What pencils write on black paper
Most people draw with their colored pencils on white paper. Practically any crayon is suitable for this purpose since it is the standard application, so to speak. If you want to paint with colored pencils on black paper, you have to make higher demands on the properties of your crayon. The following article explains what is important about colored pencils for black paper. By the way, here you can find out which different surfaces you can paint everything with a colored pencil.
What properties are required of colored pencils for black paper?
Black paper is mainly used by artists as a stylistic element. Very dark passages in the picture are left out and light areas are painted over very opaquely. The whole thing has something of a “negative painting technique”.
Most people make their first attempts with chalk on black paper. Chalk also lends itself to children who want to paint on black paper. They know how to use the blackboard. However, chalk cannot be compared with crayons. For example, it smudges very easily if the picture is not sealed with a fixing protective layer. In the same way, different colors cannot be superimposed with chalk.
Pencils have fewer compromises compared to chalk, on black paper.
Nevertheless, not every colored pencil is equally well suited for black paper.
It is relatively easy to layer dark colors opaquely over black paper. How good the opacity of the colored pencils is become apparent with light colors. On white paper, by the way, the opposite is true. Then the light colors have an advantage.
The opacity of colored pencils
How good the opacity of colored pencils is mainly determined by the color pigments in the colored lead of the pencils. The color pigments must be of high quality and, above all, must be present in sufficient quantity. Both together are not to be found with every manufacturer, since high quality is generally also more expensive to produce.
If you want to draw with ink on black paper, you also need high opacity. With felt-tip pens, for example, several layers of ink are necessary, and the ink must dry first each time. The drying of the ink is the same as with watercolor pencils. We have also tried to felt tip pens but were not satisfied with the results on black paper. Pencils are more suitable and there is no need to dry ink, which is very time-consuming.
Color abrasion of the colored pencils
With a high opacity, it is possible to completely paint over the black background. This does not work with every colored pencil directly with the first color stroke. Crayons with a low level of color abrasion often require several layers of color application before they can be described as opaque. There is also a difference between hard and soft leads. Soft colored pencil leads generally have a higher ink abrasion, which leads more quickly to opaque results on black paper.
However, the crayon alone is not the only factor that determines ink abrasion; the paper surface is also a factor. On a smooth paper surface, ink abrasion is also generally lower with colored pencils. In addition, coarse color pigments do not adhere well to smooth paper, regardless of whether the background is light or dark.
The opposite of this is paper with a coarse surface structure. Here, the color abrasion is stronger with all colored pencils, but a problem arises with the opacity. This is because when viewed under a microscope, the coarse paper has “hills and valleys”.
The higher structures abrade the pencil very well and quickly, which is why the color abrasion is good.
The deeper structures, however, hardly get any color, which is why they reduce the opacity. However, this does not apply when watercolors are painted with water on black paper. The water also washes the color into the “valleys” of the coarse surface.
These properties are asked from colored pencils also on black paper
In my tests with colored pencils, I naturally pay attention to many other properties, not only for a drawing on black paper. Because colored pencils need good properties in general, not only on black paper. For example, it’s no use having good ink coverage if the crayon keeps breaking.
Related post: Guide to Watercolor Papers for Beginners
The breaking strength
Before a drawing is finished, it is often necessary to sharpen the pencils. This is already a result of the color abrasion. The tip of the lead becomes thicker and thicker the more paint is removed. Of course, this can also be useful if, for example, areas are to be painted. As a rule, however, a thin lead tip is required to produce detailed drawings. But why do colored pencils often break off when they are sharpened?
When sharpening, the crayon is turned in the sharpener. The wood of the protective sheath and the protruding colored lead slide past the blade of the sharpener as a result of the rotation. In the process, the blade peels off the wood and the colored lead in a pointed shape. However, the peeling generates a force during the rotation, which acts on the protective jacket and the colored lead. Ideally, the force for material removal should be less than the resistance force. This changes if, for example, the sharpener is blunt or the resistance force of the colored lead is only low.
But the own stability of the color lead is only one of altogether three factors to the breaking strength. Just as important is the incorporation of the lead into the wood’s protective coating, as is the quality of the wood. Incidentally, this also applies to pencils, because pencils also have to withstand sharpening.
