How to Blend Colored Pencils with OMS – 5 Steps by Wendi OBrien August 20, 2018 written by Wendi OBrien August 20, 2018 677 Today is all about blending your colored pencils with OMS or ordorless mineral spirits.Supplies you will need are:Color PencilsA Solvent…I am using Mona Lisa Odorless Mineral Spirits, but you can also use things like gamsol and zest-it to list the more popular ones.Paper that can handle a wet medium. I am using Bristol Vellum for this demonstration, but other great choices are watercolor paper, mixed media and even various sanded papers.A Paper TowelA brush – round or flat, whichever you prefer.Step 1First … layer your pencils on the surface of the paper. You want to preserve the texture of the paper so be sure to use a light pressure and apply several layers for this step. Anywhere from 3 – 7 depending upon paper and amount of pressure used.It is important to get the right balance of layers here…too little will not do anything and too much will cause a big muddy mess. Be sure to practice and see what works for you.Step 2Second…after you finish putting down your initial layers get your OMS and dip your brush in, dab it on a paper towel and begin blending your colored pencil. Start with the lighter areas and work into the darker to preserve those lights. Work in circular motions or single strokes to prevent harsh stop and start lines from developing. The first layer you can be a bit more generous with your solvent, but you want to decrease the amount you apply with each subsequent layer.It is important to note that you should be working with the solvent in a well ventilated room and be sure to cap it between each use to limit the amount of fumes you breathe in. I like to put my solvent in a smaller container that I refill, as I find that with time, pigment does come off your brush in the container and I don’t want to contaminate the entire container with color. I just clean and refill as I need. It also reduces the amount of fumes that get into the air with a smaller amount.Step 3Third….let it dry. The area you just applied solvent to need to dry for 5-20 minutes depending upon how much solvent you used and which layer you are on. If you apply pencil too early, it will damage the tooth of the paper and the amount of pigment being applied to your piece will me minimal. So be patient and let the area dry.If you are working on a larger piece you can work in a different area and come back after it is dry.Step 4Forth….Repeat the first 3 steps as many times as you need for the piece you are working on keeping light pressure on your pencil and decreasing the amount of solvent used each time and allowing to dry in between layers. I typically follow these steps 1-4 times depending upon the need of the piece I am working on and the paper I am using.Step 5Fifth….this last step is all about the final layers and details. For this demonstration I am applying my final layer with a medium light pressure being sure to blend and overlap the colors. If you are rendering fur or hair this is the time to put in those fur and hair details. Since this is an orb, I want the final surface to have a smooth appearance so I work with my gradients making sure the color transitions are smooth. My final layer I burnish a bit with a medium pressure which flattens the tooth of the paper and creates and very smooth and blended surface.Do you have ideas for tutorials you would like to see? If so,  let me know in the comments below.Until next time…keep on arting! Share My Art:ShareClick to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) 0 comments 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail Wendi OBrien previous post How to Draw White Porcelain and Flaky Texture next post Color Pencil Portrait Course Review – Unmask Art You may also like Experimenting with Charcoal and Graphite in Vintage Realism July 16, 2021 How to Use OMS with Colored Pencils on... March 9, 2021 7 Tips for Creating Art with a Message/Meaning February 9, 2021 Minds Eye Prompt – HUGE Color Pencil Artwork January 12, 2021 Wire Christmas Angel With Derwent Metallic Pencils December 22, 2020 Cute Christmas Pig In Watercolor December 8, 2020 First Time Using Oil Pastels – Drawing A... November 24, 2020 Tulip Study – Sofft Tools with Pan Pastels November 10, 2020 How To Color Pastelmat With Ink And Preserve... October 27, 2020 Loose Style Owl In Watercolor October 13, 2020 Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Solve : * 26 − 16 = Δ