In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I discovered I could draw (a little) using an art kit I bought from the clearance table at Barnes & Noble in 2009 and never used. Once I had done a few recognizable sketches, it seemed reasonable to invest in a real set of drawing pencils, so a ShuttleArts graphite pencil set soon arrived at a cost of about $25.00. Sketch paper added another 15 dollars or so, and I was good for a while. Then drawing books entered the picture—it’s impossible to buy just one. I coasted along happily until I saw an online art school video on acrylic painting. Color mixing completely confounded me, so I gave up on acrylics for two years.
Then, in 2024, I saw a Reddit post asking if color theory could be learned using colored pencils. I had never used colored pencils, so I assumed they were basically crayons. Amazon had all the major brands of colored pencils on sale, so I bought a set for under $ 50 and started experimenting. To my surprise, I did okay with them. A little later, I learned there were levels of colored pencils—naturally, I had to try a professional set. Of course, that meant I needed colored pencil instruction books. Soon I discovered art supply stores, and that was as bad as logging onto eBay. Of course, there is student-grade paper and pro-level paper…
Blick Art Materials is a short drive from my house and a great store. Now I have to move camera stuff around to make room for the art supplies. Whatever —it’s only money, right?
A good “Missouri Compromise” are the water-soluble colored pencils or the Caran d’Ache Neocolor II pastel crayons. You apply them like pencils (or crayons) then use a water brush to mix colors and/or give it a more watercolory effect.
I talk about it here:
https://urbanadventureleague.wordpress.com/2023/01/13/on-the-relationship-with-color-in-my-art/
I have tried Durer watercolor pencils, and so far, I’m not a fan. However, watercolor painting has wormed its way into my heart. Caran d’Ache—you really want me spend some cash.