Graphite, colored pencils, and pastels aren’t just for drawing. With a little water, alcohol, or solvent, these classic tools transform into fluid, painterly mediums.
Water-soluble graphite lets you wash, erase, and redraw. Pastels and charcoal respond beautifully to alcohol washes. Even standard colored pencils can be blended with solvent markers for a rich, painterly finish.
Try sanding soft pastels into powder, brushing over with gouache or water, or layering color over a paint-thinner wash for a blended base. These hybrid techniques expand what drawing can be.
👨🎨 Presentation by Todd from our Outreach Team
🫶🏽 Special thanks to artists valeriemckeehan, jennifermorrisonart, susankuznitsky, whose work we included here
🎥 Filmed at Blick Studios in Chicago, Illinois
#MixedMediaMagic #DrawingToPainting #GraphiteWash #SoftPastels #ColoredPencilBlending