Create Your Own Easter Bunny Artwork with Derwent Pastel Pencils!

Thanks to the talented people at Derwent, we are proud to bring you this gorgeous artwork idea just in time for Easter! This beautiful ‘Miss Daisy Nibbles’ colouring tutorial uses Derwent Pastel Pencils to bring to life a stunning illustration by artist Cindy Wider.

What you will need

• Watercolour Paper (A4 size recommended)
• Derwent Pastel Pencils (the Derwent Pastel Pencil Tin Set of 24 includes all the colours used in this example!)
• Pencil Eraser
• Sharpener
• Smooth Sandpaper (a small piece will do)
• Cotton Buds

How To Create Your Bunny:

Download this outline for your bunny and print it out, then watch the video below to draw and colour along! This tutorial by Cindy Wider uses intermediate techniques and is best suited to adults and teenagers.

Tips for using Derwent Pastel Pencils

Different Strokes

Your pencils can help you achieve different thicknesses of strokes. Try using the side of the pencil when colouring larger areas of colour and use the pencil’s tip for detailed work and line drawings.

Using different strokes in your work will help create interest for your audience! This also applies to varying your application between smooth blending and hatching or cross-hatching.

Blending Colours

The best (and easiest!) ways to blend pastels is by using a paper stump, a rubber colour shaper, or even your finger! Experiment with blending a few similar colours together in order to enhance of heighten the colour’s effect.

Hatching and Cross-Hatching

Apply diagonal lines of colour without blending to create unique effects without ‘muddying’ your colours. Hatching or cross-hatching large areas with a single colour can help create an overall harmony to your piece as well as serving to bring several areas of your work together.

Colour Tips

Increase tonal contrast in your work by using light against dark to make an area stand out, or dark against light to draw the eye to interesting silhouettes and shapes. This will help bring your drawings to life by echoing the tonal shifts we see around us.

For these Derwent Pastel Pencils, white is used most effectively directly on the paper, rather than applying white as a layer over other pastel colours.

Removing or Lifting Colours

Finally, it is recommended you dab at your pastels with a kneadable eraser to remove any excess colour. Kneadable erasers are especially useful for this as you can shape them to a point (or any size/shape!) to lift out highlights and work with more precision.

About Cindy Wider

Cindy Wider is a professional artist based in Australia, and the creator of Miss Daisy Nibbles – the cute bunny you will bring to life in this artwork. She has over 25 years of experience in creating art and teaching others to spark their creative passion through art and illustration. She has also authored books on Drawing with pencil and charcoal. Cindy is an official ambassador for Derwent Products.