Eyes in the Dark: My First Colored Pencil Owl on Black Paper

Eyes in the Dark: My First Colored Pencil Owl on Black Paper

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work.

My exploration into colored pencil art began in the summer of 2022. At that time, I had been creating artwork with watercolor paints for about two years. A friend’s beautiful colored pencil creations at my weekly art group piqued my interest. Eager to try the medium, I purchased a variety of colored pencils.  I started with Amazon Basics Premium Colored Pencils, then purchased Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils and a small set of Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils.  I found the reference photo on Pixabay, a website offering royalty-free images that can be used freely, even for commercial purposes, without requiring attribution.

The image featured striking black eyes that captivated me, and I decided to recreate it using colored pencils. I wanted to use black paper to represent the deep shadows  I saw in the photo.  I was a bit unsure about how to transfer the outline accurately, so I opted to use the grid method. This technique involves drawing a grid over the reference photo and a corresponding grid on the drawing surface. By focusing on one square at a time, it’s easier to replicate the image with accurate proportions.

Using the grid method allowed me to build the drawing systematically, ensuring accuracy and helping me develop my skills with colored pencils. This approach proved especially helpful for capturing intricate details and achieving a realistic result. The eyes really drew me in, so that’s where I began.

Little did I know that  the Prismacolor colored pencils were perfect for black paper. The colors really popped against the dark background.

Work progressed slowly as I filled in each square one at a time.

Square by square, the owl began to take shape.

As I progressed, the eyes were always staring at me. I often prefer to get the eyes just right early on in my artwork. It seems like when the eyes are just right, the rest isn’t as crucial.

First roughing out squares, expanding the area, going back and adding details—and before I knew it, it was done.

Mockup in a frame

This project taught me the value of patience and attention to detail. Working methodically, square by square, I was able to bring the owl to life on black paper. It was a rewarding experience that deepened my appreciation for colored pencil art.

Love this drawing? You can find this owl design and other favorite artworks printed on pouches, totes, mugs, journals, and more in my refreshed Etsy shop: NorthernSwanArt.etsy.com. Functional art you can carry and enjoy every day!

If this owl’s piercing gaze speaks to you, you can now take it with you wherever you go! I’ve added this design to several practical, gift-worthy items in my Etsy shop. You’ll find it featured on a sturdy ceramic mug, a roomy tote bag, a flat accessory pouch perfect for art supplies or everyday essentials, and a T-bottom pouch ideal for makeup, knitting notions, or travel. Each item is printed with care and brings a little artistic mystery into your daily routine.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the progress of this owl drawing! I’d love to hear your thoughts—what types of progress photos would you like to see more of? Are there specific pieces you’d be interested in following along with? Or perhaps you’d like to see some product reviews mixed in? Let me know in the comments!

Supplies Used in This Piece: Some links below are affiliate; I may earn a small commission at no extra cost—thank you!

• Amazon Basics Premium Colored Pencils
• Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils 
• Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils.  
• Pixabay Reference Photo
• Strathmore 400 Series Gray Scale - Black Sheet

Whiskers in the Garden: Drawing a Gentle Rat

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work!

For some of you, this post might make you want to grab a broom and swat at these dear, sweet creatures—not me. I love all animals!

I volunteered at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, Minnesota. Because I didn’t freak out when they sent me into the flying fruit bat exhibit with a tray of food for the prehensile-tailed porcupines, I earned their respect.

Volunteering to handle the tarantula got me even more kudos.

Until the past year, I’ve always had some kind of pet—cats, dogs, birds, horses, not to mention mice, rats, and yes, my own tarantula.

And before you ask—yes, I’ve looked for reference photos of tarantulas. No, I haven’t found any adorable one, yet.

This is another incredible reference photo from Debbie Anne – Photography., an amazing photographer based in the UK. She shares some of her photographs in the Facebook group called Free Reference Photos for Artists.

And sorry, not sorry, but the second I saw this, I KNEW I had to try recreating it with my then-new (and very intense) hype fixation: colored pencils.

With my trusty iPad and the Procreate app, I traced what I felt were the important features—especially the direction of the fur. Then I printed the outline on vellum tracing paper and transferred it to Strathmore Toned Tan paper. For this piece, I used a mix of Polychromos and Prismacolor colored pencils.

With pencils in hand, I got to work. 

I began by slowly laying down the lightest colors I saw in her (yes, I decided the rat was a she—but I could be wrong). Colored pencil work is all about layering, starting with the lightest tones and gradually building depth. That’s exactly what I did with this sweet girl.

I’ve seen many other colored pencil artists zero in on one area and complete it before moving on. I’m not one of them — I tend to bounce around. I’m still adding the underlying colors I can see.

I don’t print my reference photos; I keep them on my iPad and constantly look back and forth between the drawing and the screen.

I hate to disappoint you by not sharing 3,279 images in this post. I was still pretty new at this and didn’t think I’d ever need progress photos. But here she is—pretty much completed—and now I’ve started focusing on the pole she’s on.

I actually thought I was done here. Her had whiskers have been added, and you could still see the paper showing through on the pole.

So many layers of pencil. I worked to make sure the “black pole” had some depth—not just flat black, but a build-up of dark tones and texture.

