn various oil pastel techniques in this easy project. We’ve included a free printable to make this lesson perfect for home or classroom use.

Using cOLORED pENCILS

There are many different techniques artists use with colored pencils. Today, we will be exploring a few of those methods. It is important to keep in mind, as with all art supplies, there is a variety in the quality of pencils based on price. While these methods will work with more budget friendly pencils, end results vary based on pencil quality. Our examples today will include both Crayola and Prismacolor Premier pencils.

Related: Review basic shading techniques with our free printable.

Supplies Needed to Make this Colored Pencil Techniques Art Project

• Free Printable Colored Pencil Techniques Page (Download Below) – printed on cardstock
• Colored Pencils
• Paintbrush
• Cotton Swab
• Craft Knife – or other sharp object
• Baby Oil or Mineral Oil
• Mineral Spirits – in a well ventilated area

Download the Colored Pencil Techniques Printable Here

Use our free printable to practice various colored pencil techniques. Our printable saves times and allows kids a chance to further explore techniques.

Directions to complete the colored pencil techniques project

Step 1

Gradient: Heavy to Light – Practice coloring using gradient pressure. Kids begin coloring in the box with a firm, heavy pressure, and lessen the pressure as they color across the box. This method displays different values of that particular pencil.

Step 2

Gradient: Light to Heavy – Practice coloring by using gradient pressure. Kids begin coloring in the box with a light pressure, and increase the pressure as they color across the box.

Step 3

Smudging: In this box, kids will apply colored pencil and then practice smearing it around by using their finger, blending stump, tortillon, tissue, etc.

Step 4

Hatching – Kids draw one-directional lines in this box to display hatching. The closer the lines are drawn to one another, the heavier the color with appear. The further the lines are a part, the lighter the color will appear.

Step 5 

Cross-Hatching – Similar to hatching, but this time kids will cross lines over one another. Consider adding 2 colors here to also see how pencils will blend together in this technique. Again, the closer the lines are to one another, the darker the color will appear.

Step 6

Stippling: Use a colored pencil to create dots in the rectangle. Adding more dots, closer together, will create a more pronounced color.

Step 7

Scumbling: Draw scribbles in this box, more so on one side than the other. This demonstrates how more squiggly lines in one area can make the color appear darker and heavier.

Step 8

Layering Colors: Color each end of the rectangle with a different colored pencil, overlapping the colors to mix them in the middle. Kids need to color with light to medium pressure in this box to more easily mix colors.

Step 9

Burnishing – This method is achieved by heavily applying colored pencil to the paper. When enough pencil is applied, the surface color becomes shiny and the paper no longer accepts any more color.

Step 10

Burnishing with White – Use light to medium pressure to color the box. Then, burnish over the color using a white colored pencil. This burnishing method of blending can be used to blend many color combinations.

Step 11

Scratch: Before – Use the side of a craft knife, or other sharp object, to scratch a design into the surface of the paper. Then, use light to medium pressure to color the box, leaving the scratches unaffected.

Step 12

Scratch: After – also known as Sgraffito. In this method, use light to medium pressure to color the box a light color. Then, use a darker color to burnish over it. Finally, use a sharp tool and scratch into the top layer to expose the lighter color underneath.

Step 13

Mineral Spirits – First, color the box using a gradient. Then, use a paintbrush and mineral spirits to blend the pencil.

Step 14

Baby Oil or Mineral Oil – First, color the box using a gradient. Then, use a small amount of baby oil or mineral oil on a cotton swab to blend the colored pencil.

Finished Colored Pencil Techniques Art Project

It’s so much fun to explore new techniques! Though these pages are simply for practice, they can still easily be framed, clipped, or displayed in your preferred style to show off your child’s skills. 

Our Experience Making this colored pencil techniques Art Project

I love using this as an introductory lesson to colored pencils. Kids get a chance to play around with various techniques before attempting to make a more creative art project. Kids can then keep this reference on hand to use for future projects as a reminder of some techniques available to them.

colored pencil techniques Art Variations

• Kids can choose to draw their own chart directly into their sketchbook leaving space to explore more methods in the future.
• Practice various techniques using different color combinations.
• After completing the chart, kids can create art using a few of the new techniques they’ve learned!

Other Fun techniques Art Projects from Kids Activities Blog

Did your kids enjoy exploring these colored pencil techniques? Which methods were their favorite to use?