How to make the color gold with colored pencils
If you have been trying to get that shiny gold color in your drawings and sketches but fail to get satisfactory results, you are not alone. Several manufacturers in the market claim to have made gold colored pencils, but all of them lack the reflective and shiny essence that defines gold. These options are monotone and not very dynamic, which makes using several color pencils to achieve the perfect gold color essential.
If you love coloring but have a hard time finding the right combination of colors to make a natural gold color, we got you covered. Listed below are some methods you can follow for the best results.
Gold With Polychromos
If you are using polychromos to color your drawings, you will need the following colors (darker to lighter) to make the perfect gold color.
- Walnut brown 177
- Raw umber 180
- Burnt ochre 187
- Cadmium yellow 107
- White 101
Steps to Color
After you have collected all the colors mentioned above, we recommend you go from light to dark on your paper for colored pencils, as it is easier. Start coloring with the white and fill the spaces with it. Then take the yellow and blend it in with the white color. Make sure it does not totally cover the white but comes right next to it. This would help bring a shine between the colors.
After yellow, take the burnt ochre and blend it with the yellow color lightly. Again, try not to mix the two colors fiercely and be as gentle as possible. Since these colors are not oil-based, they can blend in very nicely. After the burnt ochre, take the lighter brown and repeat the steps you followed above.
Finally, take the darker brown and fill the edges nicely. You can take this color up to the burnt ochre to blend all the colors. To add a finishing touch, you can use each color again in its area to fill any gaps. Don’t forget to retake the white, at last, to blend it well with the yellow. This would add more shine to the drawing.
Gold with Prismacolor
If you are using Prismacolor to color your drawings, you need to have the following colors to make a nice golden color.
- Dark umber PC 947
- Burnt Ochre PC 943
- Goldenrod PC 1034
- Yellow Ochre PC 942
- Lemon Yellow PC 915
Steps to Color
Start with the burnt ochre, which would be the lighter brown in your set. Color all the places you think the shadows would be, like the corners. Color the edges lightly with this color. Extend the colored part by burnt ochre with the goldenrod and blend in the colors nicely.
Now take the yellow ochre and overlap the goldenrod with it, keeping the strokes linear and light. Then take the lemon yellow and blend it with the yellow ochre. Make sure that the edge of the yellow ochre is nice and light, as it will make it easier for the lemon yellow to blend in.
Leave a portion of white in the center to give an excellent highlight and shine. Lastly, take the dark umber and provide the edges with a finishing touch with it. It would cool down the warm color of burnt ochre used at the start. You can take all the colors again and fill up any gaps remaining to get the best results!
