ZEST - IT Pencil Blend 125 ml, TZP125

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When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers) – Again, surprisingly the Pencil Blend failed to soften the lightest drawn lines although it did have a slight effect in the lighter corner of both squares. The square where I used a brush to work the Pencil Blend into the shading appeared slightly more blended than the square that I used the paper stump on. When I burnished with a dry paper stump – There is a slight softening of the drawn lines where blending with a dry paper stump. This is most apparent in the dark corner of the square. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (1 layer) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (1 layer) – A slight softening of both squares occurred, but no more than the results found on Stonehenge. Consequently the tonal range of the squares from dark – light narrowed slightly. In the square burnished with the wet paper stump it was difficult to control and so the tonal range of the whole square became almost uniform.

When I burnished with a dry paper stump– It was possible to soften out most of the drawn lines, although some remained in the darker corner of the shading. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers)– The results were surprising in that I expected the Pencil Blend to have a much greater effect on the shaded squares than it did, even when applying it with a lot of pressure and a paper stump. Looking at these squares now it’s almost as if Pencil Blend wasn’t applied at all. Shading with the pencil without any blending –The texture of the Pastelmat brings out the tonal depth of the pencil More pencil can be added whilst the paper is still damp, because the paper is now softer, work with very gentlepressureand then blend again. The cover of Stonehenge states ‘This studio workhorse provides a supple surface that’s agreeable to myriad creative disciplines. Originally created for printmakers, this cotton paper soon spread across all drawing techniques, especially coloured pencil’.When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (1 layer) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (1 layer)– When I first applied Pencil Blend to the shaded square with a brush, the drawn lines did not instantly dissolve. I worked the liquid into the shading with the brush and although some of the colour clearly broke down to soften the shading, it was far from the extent of dissolving you would expect when applying a wet brush over a watercolour pencil. If anything these was less effect using a paper stump dipped in Pencil Blend, which is surprising as in the past the greater degree of pressure you can apply with the paper stump meant that drawn lines had a tendency to break down further than when PB is applied with a brush, When I burnished with a dry paper stump– The darkest area becomes slightly lighter after burnishing, but more solid, as to be expected. Burnishing with a dry stump creates a smoky soft blend and the pencil lines are softened away completely.

How to use Zest-it Pencil Blend - with a brush. The Coloured Pencil was applied to watercolour paper in the normal way, graduated as can be seen in the image left.Shading with the pencil without any blending –The pencil has sifficient hardness so the drawn lines are quite prominent. The first 4 pencils I tested were all watersoluble: Caran d’Ache Luminance, Supracolor, Stabilo All Surface Pencils and Faber Castell Pitt Pastel pencils. I wanted to see if these pencils could also be dissolved with Pencil Blend, as if this was the case it would be possible to blend watersoluble pencils with regular coloured pencils. The Zest It Pencil Blend (CF) did not dissolve these watersoluble pencils as well as water does and so blending both watersoluble and non-watersoluble pencils combined would not be possible. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers) – Both squares were softened out completely, although the gradation of tone was maintained more with the brush. The paper stump made most of the square tonally uniform, and also lightened the value of the colour overall because a lot of the colour was lifted from the paper by the stump. The area can be left to dry or further Coloured Pencil can be added to the area whilst the paper is still damp, each will give a different look.

Although Pitt Pastel pencils are also watersoluble I tested them with the Pencil Blend (CF) as well as I thought they might behave a bit differently to a conventional wax based watersoluble pencil.When I burnished with a dry paper stump– Hardly any effect at all, although the tonal range is narrowed with the dark corner losing some of its colour and consequently appearing lighter. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers)– Applying the Pencil Blend with a brush for 3 layers gave a really smooth paint like quality, with a real depth of colour that has a velvet like texture where the colour is applied at its heaviest. When I applied 3 layers of colour, burnishing with Pencil Blend and a paper stump between layers, the resulting square is less smooth looking and still pastel-like in its texture. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers)– After 3 layers, the two squares look equally smooth to one another, but the brush has lifted less of the colour away in the darker corner and so has a greater tonal range. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (1 layer) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (1 layer)– Using the PB brings out the intensity and darkness of the graphite in the darkest corner quite dramatically in comparison to the square that was burnished with a dry stump. More control with the brush than the stump dipped in PB. The Pencil Blend works best on the Pastelmat paper with Derwent Studio pencils, and only really has a good effect using the greatest amount of pressure with a paper stump dipped in Pencil Blend on all the other papers I tried it with.

When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers)– After 3 layers of colour and pencil blend, the colour freely moved around on this very smooth surface. As a result with the brush and PB the square appears pretty uniform in its colour and tone, with my gradation getting lost in the blending. When the paper stump square, the drawn lines are still visible. I would say Pencil Blend doesn’t work too well with Luminance on this surface When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (3 layers) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (3 layers) –The colour does look significantly more saturated after 3 layers have been applied with the Lyra, so the paper is able to take more colour. The gradation is maintained more successfully in the square where the PB has been applied with a brush. However with the Pablo it was a struggle to even put the second layer of colour on – the paper didn’t seem to have any more capacity for holding colour. I did find that I needed to change my brush technique when blending to get the best result. If I move the brush in a circular motion on the surface it helps the solvent work into the drawn lines and soften them. I have learned that the build up of friction is necessary in dissolving the pencil, you can’t just expect one brush stroke to smooth the lines. With both the Lyra and Pablo pencils it was very difficult to maintain the gradation from dark – light when blending with a paper stump dipped in PB, but it was successful in softening out the drawn lines to make solid squares of colour. When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (1 layer) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (1 layer) –There’s very little difference between the brush and paper stump after one layer – both ways of blending were able to soften the drawn lines. It was easier to maintain the gradation of tone from dark to light when blending with the brush rather than the paper stump. The white line seen in the paper stump square is the result of an indentation in the paper – a warning that Pastelmat needs to be kept flat!When blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a brush (1 layer) vs blending with Pencil Blend (CF) and a paper stump (1 layer)– The paper stump was more effective at burnishing away the drawn lines, however, it also lifted away more of the colour than the brush did. As a result, the tonal range was maintained better in the square burnished with Pencil Blend and a brush, but the square blended with a paper stump appeared smoother with less visible drawn lines. Shading with the pencil without any blending – As to be expected, it doesn’t feel as oily as the oil pencil, it has a more brittle feel than the oil pencil.