Can Prismacolor Pencils Save a Failed Art Project?

Every artist has that one piece.

You know the one.

The artwork that didn't quite turn out the way you imagined. The piece that fought you every step of the way. The project that leaves you staring at it thinking, "Maybe I can fix this."

This was one of those projects.

After experimenting with watercolor inks in a previous video, I ended up with a creepy-cute animal that was supposed to be a cat but somehow evolved into a wolf. The inks were fun to test, but the result wasn't what I had envisioned.

So I gave the artwork a second chance.

My weapon of choice? Prismacolor colored pencils.

A Quick Note About Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star India Ink

Before diving into the Prismacolor experiment, I wanted to mention something that genuinely impressed me.

The black line art for this project was created using Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star Waterproof India Ink, and this stuff lives up to its name.

To test it, I completely soaked the artwork with water.

The lines didn't budge.

No smearing.

No bleeding.

No surprise gray clouds where black lines used to be.

For artists who use watercolor, watercolor inks, gouache, or any other wet medium, that's a huge advantage. Most inks I've used in the past will eventually bleed if they get wet enough, but this one stayed exactly where it belonged.

If you're looking for waterproof line work, it's definitely worth checking out.

Revisiting the Ink Artwork

The original watercolor ink version had a few things going for it.

I liked the shimmer effects.

I liked the creepy Halloween vibe.

I liked the basic character design.

What I didn't like was the overall execution.

Part of that was simply my lack of experience with watercolor inks. Part of it was the fact that I wasn't really in a creative mood when I made it. Sometimes your mindset affects your artwork more than the supplies do.

Rather than starting over from scratch, I wanted to see if colored pencils could improve what was already there.

Enter the Prismacolors

I've always been much more comfortable with colored pencils than watercolor-style mediums.

Colored pencils give me control.

You can work slowly, build layers gradually, and make adjustments without feeling like the medium is running away from you.

My goal was simple:

• Add shadows
• Increase contrast
• Create more dimension
• Reduce the flat appearance

Basically, I wanted to make the wolf feel more alive.

Experimenting With Blending

One of the first things I tried was using a Prismacolor alcohol blender marker.

Alcohol blenders work by dissolving the wax in colored pencils and helping the pigments blend more smoothly.

It worked.

Sort of.

But I quickly discovered that I preferred using a clear Prismacolor blender pencil instead.

The blender pencil gave me more control and allowed me to fill in some of the white spaces left by the colored pencils without making the artwork feel overly soft.

As I continued working, I focused mostly on building layers of gray and adding subtle shadows.

My Ongoing Battle With Value

One thing I've learned during my art journey is that value is everything.

When artists talk about value, they're referring to how light or dark something is.

You can have the most beautiful colors in the world, but if the values aren't right, the artwork will still look flat.

And honestly?

Value is the area where I struggle the most.

That's why I started thinking about a future experiment.

What if I created an artwork while only paying attention to values?

Imagine viewing the artwork entirely in black and white and choosing colors based solely on how light or dark they are. Since removing color makes value easier to see, it might be a useful exercise for improving my understanding of light and shadow.

It sounds like a fun challenge—and possibly a future video.

Did the Prismacolors Help?

The answer is...

A little.

The colored pencils definitely added more depth than the watercolor inks alone.

The wolf gained:

• More shadows
• Better transitions
• Slightly improved dimensionality
• A softer, more finished appearance

But if I'm being honest, it still wasn't the dramatic transformation I had hoped for.

Sometimes the foundation of a piece limits how much improvement you can make later.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Every artwork teaches you something.

This one taught me that fixing a weak foundation is often harder than starting fresh.

Creating Fur Texture

Once I realized the artwork wasn't becoming the masterpiece I'd imagined, I experimented.

I grabbed a sculpting tool—one normally used for clay—and started scratching into the colored pencil layers.

I'd seen other artists use similar techniques to create fur textures, so I figured it was worth a try.

Surprisingly, it worked.

The scratches removed some of the pigment and created thin strands that resembled fur.

After layering additional gray pencil over the scratches, the texture became even more noticeable.

Would it have worked better if I'd taken more time and carefully followed the direction of the fur?

Absolutely.

But that's part of experimenting. Sometimes you're just testing ideas to see what happens.

Looking Back at the Artwork

One of the funny things about recording art videos is that I often notice mistakes while editing.

Watching the footage later, I immediately saw areas I could improve:

• Darker shadows around the eye
• More contrast near the nose
• Better separation between layers of fur
• Stronger depth around the button details

It's amazing how much easier it is to spot problems when you're no longer actively working on the piece.

Maybe that's why so many artists recommend stepping away from an artwork before deciding it's finished.

Would It Make a Good Sticker?

Despite all my critiques, I don't actually hate the final result.

It's still a little creepy-cute wolf.

In fact, I think it could make a fun Halloween sticker.

The tail got cut off during the composition process, but that's nothing a little Photoshop magic couldn't fix. A quick clone-and-repair job would solve that problem easily.

Not every artwork has to be gallery-worthy.

Sometimes it's enough that it makes you smile.

Final Thoughts

So, can Prismacolor pencils save a failed art project?

Sometimes.

Here, they definitely improved the artwork, even if they didn't completely transform it.

More importantly, the process gave me a chance to experiment with blending techniques, texture creation, and value studies—all things that will help future projects.

Art isn't always about creating perfect pieces.

Sometimes it's about learning from imperfect ones.

And honestly, those lessons are usually worth more than the finished artwork itself.

What do you think? Did the Prismacolors improve the spooky little wolf, or would you have taken the project in a completely different direction? Let me know your thoughts—I always enjoy hearing how other artists would tackle the same challenge.

Stay spooky, keep creating, and don't be afraid to give your "failed" artwork a second chance. 🎨🐺👻