that's sad woody. why didn't you bring them?
and I'm actually using watercolor pencils now. so fun!

Well, I sent myself art supplies, but only ones I thought would help for making Christmas gifts. I didn't think about packing watercolors for cards until it was too late. Derpderp der.
Nice, I like using the pencils as touches here and there on my watercolors, for subtle definition.

Do you use them wet or dry?

How do watercolor pencils work?
Aren't they like colored pencils?

You can use them just like a colored pencil, draw out everything THEN go over it with brush and water to blend, etc. Or you can wet the tip of the water color pencil and draw with it wet like that. OR you can add the pencil over an existing watercolor you've done, to add definition (a wet or dry painting).

I guess it all depends on how bold you want it to be. Obviously the first gives it a washy feel, and the second choice is very bold and colorful. That's why they are so fun to play with.

That sounds cool!
Maybe I should try some.

Do you need a special type of canvas or paper?

Just a heavier watercolor paper. :D You don't want the thin drawing paper to buckled and pill up on you when you have a lot of water on :P

I'll have to go look for some watercolor paper.

Do you sketch with a pencil first, and then fill it in?

I usually do a light pencil sketch before I watercolor. But if you use the pencils, you can totally get away with just using those :D

I do both. I'll use them dry then do some wet stuff for definition and bright color.

I usually sketch and then ink everything. I guess inking is just my style.

I'm not using good paper now unfortunately. just cheap thin sketch book paper. it's not too bad though.

I've done that in a pinch too Kat ;)

But it really bothers me when it starts to pill up on me. I guess I am used to doing a lot of thinner washes, building up the color.

A lot of the time, when I DO do ink, I do that last, only doing it in pencil, washes of watercolor, then ink. I hate when the ink runs, even if the product says it's water tight >.< Nothing bothers me more. I've ruined many a pretty illustration that way. And that's mainly what I use ink for when I watercolor, doing like just a faery or goblin or something. But, I've bee trying to not use ink, and I like that as well, cause I do definition with a very fine brush and sepia watercolor in areas, if needed.

I don't have very many brushes and none fine enough to do outlines. the pens I use sometimes fade a bit with the water, but don't run. actually, i don't have much paint either. I'm such a cheap artist!! I do have watercolor paper though...but not at home. *shot*

:P I say worse things than do do! Like....fiscal responsibility. *shudders*

I have some nice brushes. Some I barely use, and those are the expensive ones. My favorite, oddly enough are the thick stiff bristled ones for watercolor....square shaped too.

I want to do some Texas Bluebonnets in watercolor...

I used to do them in paint, but it's been awhile, so I've forgotten how I did them.

what browser are you using, dana?