Hi, new to the site and to drawing.I recently bought some graphite and colored pencils. Can you use the two together? Also with the colored pencils are they only for shading or also for outlineing,or outline with the gragpite then go back over with the colored? can they be used like the graphite, or is there a different technique? does it matter what paper(surface) you use with the colored? I really love nature scenes(forrests,trees,leaves waterfalls, streams etc.) Can someone tell and or show me how to make them look realistic or point me in the right direction?
Sorry for all the questions, but i been bitten by the bug and just want to get started in the right direction.
Thank you in advance Ralph

Ralph if you know how to draw nature then is easy to go directly with CP. If you want to make sure you draw properly your shapes then try first with graphite or mechanical pencil to draw in very faint lines the contour of your objects then apply color with the colored pencils(CP).If you visit the gallery you will find artwork in CP so you can understand how it is done.
I will show you my challenge for this week, a tulip in CP.I used only CP so there is no graphite outline/contour.
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Look also in the gallery for Judyvan's artwork. She has wonderful CP drawings.You go to members's list and search for the name Judyvan then you go to her albums, and look for Colored pencils work.Hope this will do for a start .

Hi Ralph, coloured pencil and graphite don't mix well as cp is wax based while graphite has clay and graphite together. When pencil is used to create your initial drawing, it is better to transfer your drawing to a new piece of paper using a coloured pencil so that graphite lines do not smear and muddy your CP.

I did a beginner's class in coloured pencil in Drawspace some time ago that may help you in achieving the basic techniques that you need to get realism in your work.

Coloured Pencil Class