MATERIALS
There is a whole host of drawing media available, from graphite and colored pencils to charcoal, crayon, and pastel. The myriad tools can yield smooth tones, expressive strokes, dramatic monochromatic palettes, and richly colorful pieces. This chapter covers a variety of drawing materials available to artists, arming you with the information you need to get started in using and mastering the tools. There is a wide range of high-quality materials available at art & craft stores or other art suppliers, and each artist has his or her own preferences. Experiment with different brands and types of materials to discover which ones you prefer.
Graphite Pencils
Graphite pencils come in a range of values, starting with 9H lead as the lightest (or hardest) and graduating through a succession of pencils to 9B, which is usually considered the darkest (or softest). Some manufacturers carry grade EB and EEB for “extra black” and “extra extra black.” HB and F graphite pencils are positioned as the middle-range value.
Leads can also be purchased without a protective wood or plastic cover; these leads can be used with a separate holder, usually retractable, that is made of metal or plastic. They can be sharpened with their own “lead pointer” or on a sandpaper pad.
A carpenter’s pencil is a flat and wide variation on the graphite pencil. They are available in a limited range of values.
These graphite pencils represent two different manufacturers’ ranges of graphite pencils, including an HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B, from lightest to darkest. The lead holder at the end contains an H grade graphite lead.
Graphite sticks are available in a narrow range of values (usually only B and 2B), but can be very useful for large, loose, expressive applications of graphite; these sticks are usually sharpened or chiseled with a sandpaper pad or block.
Sharpeners
There is a wide range of pencil sharpeners available for graphite pencils, from the small plastic sharpener most people are familiar with from grade school to a high-end electric motor that gives pencils a beautifully long and tapered point.
Mat knives or hobby knives can also be used to cut away the wooden cover of the pencil, as well as to sharpen the lead’s point.
Many artists use sandpaper pads to sharpen various types of art media, including graphite pencils. Sandpaper pads are useful for creating a chiseled tip, which gives an artist the ability to create soft, wide strokes.
Erasers
Erasers should be considered effective drawing tools, not just something to remove mistakes. They can be used to create light areas and sharp highlights and to subtly alter and vary the value of a flat graphite application.
Good options for erasers include white plastic or vinyl erasers and the kneaded eraser, a personal favorite for its ability to be “kneaded” into any shape, even a point. This eraser does not leave residue or crumbs behind.
Stick erasers are functional for erasing small, precise areas of graphite and can be chiseled with a knife for even more accurate erasing.
Electric erasers are another option for removing small areas of graphite, particularly in the creation of highly-lit sharp edges on a form, as well as small highlights on reflective surfaces.
Charcoal
Charcoal is created by slow-burning wood in the absence of oxygen in order to create carbon. This carbon residue is mixed with binders to create sticks and pencils. There are many varieties of charcoal media, but they can usually be separated into these categories: vine charcoal, compressed charcoal, and charcoal pencils.
Vine charcoal is typically made from burned grapevine and tree branches, usually willow. Willow charcoal and vine charcoal have very similar qualities; they are usually very soft and light when applied to paper and can easily be blended and lightened with a kneaded eraser or chamois. Both come in hard, medium, or soft grades.
Compressed charcoal is charcoal or carbon mixed with a gum binder that makes it darker and more permanent than vine or willow charcoal. Compressed charcoal tends to have a velvety matte-black appearance that is much richer than vine or willow.
A charcoal pencil contains a “lead” of compressed charcoal, covered with a wood or plastic sleeve. Some charcoal pencils have a paper outer coating that allows the tip of the pencil to be exposed to as long of a point as desired; these pencils are typically sharped with a knife and sandpaper pad.
Conté Crayons
Conté crayons are available as sticks and pencils. Made of a mixture of graphite and clay, in differing amounts for variations in softness and color, Conté is usually available in black, white, and several varieties of red and brown tones.
There are also several alternatives to Conté pencils, available from different manufacturers, that have similar clay-to-graphite ratios and are either encased in wood barrels or sold in long crayons that fit into specially designed plastic or steel holders.
Dipping Pens
Pens are a very traditional way to work with ink; steel and copper pen points are repeatedly dipped into an ink bottle, or other liquid reservoir, to refill the pen. The amount of ink collected on the nib depends on the size of the nib. The thickness of the drawn line depends on the amount of pressure applied, as well as the size of the nib. The smallest pen points carry only as much ink as their surface area allows and must be repeatedly dipped into the ink.
