I don’t know how you felt, when you held you colored Pencils for the first time, but I was really overwhelmed. You can read about it here: Polychromos – total Strangers. I have seen all this beautiful artwork done with colored pencils and wanted to try it myself, but I did not know HOW or WHERE to start.
There was my reference in front of me and this Box of 120 Pencils and I had no Idea how to get started.
Which colors should I choose? A color chart would be the answer! After Googling a little bit I did my own color chart by writing the name of the colors I had on a piece of paper and coloring in a small square next to the name. But this was not helpful! Not in my case! Not for a beginner! It was a nice overview over the pencils I had but I needed something better!
Brainstorming:
- I needed something to lay next to my reference to find the right color and the right pencil
- I wanted to know how the colors vary when applied with light or heavy pressure?
- How do they change when applied over a white underlayer, or darkened with a black overlayer?
I needed something to lay next to my reference and compare the Colors: a color Chart
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- Outlining
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- 4 sections for each color
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- coloring the sections
After this Brainstorming I knew what I needed and started to create a color chart that would answer all of my questions. I drew a grid on my drawing paper and started to fill in the squares with color.
Each color has 2 sections:
- The upper section in for the pure color, applied from dark (heavy pressure) to light (light pressure).
- The lower section shows the color with a black overlayer and a white underlayer, again applied from dark to light. How did I do this? I filled the second half of the section with my white Polychromos Pencil, than colored the whole field from dark to light. Last I darkened the first half with Polychromos black (be careful when adding your black! You want to shade the color not have a black spot!) I found it easier to cut the paper once everything was colored in. I punched a hole at the top and fixed it with a clamp.
Why Should everyone create a color chart?
- you sit quite some time coloring in your chart, so you get a feeling for your pencils
- you will use each pencil with a variation of pressure and creating different shades of it. I was really surprised how much some colors changed only because they had a white underlayer
- you can further understand your pencils by creating a chart on different kind of papers. Some colors change depending on the surface they are drawn at ( and I am not talking about colored papers! Different tooth will change the reflection of the light on the pigments)
You can download the grid here Polychromos Color Chart by MaryJane Fine Art print it onto your drawing paper and Color it in. This will save you lots of work.
I would love to hear about your experience and see the Pictures of your Color Charts.
Thank you so much for this excellent chart.
You are very welcome 🙂
Glad it is of help
Thank you do much for taking the time to share your color chart. It’s much appreciated. I can’t wait to color it in.
Hi Mary Jane, thank you so much for offering this chart. I made something myself when I got al my pencils (though I don’t have 120 yet!), but it’s a bit messy, not half as good as this one you made. And since days are short now drawing can’t be done, and I decided to print your chart. Thankfully my Fabriano 200g/m2 works on my printer! So now I am going to colour them!
(Oh, I have a question, I love the lettering on your blog! Do you do it yourself? Or any way I can do it too, on my blog? 🙂 )
Awww thank you Margo.
Unfortunately my handlettring is not thaaaat good, and I don’t have the possabilities to digitalize them. So I am using this font instead: https://crmrkt.com/4KXD5
This is awesome thank you so much for sharing… But unfortunately I don’t yet own these colored pencils. Do you have a blank template or a prismacolor one?
This is amazing thank you for sharing…. but unfortunately I don’t get known these colored pencils. Do you have a prismacolor swatch? Or a blank template?
This is excellent ! I’m not to sure about what you mean black overlaying and white underplaying? Do you put black over the dark colors? I’m sorry can I have more detail.
‘White underlayer’ means here: you out first a layer of white and than the color on top.
‘Black overlayer’ means: you draw first with your color and put a coat / layer of black on top of the color.
Thank you so much for making the chart available for others to use. I have just gotten a set of 120 polychromos and hadn’t swatched them out yet because I had no idea where to start. Now, I’m off and running. You’re a blessing!!
Bev
I am so happy that this helps you ♥ Please tag me in the finished Chart over on Facebook or on Instagram. Would love to know how you liked the process of doing the chart and if you think the finished product is helpful.
Hi my name is Marilyn I live on Australia.
I really think your Faber-Castelle Polycromo swayches are a terrific and very useful idea but,I am really sorry to say I have not been ablr to download the swatches I am not very good when it comes to getting thimgs off my phone and I can’t seem to see where to put my password number in either!!!! I have tead all the womderful followers results but just can’t seem to get thru to there.
Also I t h ought there was also another swatch read out apart from the Faber-Castelle?? If thats the case of course I have not been able to do that one either.How clever everyone are that can just do it!!! Is there aanyway I can have the swatches sent to me?? I don’t wish to give my address over the you tube if you can understand why. Oh I enjoyed your tutorial on the Colour Wheel!!!!
I look forward to hearing from you yours from downunder Marilyn
Hej Marilyn,
glad you like my article, and want to try out my Color Charts. I don’t know what problem you are facing, but I have sent you the Template to the eMail you signed up with. Hope this helps.
have a great day
MaryJane
When applying the white underlayer did you use light or heavy pressure?
Wow, this is really a good Question. I did not really cared about the pressure on the underlayer. But I used Medium Pressure. I wanted an even Layer of white but at the same time not damage or fill the tooth to much ( I still want to be able to add several more layers of color on top – not on my color chart, but usually when I draw. )
Hey Mary Jane, absolutely love this color chart! I have Polychromos and several other brands as well. Is it possible to have a blank or generic chart like yours that I can do all my pencils this way?
Hey Vera,
right now I have only this one. Will upload a Prismacolor and Luminance by the end of the month. (they are in the Making)
I am glad you like it and find this is helpful.
Hi, I found this comment about prismacolor and luminance charts but I can’t find them on your site. I would like to download them if they are available.
Hey Anna, thank you for stopping by and taking your time to comment.
I am in the middle of an Web-Site overhaul, and I think I will re-launch my re-done Website in January. Than I will have added the Prismacolor and the Luminance Color Charts as well as other useful printouts and documents.
/maryjane
Love your color chart. Would you happen to have one that doesnt have the polychromo names in it so I could use it for my prismacolors?
Or maybe an editable version I can change the names myself? Thank you.
will have a look 😀
OK. Thank you.
Yay thank you! Just doing mine now 😀
How nice, don’t forget to show it to me 😀
This is so handy! Thank you so much!
Thank you, Glad it is of help 😀
Why did you begin with a layer of white pencil?
Layersing Colors change their Appearance.
I drew some Petals one day and saw, that the colors looked a little bit different when I used a white Pencil underneath. I can’t say why, maybe the pigments can’t get into the tooth of the paper and get reflected differently.
When I did my Color Chart, I saw that quite a lot Colors do that. Go and try it out!