Step 1: Begin by using a an HB pencil to lightly sketch in the contours of your subject. Loosely deliver some color to the shapes - this is not the same as drawing the forms - this is a general foundation of background color that will be built upon as the drawing progresses. Notice the color is applied edge to edge except on highlighted areas. Always use a uniform stroke that follows the shape of your subject.

Step 2: Begin modeling by alternately adding lights and darks. Keep your pencils sharpened to avoid building up a waxy, saturated surface before you finished modeling and layering your colors. At this stage your are delivering color (building up a foundation) as well as drawing (creating 3 dimensionality) and a light source. Analogous colors (those that are side by side on the color wheel) will be used to give your work a rich surface and depth.

Step 3: At this stage you will begin to layer color combinations that express the individuality of each subject. Show transitions from light into shadow. Use your complements to push values into the neutral range, use your indigo blue, purples, and greens to express darker values. Dark/neutral values recede, light/bright values tend to pop forward.

Step 4: In this final step you will be adding additional details and adjusting values (lights and darks). You may want to add some sharpening definition to shadow edges. Note that at this point all of the original sketch has disappeared and that every surface transitions in value.