Pencil Indenting

Add finely detailed highlights to pencil coloring by indenting the paper with a stylus.

Supplies

Step-by-Step

1. Step 1

   Choose a stamp image with fine details that are difficult to highlight or leave white when pencil coloring. Examples are hair, fur, whiskers, patterns, lines indicating wind or grass, etc. Stamp the image onto heavy pencil-friendly paper (Strathmore 100# Bristol Smooth paper used here).

   

2. Step 2

   Lay a piece of wax paper over the image. This will protect the paper and stamped image, and create a smooth surface for the stylus.

   

3. Step 3

   Use a small ball stylus to “draw” in lines where you want the image to remain white, creating indents in the paper. In the sample, indents were made along the upper lines of the little girl’s hair and ponytail, for the texture of the dog’s fur and the movement of his tail, and in the polka dots of the shirt.
   
   NOTE:
   It is not necessary to keep the wax paper in the same place.
   

   

4. Step 4

   Use colored pencils to color the image. Be sure to use a light pressure to preserve the indented lines.

   

5. As you color, you will begin to see the indented lines.

   

6. Step 5

   Continue adding and layering color in each area until the image is completely colored to your liking.

   

7. Step 6 (Optional)

   Use a battery or detail eraser to add highlights by removing color.

   

8. Step 7

   Use the panel to complete a card or other project.

   

9. Step 8

   To add a pattern to a portion of an image, stamp the image onto heavy pencil-friendly paper, and stamp a second image onto wax paper or tracing paper using a permanent ink.

   

10. Step 9

    Use a permanent marker to sketch in your pattern onto the wax paper template.

    

11. Step 10

    Lay the wax paper template over the stamped image. Using the template as a guide, trace the sketched lines with a small ball stylus to indent the pattern into the paper.
    
    TIP:
    When creating the sample, I used magnets to hold the wax paper in place on the foam-padded back of my MISTI.
    

    

12. Add in other indented lines as needed.

    

13. Step 11

    Color in the image to reveal the pattern and other indented lines.

    

14. Use an eraser to remove areas of color and create highlights as needed.

    

15. Step 12

    Use the panel to complete a card or other project.

    

Video!

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Pencil Indenting. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!

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