Working with Wax-based Colored Pencils
Not all coloured pencils are alike but there's nothing wrong with combining several types and brands. Oil-based pencils are hard, making them suitable for fine detail. Pencils like Colorsoft and Prismacolor Pencils are wax-based, making them softer and easily blended. Colorsoft and Prismacolor also make a solvent in a pencil form but you can also blend them using a liquid solvent like Winsor & Newton Sansodor or Art Spectrum Odourless Solvent. This method allows the blending of several colors, quickly.
Concept drawings, like the knight on the horse, can be done on a heavy weight tracing paper, with tones created quickly, using a solvent. You can also use this method on any heavy weight paper that takes wet media. If you'd like to painstakingly render form, like the sphere example, this can also be achieved with patience. This sphere was rendered on the new Art Spectrum Colour Suede paper which has a velvety tooth.
le Stig was made by mounting a graphite drawing onto double weight, hot press illustration board. The surface was then sprayed using an airbrush and Liquitex Matte Medium to create a light texture. The airbrushed surface creates the perfect tooth to take a light 'dry brush' effect.
How to repair your wax pencils if the leads break on the inside:
Place your pencils on a baking sheet, lined with wax paper, in a cold oven. Bake for 2-5 minutes at 120 degrees centigrade. Let the pencils completely cool before removing. Your pencils should be repaired!
How to buy
Note: we do not deliver outside New Zealand.
Enter the quantity and click "add to cart". When you are ready to pay for your order proceed to checkout. Payment is made by credit card on a secure server using Paypal or Payment Express. Alternatively you may pay by "bank deposit" or by phone on 09 489 7213.
Delivery Rates
Our delivery rates are:
- Prepaid A4 Satchel (nationwide): $5 per order †
- Local (Auckland): $5.50 per order *
- Local Towns (within 150kms): $7.50 per order *
- Rest of North Island: $9.30 per order *
- South Island and Great Barrier: $10.40 per order *
† Prepaid Satchel is available for some smaller items that will fit into an A4 envelope. Please do not select the satchel option if your goods are breakable, easily damaged or flammable.
* Oversized items may be charged an additional amount - once you have selected the items you need proceed to checkout to see the exact costs.
Rural delivery fee $3.30 per order
For privacy, returns and security policies please read our policies page.
About Takapuna Art Supplies
Located in downtown Takapuna Beach on the North Shore, our store has been serving the local art community for more than twenty years. We are owned and operated by working, professional artists and have become the place where like minded creatives choose to gather, share and inspire.
We are the only art supply store in the greater Auckland area that has a working artists' studio on premises. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are always happy, willing and able to demonstrate techniques and share tips on the use of various artist materials.
Our focus is to encourage the pursuit of personal artistic expression and to share our expertise and love for the visual arts.
- Jim Auckland & Sandy Collins