Larger nibs have a two-tiered ink collection system that holds an amount of ink directly above the point; the ink is released as pressure is placed on the paper with the nib. There are different types of large nib tips: flat, round, and square. Each type has several different sizes. A favorite for all-purpose drawing is the B (round tip) 51/2. These types of drawing nibs allow for a wide range of expressive line weights, along with expressive flourishes similar to what a brush can do.
Ink
Inks have been used for thousands of years, for both written documents and art. Today, inks consist of soluble dyes in a shellac solution and are either water-soluble or waterproof. They are available in a variety of colors, including black. Inks may be mixed with water to create washes with a variety of different values.
Drawing Pens
Drawing pens provide rich black ink flow in various sizes and widths, but without the variation in line weight that dipping pens allow. They are a clean and simple alternative for sketching and drawing, without the cleanup associated with dipping pens, which must be washed after each use. These pens can be purchased individually or in sets of differing point sizes.
Ink Brushes
Bamboo brushes are the most common type of brush used with ink and ink washes. The shellac in ink can degrade an expensive brush, and bamboo brush fibers are usually blends of inexpensive goat, sheep, or badger hair. These hair fibers can be easily molded into a fine point, and their absorbent nature means they hold a lot of liquid. They come in many sizes, from very small to very wide.
Ink Brush Pens
Ink brush pens are an expressive type of disposable ink pen that come in many different sizes and colors, as well as sets, including black and shades of gray. They are great for more expressive mark-making than a regular ink pen, as well as practical, since they don’t need to be cleaned after each use.
Markers
Felt-tip markers come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes, including flat, chisel, point, and brush. Most markers are either water- or alcohol-based; markers that contain other types of solvent base should be avoided for health reasons. Markers are versatile for sketching and adding quick tone or color. They are considered a “dry” medium, as they dry quickly upon application. However, markers are not used much in fine art, as their color is fugitive and tends to fade over time. Instead, they are used extensively in commercial art applications, for product and concept sketches and renderings.
Pastel
Pastels are powdered pigment compressed into sticks with a gum arabic binder.
Pastel sticks and pencils come in varying degrees of hardness and softness, depending on the proportion of binder to pigment. Softer pastel sticks usually come with a paper wrapper for protection. The most inexpensive “pastels” are usually made of chalk, similar to what is used in a grade-school classroom or on the sidewalk. The pigments are generally weaker and the binders are inferior for good paper-surface adhesion.
Oil pastels have pigment and an oil or wax binder. They feel sticky or waxy to the touch, as opposed to the dryness of a soft pastel. The look of an oil pastel drawing can be similar to that of a soft pastel drawing, but it can also be more layered and less blended. Generally, the more expensive the oil pastel, the more vibrant the color and softer the texture. However, an inexpensive oil pastel set is suitable and affordable for beginners, as the quality does not suffer as much as in soft pastels.
Colored Pencils
Colored pencils consist of wax-based pigments encased in a protective wood cover. They are available in sets from 12 up to 150, depending on the manufacturer. They also vary in hardness and color intensity, depending on the cost, as well as their intended use. Some very hard colored pencils are used primarily for sketching and detail use; therefore they lack the color intensity of a fine-art type of colored pencil. Generally, the softer and more expensive the colored pencil, the more lightfast and brilliant the color.
Papers
Art papers are classified in many different ways depending on their use, surface texture, weight, and other characteristics.
Generally, papers are split into two categories: cold-pressed and hot-pressed. Hot-pressed paper, also called “plate surface,” is the paper of choice for pen and ink drawing, as well as some graphite techniques that call for precise rendering. Cold-pressed paper, which has more surface texture, comes in different grades, including smooth, vellum, and rough. Cold-pressed paper is usually the overall choice for most techniques involving graphite and charcoal.
Drawing papers come in pads of varying sizes, starting around 9" × 12" up to 18" × 24" and are usually labeled as either “sketch” or “drawing” pads. Sketch pads are usually inferior in quality to drawing pads but can be more economical, especially for beginning artists. The least expensive alternative is “newsprint,” which I do not recommend, as graphite application on this paper tends to look weaker; these papers are also prone to yellowing and brittleness.
The gold standard for drawing paper is acid-free, 100 percent cotton rag paper, but there are some good alternatives on the market, especially some of the “recycled” cotton drawing pads.
Other Art Papers
Laid papers are quality white or toned papers that have a grid pattern embedded into their surface texture. This texture holds medium well, making the surface very good for soft media, such as charcoal and pastel. There are also many types of printmaking and pastel papers that are quite conducive to all dry media. Pastel papers are usually thicker ply and have a rougher textured surface than traditional drawing papers in order to retain the soft strokes of pastel on the surface.
