I have always had some watercolour pencils in my kit (since Sketchbook Number 1) but it has taken me years to find a way that I am really happy with since they are only ever a part time use. In fact in the early days I often used them to patch up a bad watercolour wash – would not do that now.
I don’t like that they
– lift too easily – too much water and they disappear
– lose intensity when you add water (with the exception of a few colours that go way too intense with water)
– are so opaque
But I do like using them
– instead of ink for outlines
– as setup lines (I have been using brown ochre as a setup pencil for the last 12 months)
– for texture or small detail
AND I discovered last year that putting paint over them was much better than just adding water.
More details about my watercolour pencil selection here
