Selecting the technique
The appearance of the final drawing will vary depending on the technique selected and on the drawing and colouring style of the user. There are three ways to apply the pencils: wet, dry, or a combination of both.

Dry techniques
Dry pencils are easy to control and they allow a wide variety of finished appearances. Colours can be intense or very subtle, and colours can be coarsely or smoothly mixed.

Layering colours
Build up the required colour by layering the colours one after the other until the right tone is achieved.

Colour order
It is best to use the darker or brighter colour first, followed by the lighter or duller colour. When white is required, use it last.

Intensity
Increase colour intensity by increasing pressure. Reduce intensity by using less pressure or rubbing back.

Texture
Use dry pencil techniques to illustrate textures of materials. Apply pencils over a rough background for a textured effect or other pencil strokes to create different results. Experiment.

Details
Fine details are more easily illustrated using dry pencils.

Wet techniques
Wet application of Colour Match pencils can be done in a number of ways, each giving a different appearance to the finished drawing.

Wash effect/wet mix
Wet mix the pencils off the page, then apply as a watercolour. This is effective for large areas of even colour when a lower intensity is desired. It gives a lighter, more translucent appearance to the finished drawing.

Mixing
Mix the colours dry on a saucer, plastic sheet or palette, then wet with a paintbrush, mixing colours together thoroughly before applying to drawing as a watercolour wash.

Testing
Test on a trial piece of paper to ensure you are happy with the colour and intensity before applying to the finished drawing. Allow to dry then adjust the mix until an ideal match is achieved.

Colour variations
Some colours become lighter when wet, the more water the lighter. When using grey to 'dirty' colours, more grey is needed in a wet mix than a dry mix. For lighter colours when white is specified, the white can be left out of the wet mix and dilution used to achieve the paler colour.

Dry mix on drawing/blend with wet paint
Colours can be dry mixed on the page and then wet to blend. The outcome is usually more intense than the wash technique, but the result is less consistent and the technique takes more practice to master. This method does work well on small areas of dark, bright or intense colour.

Dip pencil in water/apply directly to drawing
This technique is useful for a very vibrant effect, for example when highlighting a detail. It is best used for small areas, or for adding pattern or texture after other techniques have been used.

Dry over wet techniques:
Combining techniques can give interesting and vibrant effects. Areas of shadow, fine details and textures can be illustrated with the use of dry pencils applied over water coloured drawings.

Wet applications first.
Colour drawing using wet techniques, allow to dry.

Dry pencils next.
Highlight textures and details, using dry techniques over the watercolours. If water coloured drawings need adjustment when dry, use dry pencils to alter. Adjusting wet colours is usually less successful.

Pencil recipes
Download recipe and RGB list (Excel file) - How the system works - Selecting the technique - Pencil usage notes - Colour match hints