Blending Colored Pencil with Gamsol

Hello!

Today I am going to tell you my secret to turning colored pencil drawings into colored pencil paintings- Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits!

Gamsol=Magic

Since I discovered Gamsol several years ago, I haven’t drawn a single thing without it.

What is Gamsol?  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this product, it is an odorless mineral spirit or solvent.  Similar products are Mona Lisa Odorless Paint Thinner and Zest-It Pencil Blend.  

I use Gamsol in 5 main ways in my artwork.

1. To dissolve the pencil pigment
2. To blend colors
3. To drag small amounts of color to different areas of my work
4. To reveal a white highlight that I have burnished in my first layer
5. To clean up my edges

I apply it using either a paintbrush or a cotton bud depending on which surface I am using, how much pencil pigment is on the paper and what I am trying to accomplish.  For example, if I am trying to dissolve stubborn pigment, I might use a cotton bud but if I am trying to clean up the edges of my work, I might use a small, round watercolor brush.

Gamsol will react differently depending on what type of surface you are applying it to.  The three main surfaces that I draw on are Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper, Arches Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper and Clairefontaine Pastelmat.  Gamsol works on all of these surfaces. It also works with all of the different pencils that I draw with including Prismacolor, Faber-Castell Polychromos, Caran d’ache Luminance and the range of Derwent pencils.  I would recommend experimenting with Gamsol using whatever supplies you tend to work with before you use it on an important piece.

Want to learn more?  I have created a Tip Video that goes into depth about how I use Gamsol in my artwork and answers several frequently asked questions.  That is available now on Patreon. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tip-video-gamsol-32346158