Wood Duck in Colored Pencil

Colored pencil on Stonehenge paper, 8x8”

Framed prints are available in-store and online at Quinn’s Mercantile.

The Subject

The male wood duck’s vibrant plumage captivates me. We often see families of wood ducks as we paddle along the Elk River in the summertime, and I wanted to make a drawing to capture that moment.

I used Prismacolor colored pencils to make this drawing.

The Process

Colored pencil is one of my favorite mediums. Although the process is time consuming, the rich colors and exact details are well worth the effort Prismacolor colored pencils are my favorite brand, and I highly recommend getting a set if you’re just starting out.

I began by sketching the duck on a 10x10” piece of Stonehenge paper, leaving a generous one-inch border around my drawing space. Stonehenge is my favorite brand because the deep tooth holds up under lots of layers or color, and the paper is versatile for other mediums as well.

Next I layered colors, beginning with the lightest values. Once I was satisfied with the value and intensity, I began to focus on certain areas in the drawing. Some days, it took me an hour to finish one square inch.

As a finishing touch, I burnished the entire drawing using this Prismacolor Colorless Blender. I love how this blender smooths the texture and brings out the colors. I added the white flecks on the breast with acrylic paint to bring in an element of mixed media.

What kind of bird do you think I should draw next? I’d love some ideas.