Prismacolor 956 Lilac Colored Pencil Review and Techniques

An Overview of Prismacolor 956 Lilac Pencil

Prismacolor is one of the most popular and respected brands when it comes to art supplies. Known for their high quality professional grade products, Prismacolor offers a wide selection of colored pencils for artists and hobbyists alike. One of their most unique offerings is the Prismacolor 956 Lilac pencil, which features a light purple hue perfect for soft floral illustrations or blending with other colors.

Introducing Prismacolor 956

The Prismacolor 956 pencil features a pale lavender or lilac hue, providing a soft pastel effect. It's part of Prismacolor's standard line of colored pencils, which are intended for professional artists but also suitable for beginners. These pencils feature thick soft leads made with top-quality pigments to ensure rich, vibrant color laydown and smooth blending.

On paper, the 956 Lilac shade appears as a very light purple with hints of pink. It's lighter and more subdued than Prismacolor's Violet shade. The soft, creamy lead lays down easily for broad color wash effects or fine detail work. It also blends smoothly with no crumbling or skipping.

Best Uses for Prismacolor 956

Here are some top ways to use the 956 Lilac pencil:

• Blending and shading - The soft, semi-transparent lead blends beautifully to create soft shadows and gradients from light to mid-tones.
• Floral illustrations - The lilac hue is ideal for rendering delicate purple flowers like lilacs, lavender, violets, and more.
• Night scenes - Pair Lilac with blues and purples to depict serene night landscapes filled with moonlight and shadows.
• Skin tones - Lightly blend Lilac over creams and peaches to create realistic highlights and contours on fair skin.
• Furry textures - The muted hue can add depth and dimension when layering color for fur on animals.
• Clouds - Build up soft layers of Lilac to illustrate wispy clouds in a pale blue sky.

Color Combinations with Prismacolor 956

One of the great things about the 956 Lilac pencil is how well it mixes with other colors. Here are some recommended color pairings:

• Blues - Layering Lilac with blues like Prismacolor's True Blue or Cobalt Blue creates beautiful lavender hues perfect for night skies, flower petals, or mixing skin tones.
• Pinks - Blend Lilac with Primsacolor's Carmine Red or Blush to achieve a wide range of pinks from pale to vivid for practiced color gradations.
• Purples - Mixing Lilac with richer purples like Violet or Imperial Violet allows artists to create custom purple shades for anything from sunsets to portraits.
• Peaches - The lilac pencil can be gently layered over peach, cream, or beige to add subtle highlights and contours to fair skin or fruit.
• Greens - Blending grassy greens like Jade Green or Apple Green with hints of Lilac produces soft pastel hues ideal for rendering delicate plants.

Tips for Using Prismacolor 956

Here are some helpful tips for making the most of the Prismacolor 956 Lilac pencil:

• Blend with colorless blender pencils for smooth, seamless gradients.
• Layer with complementary colors like purple and pink to create richer custom hues.
• Use light pressure when blending to avoid muddiness.
• Sharpen to a fine point to maximize control for detail work.
• Burnish for vivid laydown when using as a main color.
• Spray finished pieces with fixative to prevent smudging and fading over time.

Achieving Different Tones with Prismacolor 956

One of the great advantages of colored pencils is being able to achieve a wide range of tones using a single pencil. Here's how to create different lilac shades with the Prismacolor 956:

Light Tones

For the lightest tones, use very light pressure and minimal layering. Short, feathery strokes work best to gently build up the color. You can also try applying Lilac over white or yellow areas. Let the white of the paper show through for highlights.

Medium Tones

For medium lilac tones, use moderately firm pressure and layer the color in a circular motion to fill the tooth of the paper. Overlap layers in opposing directions to build up rich color. Blend with a colorless blender for smooth transitions between layers.

Dark Tones

To achieve darker or more saturated lilac hues, burnish the pencil lead into the paper using heavy pressure and thick layering. Overlap Lilac with complementary colors like violet or magenta. Dark shades can also be built up by applying many fine layers on top of each other until the desired depth is achieved.