Tip: The handling and storage of crayons, also affect the breaking strength. If a crayon is exposed to strong vibrations, the lead in the protective sheath will break. This is no different with pencils. It is important to avoid dropping crayons on the floor. If they are put away, a case (for example, a cardboard case) is recommended.
Best Pencils Set for Black Paper
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
Features:
- Ultra-smooth, even color laydown.
- Lightfast, richly saturated pigments.
Faber-Castel Polychromos Colored Pencil Set With Metal Tin
Features:
- Soft, vibrant color laydown.
- Unsurpassed lightfastness (resistance to fading).
Black Widow Colored Pencils with Smooth Pigments
Features:
- Rich pigments that blend and layer like velvet.
- Strong wax core won’t break when sharpened.
Faber-Castell Metallic Colored Ecopencils
Features:
- Highly metallic pigments.
- Break-resistant lead.
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils
Features:
- Rich and creamy texture.
- Highly blendable.
What do I need to draw on black paper?
In addition to black paper or black drawing cardboard, you will need colored pencils with high opacity. If you want to draw a watercolor on black paper, remember that there are no white watercolor pencils. It works best with good colored pencils. There are also wax crayons for black paper. Metallic pencils are also very popular with artists and look great on black paper.
Colored pencils are not as easy to smudge as you are used to with chalk. But with a paper wiper, this also works quite well. With watercolors, mixing the colored layers is no problem anyway. However, a watercolor must always dry once before you apply another thin layer of paint. It takes more time.
Not every color cast sits where it should. This brings us to erasers or erasable crayons. Compared to pencils, colored strokes are more difficult to erase, especially when it comes to areas. For watercolors, a good sponge (natural sponge) is important instead of an eraser.
Tip: Artists take kneaded erasers for erasing. With it, a finely dosed color removal is possible. The right shape can also be made with it.
As already mentioned with regard to break resistance, a good sharpener is also necessary. With it, the pencil always remains sharp, and it can be drawn in great detail. Some sharpen both pencils’ ends so that they have a sharper and somewhat blunter pencil of one color. Since then a pointed end always points upwards, and the risk of injury increases considerably.
How do I draw on black paper?
Drawing on black paper is a novelty. I think its particular appeal lies for several reasons, the first of which is the difficulty of doing such work without special tools.
Materials for drawing on black paper
Artists draw on black sheets with completely different materials. Many of them are familiar and familiar to you, but some, of course, are not easy to remember and cannot be taken for painting. Pastels Artistic pastel is a material that is used in painting and drawing. Pastels are made in the form of small crayons, which are convenient to draw with.
A distinction is made between dry and oil pastels. Dry pastels are made from chalk, pigments, and binders. Oil pastels are made from pigments and binders, as well as wax or oil.
Pastels are sold on their own, special separate paper. Therefore, if we learn to draw with pastels on black paper, it is necessary to take special sheets.
Artists often choose pastels for their works, as it is easy to use, and have a high light fastness, with their help you can achieve soft color transitions, especially with the help of shading, and even drawings of pastels have a nice velvety surface.
To start drawing with pastels on black paper you do not need any additional tools except for the sheet of paper and pastel. The sketch can be made with a simple pencil, but it is better, of course, immediately with the pastel itself.
I advise you to fix the drawing with varnish-fixative because pastel is a fragile material and can crumble. And, of course, choose lighter and brighter colors for black paper, as they are best seen.
White pencil
When you buy a set of colored pencils, have you ever noticed a white pencil in the set? But it is there for a reason, and it is not a light paper that should be used for drawing but a black one!
With a white pencil on black paper, you can draw wonderful, spectacular works! But, remember the rule to use when drawing on a black background.
The place where the light will fall should be emphasized more strongly, while shadows, on the contrary, should be drawn more loosely White color opens up many possibilities in a drawing:
- It can be used to highlight the lightest areas
- It is possible to soften the base color, make it less saturated, tender
- White allows you to make a smooth transition of color in the drawing
- White can be used to create highlights in a drawing, which will help give volume to the image.
To draw with a white pencil, take a thick sheet of black paper – you can use it for pastels, or you can use it for drawing.
