To trick the eye, vary the color intensity of an area of colored pencil by using a range of similar colors - such as hints of orange, magenta and burgundy in an area of red. They can be blended in or used in small strokes or dots, as in a pointillist or impressionist painting. This stimulates more of the eye and gives the impression of brightness.
Use contrast to heighten the visual effect of color, adding touches of contrasting color, such as yellow in a highlight, or dark blue in a shadow. Make the shadows alongside a pale area even darker, or using crisp white highlights to make shadows look deeper.
For best results, use good quality colored pencils with a high percentage of pigment, such as Prismacolor or Faber-Castell. Cheaper colored pencils contain a lot of 'fillers' which result in a dull, chalky appearance and are resistant to layering.
