Burnishing is the technique of building colored pencil layers until the paper's tooth is filled. Filling the tooth creates a smooth, solid area of color with little or no visible paper texture.
Be careful and consistent when burnishing. Burnishing creates a glossy surface which reflects light differently than the more matte non-burnished areas. This is why many colored pencil artists burnish everything completely rather than a few select areas.
Burnishing can be done with any color of pencil, not just the clear blending pencils sold specifically for burnishing. Many colorists enjoy burnishing with white pencil for a pastel effect.
There are two ways to achieve a burnished surface:
Pressure burnishing uses heavy pressure to quickly force pencil material into the paper's tooth. This compresses or flattens the paper fibers, reducing their ability to accept additional color. It also makes erasing and correcting extremely difficult.
Layered burnishing gradually builds color through repeated applications using light pressure. Each layer fills more of the paper's texture without crushing the tooth. This allows greater control over color development, blending, and corrections before the tooth is completely filled.
Both methods eventually create the glassy stage where further layering becomes impossible.
IMPORTANT: The burnishing technique is directly associated with Carpal Tunnel and repetitive strain issues and can aggravate existing arthritis.
Burnishing is not necessary and many artists have developed work-arounds for creating smooth, non-grainy effects. For my no-burnish, solvent-free lessons, learn more at ColorWonk.com
