# Polychromos portrait - scratches in paper **URL:** \ **Category:** Art Medium Discussion and Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882 "2024-06-23T09:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jennilein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@Jennilein](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Jennilein)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/1 "2024-06-23T09:57:09Z")
I’m trying a portrait in polychromos. Generally I prefer those pencils even though I do love the prismacolour. But I noticed that the tip scratches the surface of my paper (left side) and creates some pilling (around the eye) The sketchbook/Artbook is pretty old, little texture but no specifications given. I used it for portraiture before in graphite. Is it the combination of pencil/paper? Can the paper be too old? Which surface would you recommend for polychromos? ![1000047846](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/f/f39e6f8e1fd648199ac9f03b212475748951dd2e.jpeg) I also wondered how to get softer shadows. They seem far more subtle in the original especially they melt in withthe surroundings ---
**Author:** ![robichon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/robichon/32/4993_2.png) [@robichon](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/robichon)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/2 "2024-06-23T14:27:13Z")
Generally wax based pencils are softer and easier to blend. As with all colored pencils, the more layers the better. I generally reserve the harder colored pencils for finishing “details”. Hope this helps. Terri Robichon ---
**Author:** ![Jennilein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@Jennilein](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Jennilein)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/3 "2024-06-23T14:38:28Z")
Thanks. I have seen many people exclusively use polychromos for portraiture, though. Also I have a hard time buying prismacolor where I live so I thought I would try a drawing exclusively with them… ---
**Author:** ![robichon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/robichon/32/4993_2.png) [@robichon](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/robichon)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/4 "2024-06-23T14:56:19Z")
No question that both brands work. Use what you have. Also, I order most of my art supplies on-line, even getting ball-point pens sent to me from as far away as Japan (and ordered on Amazon). Don’t forget, PastelMat is probably one of the all-time best papers for colored pencil and pastel. Terri Robichon ---
**Author:** ![Jennilein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@Jennilein](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Jennilein)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/5 "2024-06-23T15:12:33Z")
I also have to order online because the art supply store is very far away and not well stocked. But even then prismacolor are few and far between. I also don’t have pastelmat and am pretty sure you can’t find it here. Do you think that miteintes works well with oil based? ---
**Author:** ![robichon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/robichon/32/4993_2.png) [@robichon](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/robichon)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/6 "2024-06-23T16:20:12Z")
Sorry, I don’t know. Hopefully someone else will answer. Terri Robichon ---
**Author:** ![Jennilein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@Jennilein](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Jennilein)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/polychromos-portrait-scratches-in-paper/3882/7 "2024-06-23T16:54:31Z")
I just found out, that the paper is 100 g but is titled “color sketch” so I would not expect it to “buckle under” colour even though it’s not the sturdiest paper in the world… I have the feeling that good paper is really hard to come by in my place…