Rendering Different Textures with Prismacolor 956

The soft, semi-transparent lead of the Prismacolor 956 Lilac pencil allows for creating many different tactile textures. Here are some tips for using Lilac to render realistic textures:

Fur

To create fur, use short feathery strokes following the direction of hair growth. Layer Lilac over cream or tan to depict fine fur on rabbits or deer. Gently blend for a smooth gradation from light to mid-tones.

Petals

For soft flower petals, use delicate crosshatching and circular shading. Leave white paper showing through for highlights. Blend shades of Lilac with pink and purple for depth.

Clouds

To illustrate clouds, start by lightly layering Lilac using short rounded strokes. Use a colorless blender to soften and blend the transitions. Leave gaps in the shading to represent puffy shapes and wispy edges.

Fabric

When rendering fabric, apply Lilac in the direction of folds and ripples. Use sharp, angular shading for crisp edges or blend softly for silky textures. Layer colors like violet or blue in shadowed areas for dimension.

Achieving Different Finishes with Prismacolor 956

Prismacolor pencils like the 956 Lilac can produce finishes ranging from soft and smooth to bold and vibrant. Here are some techniques for achieving different looks:

Smooth Blend

For a seamlessly blended finish, start by gently layering and overlapping pencil strokes. Burnish for even coverage then blend with light circular motions. Finally use a colorless blender to soften any harsh edges.

Vivid Color

To achieve bold, vivid lilac hues, burnish the Lilac heavily into the tooth of the paper using firm pressure. Avoid blending and allow colors to overlap. Complementary shades like purple will increase vibrancy.

Grainy Texture

For a grainy, textured look allow the paper's tooth to show through by applying very light layers. Use sharp, directional strokes and avoid extensive blending. Layering over rough watercolor paper also enhances texture.

Matte Finish

To reduce shine, lightly spray finished pieces with a matte workable fixative. This will set the pigments and create a matte look. Avoid over-spraying, which can dull vibrancy. Let dry fully between light coats.

Key Attributes of Prismacolor 956 Lilac

Here's a quick summary of the key qualities of the Prismacolor 956 Lilac pencil:

• Soft, thick core made with premium pigments
• Creamy texture ideal for blending, shading, and detail work
• Subtle, pale lilac hue with hints of pink
• Mixes cleanly with complementary colors like purples, blues, and pinks
• Semi-transparent for light washes or rich heavy laydown
• Ideal for soft floral illustrations, clouds, fur, fabrics, and more
• Blends seamlessly for smooth gradients and textures
• Professional grade quality at an affordable price

With its soft, blendable lead and delicate lilac hue, the Prismacolor 956 pencil is a must-have for any colored pencil artist looking to add a light pastel purple shade to their toolkit. It can be used on its own or blended with other colors to expand your creative possibilities.

FAQs

How does Prismacolor 956 compare to other lilac pencils?

The 956 shade is lighter and more subtle than other lilac pencils like Prismacolor's Violet. It lacks the vibrancy of shades like Lilac from Arteza or Faber-Castell. The 956 is ideal for soft, hazy effects rather than vivid purples.

What paper works best with Prismacolor 956?

Smooth paper with medium tooth is ideal, such as mixed-media paper. Bristol paper also works well. Avoid papers that are too rough or too slick.

How can I achieve bold lilac hues with the 956 pencil?

Burnishing heavily with firm pressure will create vivid color. Layering the 956 over complementary purples will also yield bolder results. Avoid too much blending when a saturated color is desired.

What pencil sharpener should I use with Prismacolor pencils?

Prismacolor recommends using their Precision Sharpeners for a fine point and smooth sharpening. High quality metal blade sharpeners also work well for a consistent point.

Can Prismacolor pencils be used with water for watercolor effects?

Yes, Prismacolor colored pencils can be activated with water due to their binders. Lightly wetting the led will create watercolor washes. Use very wet brush techniques sparingly to avoid damaging the core.