Colored Pencil on Black Paper: Paint a Glowing Cicada! 🪲✨ | Backyard Sketchbook (Patreon)

Have you ever tried drawing with colored pencils on black paper? It’s a little bit magical! ✨

In this Backyard Sketchbook tutorial, I’m drawing a beautiful cicada resting on a leaf using colored pencils on black paper. I’ll show you how to build up vibrant colors, create glowing highlights, and make your cicada really stand out against the dark background.

Black paper can completely change the way you think about colored pencils. Instead of starting with shadows and working toward the light, we get to create the light—layering bright colors and highlights to bring our subject to life.

This is part of my Backyard Sketchbook theme for August, where we’re slowing down, looking closely at the little bits of nature around us, and turning everyday backyard discoveries into art. You don't need to be an expert artist to join in—just grab your sketchbook and have some fun!

Paid Members will get the Bonus Goodies for this video in a separate post!