Last week I spent time reviewing Gamsol and then comparing which colored pencil brands worked best with it. Now I’m working in the other direction- what other ways can we blend colored pencils?
For this round, I compared Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits), Turpenoid Natural (non-toxic version of turpentine) and Baby Oil (mineral oil.)
I also used a higher-quality pencil (Prismacolor) and a lower-cost one (Crayola) so that you could see the difference in pencil, if any.
Let’s take a look!
Comparison of blending with GAMSOL
Gamsol is clear and water-like- but don’t let the lack of odor fool you. It releases toxic fumes (you just can’t smell them) and it is highly flammable. Not for use with children.
Blending colored pencils with Turpenoid Natural
Turpenoid Natural is a turpentine substitute that is actually an oil paint thinner and brush cleaner. However, since it’s a natural product it’s certified non-toxic. It’s also non-flammable. You can see that it has an amber tint but that didn’t seem to alter the color of my images. It has a mild citric smell.
Blending colored pencils with Baby oil!
Baby Oil is…..baby oil! It’s actually a mineral oil with a light fragrance. It’s safe for folks and has no fumes, and the light scent is pleasant to most. This is certainly safe enough to use with the kiddos, as well.
I did make you a little video, as well.
Lastly, I went to the two extremes- the highest-quality pencil and the most expensive blending medium, verses Dollar Store pencils and baby oil, blended with a cotton swab!
I feel like this proves that beauty (and art) is subjective! While the Prismacolor pencils are more vibrant, I felt that they blended as well with baby oil OR Gamsol.
So whatever combo of materials you use, practice and have fun!
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Did the baby oil leave an “oily” residue? I remember that it always left an oily residue – that’s what it’s meant to do. So was the paper oily, or did it soak into the paper? It’s been a reeaally long time since my kiddos were babies. Sorry to be so wordy. If it doesn’t leave a residue, why use anything else? Especially since it smells so good. Does the baby oil odor last? That might be very cool, especially on a baby card…. Thx for the videos. Great reviews.
Susan- here’s the deal with baby oil: 1) the smell doesn’t last. 2) if you use a lot it can soak through to the back (and Gamsol will as well.) 3) It does not leave an oily residue or halo, and it seems to evaporate or dissipate after a short while. The samples I did a week ago show no signs of oil on the back.
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Great ideas for blending colored pencils. I appreciate the info. There are a couple of things that I think would make it even better.
First of all, I’d love to see a before and after of any of the samples. Also, there is no information at all about how much of any of the solutions to use. I’m imagining baby oil just soaking through the paper and making an oily blotch on the back, or around the edges of the image.
It would be very helpful to see a video of the process. Baby oil on a q-tip? How much? is there much pressure involved, pushing down and rubbing a lot, or is it pretty quick with just a dab and a light touch? Stuff like that would help complete newbies like myself.
thanks!
Thank you Jenny, this website was helpful. A video showing the blending in action would also be very helpful. What about the Caran D’ache Full Blender (no wood casing). Do you know if it has anything in it that is toxic (in handling)? Thanks, –Ann
I am unfamiliar with those, but I’ll check into them for you!