Using Zest-it® Pencil and Parchment Blend with Coloured Pencils, Pastels, Wax and Oil Pastels.

The Zest-it® Pencil and Parchment Blend is ideal for blending coloured pencils, wax pencils, wax crayons, oil pastel and oil bars.

Only a small amount is needed in most cases.

Different tools can be used to blend pencil, pastel and other media. Deciding on which method of blending to use is often about the blended result required, the paper surface and the type of media that is used.

Zest-it has no detrimental effect on paper and leaves no residue, this means the integrity of the you are using is retained.

The different paper surfaces will affect the 'look' of the applied pencil and the way the pencil and paper work together.

When working with watercolour papers, which are sized, this sizing will also influence the surface finish and the way the pencils are blended, The sizing of the paper also has an effect on its absorbency.

Because the surface sizing of the paper has a bearing on the absorbency of the paper, this will affect how much Zest-it you will need to use to blend the media. It will also alter the type and style of blending.

Papers that have hardly any size are therefore absorbant and will soak up Zest-it quite quickly, leaving little available for blending. A flat soft brush is a useful tool for blending on most watercolour papers, Its best on absorbant papers to use a brush 'just damp' with Zest-it - gives more control of the amount being added.

Watercolour papers with medium absorbency are probably easiest to use for control of the blending. Hard sized paper, will sound rough/raspy to the touch, will give a more fluid look to the blending because the Zest-it stays on the surface longer before soaking in.

Other suitable surfaces would be Ampersands pastel board which can be used wet or dry. You can prepare your own surfaces using Damar Varnish, Gesso or Gelatine. Try Pastel papers if you want absorbency and Drafting film if you don't. It always pays to test your surface!

When using a brush or paper stump to blend your pencil or pastel, you need some way of controlling the amount of Zest-it you use.

Our Blending Sponge works very well for this, it is best to keep it just damp - so less is best.

Gesso works well as a surface preparation, where less absorbency and more 'tooth' is required.

Oil Pastel is applied direct to the surface and then brush dampened with Zest-it is used to blend the pastel. Alight touch with the brush is important, otherwise the pastel will be removed.

The pencil or pastel can be blended to any degree suitable for the effect needed - from opaque to transparent. The surface often dictates the choice of blending tool, on a 'toothy' Gesso-ed surface a brush or paper stump is perhaps more useful, as the surface can shred cotton-wool buds and the like.

More pencil or pastel can be added to build up colour, either while the surface is still damp or when dry. On a paper surface a delicate touch is needed if the extra pencil is added to a damp surface so as not to damage the paper.

Blended pencil can be applied to the front or reverse of Parchment work, depending on the finish required. Parchment being non-absorbant and smooth, a very 'painterly' finish can be obtained.

Pencil colour can be applied separately before blending the whole or added and blended as you work. Working 'dry pencil' into 'wet pencil' can give interesting effects. Wiping the brush often saves mudding the colours. Allow to dry before embossing.

Many different tools can be used to give a variety of texture, decoration and line effects. Try using a soft brush to pick up colour from the pencil and then apply as if painting with watercolour. You can also remove colour with Zest-it on kitchen towel, brush or cloth.

Most people find that Zest-it, with its pleasant smell, non-toxic and non-flammable qualities, a joy to use with pencil, pastel and oil pastel, especially as a little goes a long way.

Experiment and have fun - Jacqui and Tracey Blackman Copyright © 2008

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