Choose pencils you can control
Start with a small set of coloured pencils you already have. Try a light swatch and a darker swatch on spare paper, or on a small area you plan to colour anyway. Pick pencils that let you lay down a light shade without pressing hard. Keep a sharper point for the smallest details.
Build from the lightest shade
Give the area a pale first layer. Add a second pass where you want more colour, then deepen just the edges or shadows if you want extra contrast. Keep the pencil moving and use light pressure so you can adjust the colour as you go.
Keep nearby structures easy to tell apart
Try two swatches side by side before committing to adjacent structures. If they look too similar, change one colour or use a lighter layer for one of them. Follow the book’s suggested key or make a small key of your own.
