🌟 The most important rule in colored pencil art…Keep your pencils sharp!
There are only a few times when you won’t want your colored pencil too sharp- if you’re burnishing or pressing really hard to blend the layers or filling in the background and you just want to get pigment on the paper.
I like to do fine detail work so a good colored pencil sharpener is really important to me. I’ve tried lots of sharpeners so I thought I’d share my favorites with you!
Did you know about sanded paper blocks for sharpening colored pencils? They are the handiest and most necessary tool in my toolbox!
Sanded blocks are perfect for when your colored pencil has a thick point but you don’t want to use the sharpener for fear of wasting precious pigment.
You can use the sanded paper to get a fine point without the waste! Here is where I got mine: https://amzn.to/3L5cSzL
I’ve used electric and manual sharpeners, I prefer the control of my colored pencil when I sharpen it so I usually use the Derwent Super Point manual sharpener.
It fits all pencil sizes, and sometimes I just do a few rotations and I’m done.
I got mine from the Derwent store on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qsAmXQ
The most popular sharpener for colored pencil artists is the AFMAT Electric. It sharpens to a long point which is really nice especially when you’re doing a large area and use the side of the colored pencil.
The only thing you have to be careful of is not letting it eat your pencils! If you do try it, stop sharpening before it auto-stops and see if it’s sharpened enough for you.
Remember, you can always use the sanding block to get a super fine point so your pencils last a little longer.
This is the AFMAT here: https://amzn.to/3NckFh9
I hope I’ve helped you with your choice of colored pencil sharpeners, it really is an important tool! Some of us have arthritis and can’t use the manual so the electric sharpener is the way to go.
Happy Drawing Everyone! 🎨🌻 -Molly
Thank you so much for the tips! 💜