Prismacolors

1. After sketching out the drawing, come up with a solid outline.
2. Make a copy of the outline, then render the black areas with a pencil. I now skip this step, but it initially gave me a great understanding of the piece before I went into coloring.
3. Trace the original outline onto the vellum with a standard pencil.
4. With Prismacolors, shade from dark to light. Lay down the black softly then build up the gradient to the really dark area.

* If you want to see the outline again, go over it with a thin black Sharpie. The tip will quickly pick up some of the waxy pencil, so you'll have to wipe it off occasionally.

The process takes some time, but it helps me piece together the color puzzle long before I dive into the skin. Which, because it's so new to me, is a necessary help.

My first attempt with Prismacolors didn't turn out that well. I didn't realize how creamy the colors would blend over each other. On my second try, I made a point to fade the colors together softly and with a steady circular motion. Hit up the above image for a larger version.