Colouring Pencil Skin Tone Guide

7. Dark Skin Tones

My two dark skin tones are chestnut and terracotta:


4 pencils for this but this time it’s ok to use more pencil pressure. I’d recommend using average pencil pressure throughout, including the applying of the base:

  1. Apply your base - Apply the base but feel free to not press as lightly. Try using an orange instead of salmon pink or a regular pink instead of light pink.
  2. Apply your main colour - Apply your main the same way you did the base - same areas and same pressure.
  3. Add shadows - Use your shading colour and press hard in the darkest areas, using a dark version of your main colour
  4. Add the mid-tone and main colour - Using the same technique from step 3, use your mid-tone and main colour.
  5. Re-apply any colours that look weakened - Starting from darkest to lightest, re-apply the colours using light pressure to average pressure.
  6. Blend with base colour - Removes patchiness and establishes the colour of your highlight which should be an combination of your base and main colours.
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