White Pen
The white gel pen opens up many possibilities for creators and artists. In addition to drawing, such a pen is used in lettering, scrapbooking, creating cards, and drawing mandalas.
It does not require any preparation, you just need to take a sheet of black paper and create!
Markers
Markers can be used to write on black sketchbook paper. Drawings made with permanent markers, and silver and gold colors look especially beautiful.
Now sketching is one of the most popular trends in art graphics. To make such markers look bright and beautiful on black paper, choose waterproof oil-based markers.
Acrylics
If you’ve already learned the techniques of painting with paints, including acrylic or gouache, on canvas or cardboard, it’s time to tackle paper!
Acrylics are water-based, thick colors. They are very convenient for painting not only on canvas but on paper as well. Since acrylic is diluted with water you need to take care about how thick it is – it shouldn’t be too liquid, watery, so that paper doesn’t “ripple”. Also, work in thin layers so that the paint does not “float. Pastose techniques are better left for canvas or cardboard.
Watercolor
Watercolor is another water-based paint, with the addition of binders, glue, honey, and colored pigments. Creating watercolor illustrations and drawings on black paper is not that difficult. You can draw on either dry or wet. But the dry version is preferable, as you can achieve a beautiful effect, as if your drawing is made with chalk on a special board, rather than watercolor on a sheet of paper.
Colored pencils
Drawing with colored pencils for beginners can also be done in stages.
First, you do a sketch, you can make its outline with a white pencil, and then you start coloring with colored pencils. The outline of the drawing we also draw with a white pen, if desired.
Tips for drawing on black paper for beginners
In conclusion, I want to give you a few tips on how to draw on black paper, which may be useful to you:
- When working with black paper, you need to move in the drawing from dark to light. Therefore, draw with a white and light pencil at the end, on the strong and bright highlights.
- Increase the saturation of shades gradually, with a slight transition. Don’t press the pencil if you’re drawing with colored pencils, so you’ll have a chance to erase the excess lines.
- Cut a small piece of black paper to try out the paint, or take a whole sheet for initial experimentation if this is your first time drawing on such paper.
- The perfect eraser for black paper when working with pencils is a black colored pencil! And by sharpening the pencil to a sharpened tip, even the smallest details can be painted over. In general, I want to advise you not to be afraid of creative experiments, and to draw with the materials that you really like!
Conclusion
There are no special colored pencils that are made only for black backgrounds. In order to achieve good results even on dark backgrounds, they must at least have a very good opacity. However, the same is true on colored backgrounds and even on white. Thus, good colored pencils are better than cheap colored pencils on black paper.
Compared to white paper, on black paper, it is the light colors that matter most. However, crayons in a series are made in the same way. Thus, all colors of the series should have the same opacity, whether light or dark. When buying individually, however, you can pay good attention to this.
6 Tips – Using Colored Pencils on Black Paper – Video
Additional Questions
What kind of pencils do you use on black paper?
While experimentation and personal preference ultimately dictate the best type of pencil for black paper, I’ve personally found fantastic results with the 12-set of Coloursoft pencils by Derwent. **The vibrancy of these pencils, especially the white, significantly stands out on black paper**. So the type of pencils needed for black paper is not concrete, individuals can make choices based on their preferences.
What is best to draw on black paper?
**Colored Pencils and soft pastels have proven to work remarkably well on black paper**. Their color contrast on the dark backdrop creates a visually appealing result which can change the whole dynamics of your drawing. As an artist myself, I’ve enjoyed exploring colored pencil drawings on black paper as the variance in contrast provides an exciting challenge and the results can be stunningly beautiful.
What media is best for black paper?
Speaking from a wealth of personal experience as an artist, I’ve found that **Gouache paint, renowned for its flat finish, works exceptionally well on black paper**. The intensity of its colors against the black paper creates striking results that stand out and command attention. Further to this, I’ve found that adding acrylic inks over the top of the Gouache paint can enhance line qualities, providing depth and intricacy to the finished piece.
Do crayons work on black paper?
Yes, but the key to achieving good results lies in the quality of the crayon used. **An opaque white crayon or chalk is the best choice for black paper**, as many cheap, less opaque options may not meet your expectations. I’ve spent time across my career trying different combinations and I’ve found that a quality white crayon or chalk can achieve quite stunning effects on black paper.
