Burnishing colored pencils means using firm pressure over established layers of color to compress the pigment and paper tooth into a smoother, more saturated surface. I use it near the end of a drawing rather than at the beginning, usually only in areas where I want stronger color, smoother transitions, or a more finished appearance.
The biggest mistake I made when I first experimented with burnishing was treating it like a blending shortcut. If I burnish too early, I flatten the surface before I’ve finished developing the color. Building the layers first gives me much more control.
What Is Burnishing With Colored Pencils?
Burnishing is a colored-pencil technique where you apply considerably more pressure than you would during normal layering.
That pressure pushes the existing pigment more firmly into the paper and compresses the remaining surface texture. The individual pencil marks become less obvious and the color can appear smoother and more saturated.
You can burnish with several tools, including:
- A lighter colored pencil
- A white or cream pencil
- A colorless blender pencil
- Another color that you deliberately want to mix into the existing layers
The pencil I choose affects the final color. A colorless blender changes the surface with less color shift, while white, cream, yellow, or another colored pencil can change both the texture and hue.
What Burnishing Does to Colored Pencil
Before burnishing, several light colored-pencil layers can still show visible paper texture and individual marks.
As I increase pressure, several things happen:
- The paper tooth becomes flatter.
- Small white gaps in the surface become less visible.
- Separate pencil layers begin to appear more unified.
- The color often becomes richer and more solid.
- Adding additional layers afterward becomes more difficult.
That last point is why I treat burnishing as a later-stage technique.
How to Burnish Colored Pencils
1. Build several light layers first
I start the drawing with lighter pressure and gradually establish the major color and value relationships.
I want enough pigment on the page that there is actually something to blend together before I increase the pressure.
If you’re still working on this stage, my guide to colored pencil techniques covers layering, pressure control and color mixing in more detail.
2. Decide which areas actually need burnishing
I don’t automatically burnish the whole drawing.
I look for places where a smoother surface would help the image, such as:
- A bright highlight
- Smooth skin
- A reflective object
- Water
- A glowing sky
- Another focal area where I want stronger saturation
Leaving nearby passages less polished can make the smoother area stand out more.
3. Choose the burnishing pencil
The pencil I use depends on whether I want to alter the color.
If I want relatively little color change, a colorless blender is one option. If I want to warm an area, I might use cream or another warm light color. A white pencil can lighten and soften darker layers while blending them together.
I sometimes use the same color family already present in the drawing if I want more saturation without introducing a noticeably different hue.
4. Increase pressure gradually
I don’t suddenly push as hard as possible.
I increase pressure while watching how the surface changes. The goal is to compress and blend the layers without unnecessarily damaging the paper or breaking the pencil point.
5. Work across the existing pencil marks
I move the burnishing pencil across the layered area so it reaches the small gaps left by earlier strokes.
Changing direction can help smooth a surface that still looks streaky or grainy.
6. Stop once the surface is working
Burnishing has diminishing returns. Once the tooth is compressed and the area looks sufficiently smooth, continuing to grind the pencil into the surface usually doesn’t give me much more.
Burnishing With a White Pencil
A white colored pencil is useful when I want to blend existing layers while also lightening them slightly.
This can work well in highlights, skin tones, clouds, reflective objects, and areas where I want a softer transition.
The tradeoff is that white changes the color underneath. Rich darker colors can become paler or more muted, so I don’t use white automatically just because I want a smooth surface.
Burnishing With a Colorless Blender
A colorless blender pencil lets me apply pressure without deliberately adding another colored pigment.
I find that useful when the color relationships are already where I want them and my main goal is to smooth the surface.
It still compresses the paper tooth, so I use it at roughly the same point in the process that I would use another burnishing pencil: after the important color layers are already established.
Burnishing Light Colors Over Dark Colors
One approach I use is taking a lighter pencil across darker established layers.
For example, cream, pale yellow, light peach, or white can soften and unite darker colors while introducing a subtle shift in temperature.
I think of this less as covering the darker layer and more as physically mixing the layers together on the paper.
Why You Shouldn’t Burnish Too Early
Burnishing early can make the rest of the drawing harder.
Colored pencils depend on the texture of the paper to hold additional pigment. Once I apply enough pressure to flatten that texture, later layers have less surface to grip.
That can make it difficult to deepen a shadow, change a color, or add another transition after I’ve already burnished the area.
My preference is to keep my options open for as long as possible, then use stronger pressure once I’m reasonably sure about the color underneath.
Burnishing and White Spots in Colored Pencil
Burnishing can also reduce the little white specks that remain visible between colored-pencil strokes.
The pressure helps push the existing pigment farther into the paper texture and cover some of the remaining gaps.
I don’t use burnishing as the first solution, though. I build several lighter layers first and change the direction of my pencil strokes before deciding whether the area needs a stronger final blend.
If visible paper texture is the specific problem you’re trying to solve, see my guide to coloring with colored pencils without white spots.
The Paper Matters
The paper surface affects both how much layering I can do and how burnishing feels.
A very rough surface can require considerably more work to produce a smooth appearance because pigment has to reach deeper areas of the texture.
A smoother surface may burnish more quickly, but it can also provide less tooth for building many preliminary layers.
I prefer finding a balance based on the finish I’m after rather than assuming one surface is best for every drawing.
For specific surfaces, see my guide to the best paper for colored pencils.
Common Burnishing Mistakes
- Burnishing the first layer: this fills the paper tooth before enough color has been established.
- Pressing as hard as possible: more pressure isn’t automatically better and can damage the surface.
- Using white without considering the color shift: white can lighten or mute the colors underneath.
- Smoothing every part of the drawing: selective burnishing can create more contrast between focal areas and looser passages.
- Expecting burnishing to replace layering: I get better results when the color is already developed before I apply heavier pressure.
Do You Have to Burnish Colored Pencil Drawings?
No. Burnishing is an option, not a required final step.
I often like seeing individual pencil marks and paper texture. A completely smooth surface isn’t automatically better.
I use burnishing when it serves a specific part of the drawing rather than because I think every colored-pencil piece needs to look polished.
An Example: Burnishing a Sunset
In a sunset drawing, I might build several light layers across the sky first, gradually developing the transition between warm and cool colors.
Near the end, I can burnish a selected glowing area around the brightest part of the sky while leaving other cloud passages more textured.
That difference in surface treatment can help the brighter area become a focal point.
You can see the broader layering process in my tutorial on drawing a sunset with colored pencils.
Where Burnishing Fits in the Colored Pencil Process
I think of burnishing as one of the later decisions in a colored-pencil drawing:
- Establish the large shapes and values.
- Build several lighter layers of color.
- Adjust color temperature, edges, and contrast.
- Decide which areas should remain textured.
- Burnish selected areas that benefit from a smoother, richer finish.
That sequence gives me the freedom to develop the drawing before committing to the heavier pressure that burnishing requires.
If you’re learning the medium from the beginning, start with my guide to how to use colored pencils. For pencils that handle layering and more developed work well, see my comparison of the best colored pencils for artists.
You can also browse the full colored pencils collection for techniques, paper, pencils, and other tutorials.