How to Blend Watercolor Pencils

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What is the best way to create gradual transitions between colors when using watercolor pencils? Do traditional colored pencil blending techniques work with watercolor pencils? What are some exercises that can help me develop skills needed to bring realism to my work?


Watercolor pencils are an incredibly versatile and practical medium that combines the precision of drawing with the fluidity of painting.

It's drawing and painting medium, all wrapped up in one, which is suitable for both beginner and advanced artists. 

If you’re just getting started and feel a bit overwhelmed, you’re in the right place!

In the video included in this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about blending watercolor pencils, and I’ve included practical exercises that will help you build your skills faster.

So, grab your watercolor pencils, a brush, and some water, and let’s dive in!


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How are watercolor pencils different from traditional colored pencils?
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Watercolor pencils may look just like regular colored pencils, but they are quite different.

Traditional colored pencils are either wax- or oil-based. These pencils are blended by layering pigment and using tools like blending stumps or solvents to achieve smooth transitions between colors.

Watercolor pencils, on the other hand, are water-soluble. Although you can use them like regular colored pencils for drawing, the outcome will be different. You can expect a sketchier, more matte result.

Watercolor pencils’ true magic happens when you activate their pigment with water and a brush. Once water is applied, the pigment melts into the paper, creating painterly effects that resemble traditional watercolor paint.

This makes watercolor pencils incredibly flexible, but it also means you need to practice the blending process to get the results you want.

Traditional colored pencils: Blended using pressure or additional tools like solvents.

Watercolor pencils: Blended with water and a brush to create smooth, painterly effects.

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Getting the Right Paper for Blending

It's essential to choose the right paper if you're looking for smooth, seamless transitions between colors when using watercolor pencils.

Heavily textured paper can cause your pencil tip to "skip," making it harder to apply pigment evenly, which leads to unevenness and textured results.


Pro tip:

Go for hot-pressed watercolor paper with at least 140 lb (300 gsm) weight for the best results. Hot-pressed paper is especially smooth, perfect for intricate details and blending.

There are also certain brands that offer cold-pressed watercolor paper which isn’t too heavily textured, such as Strathmore, which I’ve also had success with.




Key Tips for Blending Watercolor Pencils

Blending watercolor pencils successfully involves understanding both drawing and painting techniques. Here are a few essential tips to keep in mind:

Start with light layers:
Watercolor pencils respond best to light layers of pigment. Build up your colors slowly rather than applying too much pressure upfront. The exercises that I explain in this video will help you develop the pressure control you need to master drawing tools.

Blend with clean water:
Use clean water and a brush to activate the pigment. Make sure you’re rinsing out your paintbrush bristles in between your different colors.

Work in sections:
Watercolor pencils can dry quickly once water is added, so work in small sections to maintain control over your blends.

Work from light to dark:
It’s easy to overly darken areas if you pull or push darker colors into lighter areas as you’re doing your activation. If you work from lights to darks, this will help ensure you’ll keep lighter areas protected.

Let layers dry before adding more:
If you want to build up more pigment or blend additional colors, make sure each layer dries before applying more pencil or water. If you don’t you can end up damaging or scratching your paper.



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Watercolor supplies used in the video

Strathmore Ready Cut 100% Cotton Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper

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Magritte Multimedia Synthetic Brushes (Set with 7)

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Aqua 36 Color Watercolor Pencil Set

Scott Shop Absorbent Towels

For a full list of my current favorite supplies,go here. 



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​Exercises to Practice Blending Watercolor Pencils

In the video above, I guide you through several key exercises that will help you improve your watercolor pencil blending.


Changing colors by layering pigments:
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• Start by laying down one color and then layer a second color on top. Activate the pigment with water and watch how the colors blend together smoothly. Practice with different color combinations to see how the pigments interact.
• This is a great option if you're looking to slightly change a color, whether you’re wanting to darken it, lighten it, or change its temperature.

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Top left: Red + purple layered create red purple Bottom left: Blue + purple layered create blue purple

Creating gradients from color to white:
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• Choose one color and apply it more heavily at the top of the area you’re working in, then gradually lighten your pressure as you move downward.
• Once the color is laid down, use a wet brush to blend the pigment down into the white of the paper, creating a smooth gradient. Once the paper has dried, you can add another layer on top, which can lead to smoother results​.

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Top right: Green to white gradient Bottom left: Purple to white gradient

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Activating pigment to create smooth gradient

Creating color-to-color gradients:
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• Apply two different colors on opposite ends of your area and overlap them in the center. I’d recommend starting with your lighter color and placing the darker on top.
• Use a wet brush to blend each color toward the middle, meeting in the middle for a smooth transition from one color to another. Work from light toward darker color.

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Color-to-color gradients (after activating with water)

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These exercises are great for mastering blending techniques and understanding how watercolor pencils behave when water is applied.

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Blending watercolor pencils is a skill that takes practice, so I’d recommend taking time to practice these exercises as much as you need to before tackling complete paintings.


I’d recommend checking out my Watercolor Pencil 101 Guide to learn more, and also full tutorials I've created, where I take you through my entire process and spill the beans on all my favorite techniques.
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Here are a couple of tutorials to jump into after your exercises!

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