Tracing Paper
Tracing paper, sometimes called “sketch paper” when it comes in a roll, is a translucent lightweight paper used in situations where layers of refined drawings are desirable. Vellum is a thicker-weight translucent tracing paper, which has a surface similar to drawing paper. Most commercial artists use tracing paper and sketch paper, due to their economical and translucent qualities.
Working Surfaces & Easels
Your working surface should depend largely on the medium you use most often. For artists who draw and work with dry media, a flat or slightly tilted surface is best; for artists who paint with oil or acrylic, an easel is the traditional choice.
Drawing & Drafting Tables
Drawing and drafting tables feature large, smooth surfaces that tilt to varying degrees. Often made of wood, composite wood, or tempered glass, these desks sometimes feature ledges or compartments along the side for holding pencils, erasers, or other drawing materials. Some even include straightedges on the surface, wheeled legs, and drawers for storing materials.
Drawing Boards
A drawing board offers a sturdy, smooth, and portable surface for supporting your paper as you draw or paint. You can use it in your lap and rest it against the edge of a table; and, if you wish, you can secure your paper to the board with clips or artist tape. Many wood-surfaced drawing boards feature a honeycombed core to reduce weight; others are made of composite wood or plastic. Drawing boards are available in a range of sizes, but an 18" × 18" board is a great size for beginners.
Studio Easels
Studio easels are sturdy, freestanding canvas supports. Traditionally they are made of wood, but you can also find lighter-weight metal varieties. Studio easels often fold flat, so you can tuck them away into a corner of the studio if needed; however, they are more cumbersome than portable easels (such as box easels, shown here). Below are two common studio easel formats.
An A-frame easel is perhaps the most common format. The main frame, which is shaped loosely like an “A,” is supported by a third leg. This easel requires a good amount of floor space, and the legs are vulnerable to accidental kicks.
An H-frame easel is a classic format that can support large canvases. An adjustable main frame is anchored to a small base, which sometimes features wheels for easy pushing.
Portable Easels
Also called a French easel, a box easel is a great option for artists who work outdoors. This portable unit collapses into a compact box and features a handle for easy toting. The easel has three adjustable legs that support a wooden box; the lid serves as a canvas support with a ledge, and the box acts as a drawer holding materials.
Box easel, closed and ready for traveling
Box easel, open and ready for painting
Watercolorists who paint on site often choose to work on pads or spiral sketchbooks, while others stick to single sheets attached to a hard board with clips or artist tape. To support your paper while painting, consider a watercolor easel that allows for a slightly tilted surface. Many are available in collapsible, lightweight metal formats, making them easy to carry on-site.
Tabletop Easels
This type of easel sits atop any flat surface and holds your work upright as you paint. They are usually mini H-frames or mini A-frames in format. Tabletop easels are sometimes used to display finished artwork on desks or countertops.
Standard H-frame tabletop easel
Box-style tabletop easel
Setting Up a Studio
Every artist’s dream is to have a large, airy studio with a north-facing window. But the reality is that any place you find to paint—a spare bedroom, a basement corner, or the kitchen table—is suitable. Choose your workspace to match your style. Some people like to stand to allow free arm movement; others sit at a table for more precise work; and some prefer to sit in an oversized chair. Select an easel, table, or lap desk to hold your paper while you work. And wherever you do work, you will need good lighting, such as a floor lamp, desk light, or clamp-on light. As an artist, you may prefer to use a “natural” or “daylight” bulb, which mimics sunlight and is easy on your eyes.
DRAFTING OR DRAWING TABLE You can angle these tabletops for comfort. If space is short, get a folding table.
LAP DESK A laptop board with an attached pillow allows you to put your feet up, lean back, and draw.
EASEL An easel will hold your work upright, so you can work standing or sitting.
Lighting
Traditionally, the best lighting for artwork is plentiful natural light coming from the north. This shows color and values in their truest forms, prevents rays of light from falling directly on the work, and reduces eyestrain for the artist. An ideal studio features large, high north-facing windows. Artists who don’t have the luxury of north light or who work at night must use artificial lighting to illuminate their work spaces. There are myriad possibilities for lighting a studio; ultimately, personal preference will guide the way.
Shown is the same drawing board under three different types of light: cool light from the shadows of late afternoon (A), a warm incandescent bulb (B), and a full-spectrum daylight bulb (C). If natural northern light is not available, full-spectrum daylight bulbs (or a combination of warm and cool lighting) bring out the truest colors and values.
