Three Colored Crayon Technique Workshop with Robert Liberace, Studio Incamminati, Philadelphia, PA PART 1

This past weekend I spent three days at the Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia attending a workshop with Robert Liberace on the three colored crayon technique. The three colors are back, white and red (terra cotta).

This technique has been used for centuries by artists such as Hans Holbein, Peter Paul Rubens and Antoine Watteau. Below are some examples of how they used this technique.



"Young woman Looking Down" by Peter Paul Rubens, 1628.



"Sir Thomas Elyot" by Hans Holbein, 1527.

In class Rob demonstrated two techniques for using the three crayons. I will review the first technique today and the second technique tomorrow.



Three crayon technique drawing by Robert Liberace.

The first technique utilizes hard colored pencils (Prismacolor "Verithins" work well)
in black, white and terra cotta on a text weight hand made paper (Twinrocker is ideal). The paper is prepared with a light watercolor wash in yellow ochre and sealed with a coat of amber shellac (with denatured alcohol mixed in). This hardens the paper and gives it a tooth so you can layer the pencil.



First stage of Rob's demo, with figure blocked in using terra cotta Verithin pencils.



Second stage as Rob builds up the form using the terra cotta color and adds black.



The final stage as form is built up using terra cotta and black and white highlights are added. Highlights can also be erased out used a typewriter eraser.



Three crayon drawing by Marie Dauenheimer.