What if you want to work in color when you sketch?

If you are tired of the pencil or ink without color, then you are ready to move on. Some sketchers like to work in pencil or ink and color their sketches later on in the studio. If you want to do color sketches on location and you are not sure what to bring, we'll give you some tips.

What sort of color did you want to add? Pastel? Colored Pencil? Watermedia? If you want to try the pastel pencils, they are fun to work with in the sketchbook, they are softer than pencil so they may smear, but you can do some fun stuff with pastel pencils. A good brand is Faber-Castell and they come in sets so you can get a basic set to add color. They are a dry media so you don't need to lug around water.

Colored Pencils are a fun way to add color and highlight a sketch. These also come in sets so you can shop around to get the best price to add these to your sketch kit. Prismacolor and Faber-Castell make some decent sets.

Watercolor pencils, the alter ego of the colored pencil, has a dual function and I would recommend these over the dry version because these can be used as dry AND wet media. These are awesome because you can use them in your sketch and then take a wet brush and swipe it over the colored are and VOILA, watercolors!! I carry a whole bunch of these and what's great is all you need is a cup of water and you can get a cup of water in most places you sketch (cow pastures not included). I carry slightly beat up watercolor brushes, one small, one medium sized, in my sketch box and use them to add that touch of color with water. I use the beat up ones in the sketch box because stuff has a tendency to get a little banged up in there, good brushes get the royal pampered travel, not shoved in a box. Watercolor pencils are amazing!

Another way to add color is watercolor paint. You can get a small travel set and carry it in your sketch kit as a way to add color to your sketches. There are amazing little pan sets out there, most on-line art suppliers carry them and there are small tube sets out there. Daniel Smith, Jerry's Artarama, Cheap Joe's and other on-line merchants can be browsed for a decent watercolor set, or you can make your own from your watercolors and just getting a decent travel palette.

There are many other ways to add color, gouache, conte crayons, good ol' crayolas, craypas, oil pastels, markers, inks, the choices are numerous and it's up to what you want to lug along on your sketch outing. Keep in mind, you want to keep it light. Bring along what you like to use best.