If you enjoyed this piece, I invite you to visit my Etsy shop, NorthernSwanArt. I’m gradually adding artwork to items like totes and mugs—pieces that weren’t commissioned and that lend themselves well to print. Commissions remain private unless clients specifically request otherwise.

Supplies Used in This Piece:

Some links below are affiliate; I may earn a small commission at no extra cost—thank you!

• iPad
• Procreate App (for tracing the outline)
• Vellum Tracing Paper (for transferring the outline)
• Strathmore Toned Tan paper 
• Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils
• Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
• Reference Photo by Debbie Anne – Photography. (shared via Free Reference Photos for Artists Facebook group)

The Swan I Almost Gave Up On

 The Swan I Almost Gave Up On

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work!

Some images just stop you in your tracks — and when that happens, I often find myself wondering: Could I turn this into something lasting?

Debbie Anne is one of those photographers whose work carries that kind of spark. I’ve used her photos before, and when I saw this young swan taking a nap on a dark pond, I knew I wanted to try capturing not just her form, but her presence.

Photograph used with permission.

I’ve had the pleasure of using Debbie’s photos a few times before, and when I spotted this juvenile swan snoozing on a dark pond, I felt inspired to try capturing not just the image but the mood she’d created. If you want to check out her amazing work, you can find her on Instagram at debbieanne_photographer or on Facebook as Debbie Anne – Photography. 

For this piece, I envisioned the swan rendered in colored pencil with the pond in watercolor. That meant choosing Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper—a smoother surface than the cold press I usually use—so the pencils would glide beautifully and details would really pop.

I started by tracing the swan and transferring the outline onto my paper, so I could focus fully on building up the details.

I often blur my reference photo to focus on the tonal values rather than getting caught up in every tiny detail.

For this piece, I mainly used Faber‑Castell Polychromos pencils, along with a few other artist-grade brands from my collection to capture those subtle color shifts. If you’re curious about my full pencil arsenal, just let me know in the comments—I’d be happy to share a deep dive!

That’s when it hit me — because of the reflection, I’d actually be drawing two swans!

Layer by layer, the piece gradually took shape as I worked across it, weaving in depth and detail. It’s a technique I borrowed from watercolor painting, where you let one area dry while working on another. At one point, when I tested the watercolor pencil on the pond, I almost wished I’d stuck with the simple fade from dark to white. But I’m really glad I kept going — the finished piece ended up even better than I imagined.

For the pond, I used a Stabilo Aquarellable pencil, which delivers a rich, dark tone. Getting a deep, solid black with watercolor can be tricky, and I’d discovered this pencil was perfect for achieving that effect. After coloring the pond, I brushed water over it to activate the pigment. The black was beautiful, but it ended up looking flat and blotchy.

Then it hit me—the pond wasn’t black at all! In some areas, it was green. I wasn’t happy with that flat black, so I started lifting the color. With a wet brush in one hand and a paper towel in the other, I wet the black areas and then dabbed lifting as much as I could. Honestly, I wanted to cry—it was streaked and blotchy. At that moment, I was really glad this piece was for me and not a client—I’m not sure I could’ve shared this progress photo otherwise.

The artwork sat for a months, abandon and forgotten, until one day I came across it in a pile of partially completed artwork.

I then gradually built up the background by layering various shades of green, blending in deeper tones like indigo and black to create depth and movement. This layering gave the piece a rich, organic texture that reflected the feel of the pond in the photo. 

To finish, I splashed Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White, across the surface, capturing the delicate white flecks that float like little bits of matter drifting on the water.

This was a piece I didn’t like for much of the process. Many times, I was ready to trash it and move on. It sat for several months untouched. If this had been 2020, when I first started with watercolors, I would’ve torn it up and tossed it. But I’ve since decided that every artwork has a lesson to teach me.

Sometimes, the process feels messy and uncertain, and it’s easy to think a piece is a failure before it’s finished. But letting it sit, coming back with fresh eyes, and pushing through those frustrating stages taught me that growth often hides in the middle of the mess. With this one, I learned how to create an amazing dark pond—and that drawing two subjects isn’t so bad after all.

I still wasn’t totally happy with it even after signing my name. But my husband looked at it and was genuinely amazed. I left it on my desk for a few days, and when I looked at it again, I didn’t see all the “errors” I thought were there. What I saw instead was the journey.  She now hangs proudly one of our walls in our home.

Have you ever pushed through a project you were ready to give up on? I’d love to hear how it turned out—and what it taught you.

Supplies Used in This Piece:  Some links below are affiliate; I may earn a small commission at no extra cost—thank you!

• Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper
• Mijello Mission Gold Watercolor Paints
• Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils - Pro tip: Artist‑grade pencils aren’t cheap—look for deals (I scored mine on eBay). Buying multiple small sets won’t save you money, since larger sets already include those colors—this seems common to all artist‑grade pencils.
• Winsor & Newton Masking Fluid
• Water Activated Tape
• Ruled Washi Tape (I used tape from TheArtistLife.com, they are no longer in business)
• Washi Grid Tape
• Artist Board 
• GatorBoard - Purchased locally at Blaine’s Art, mine is cut in half
• 11x14 Frame with 8x10 Mat